When it comes to producing National Football League talent, it’s no secret that Louisiana has always shaped some of the most prominent professional football players, both past and present.
According to USA Football, Louisiana has the most players per capita on NFL rosters at the start of the 2014 season. High schools in Louisiana have been ranked second per capita as producer of players selected in both the 2013 and 2014 NFL Drafts, behind Chandler High School In Arizona in 2013 and Saint Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2014.

Louisiana has 62 players on current NFL rosters, 21 being drafted over the last two seasons. This puts Louisiana number one over any other state with one player representing the state’s per capita of 73,119.

Louisiana has always had a reputation for producing premiere football talent. Over the years, many great football athletes have played high school and collegiate football in Louisiana and have went on to have successful professional careers in the NFL.

Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, a Shreveport native, is one of the most decorative and well-known football players to have ever come out of Louisiana. Bradshaw played high school football at Woodlawn High School and collegiately at Louisiana Tech University before going number one overall in the 1970 NFL Draft to the Pittsburg Steelers. Bradshaw would go on to win two back to back Super Bowl Championships, two Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards, a 3 time pro bowler, and ultimately being inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Doug Williams is another famous quarterback from Louisiana that made a substantial mark in the league. Williams, a Zachary Native, attended Chaneyville High School and was a standout at Grambling State University. Williams entered the 1978 NFL Draft and was picked seventeenth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the 1987-1988 season, Williams led the Washington Redskins to Super Bowl XXII and was crown the 1988 Super Bowl MVP. Doug Williams became the first African American quarterback to play in any Super Bowl, scoring four of Washington’s five touchdowns in a 42-10 blowout over the Denver Broncos.

Likewise to other great players who played high school football in Louisiana, it’s hard to not bring up the last name, “Manning” when referring to Louisiana high school football. Brothers Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos and Eli Manning of the New York Giants both played high school football at Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1990s. Both brothers, still active, would go on to be drafted number one overall in their perspective draft classes. Peyton is arguably the greatest regular season quarterback ever to have played in the NFL, winning multiple MVP awards, shattering almost every passing record held in the NFL, and is a Super Bowl MVP. Along with holding Giants franchise records in passing yards and touchdowns in a career, younger brother Eli has two Super Bowl Championships, being awarded Super Bowl MVP in both championship games.

Many promising football players bred from Louisiana high schools have entered the NFL the last two season and have already solidified positions in league. Safety Eric Reed of the San Francisco 49ers and running back Eddie Lacey of the Green Bay Packers, both products of Dutchtown High School in Geismar, were drafted in the 2013 NFL Draft. In the same draft, defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Robert Alford were drafted. Former Louisiana State University star Mathieu is a New Orleans native who attended St. Augustine High School while Alford played high school and college ball in Hammond, Louisiana for Hammond High School and Southeastern University.

In the 2014 NFL Draft, 10 former Louisiana high school players were drafted. Some notable players are wide receiver Odell Beckham of Newman High School, wide receiver Jarvis Landry of Lutcher High School and number two overall pick in this year’s draft Greg Robinson, an offensive tackle who played football at Thibodaux High School.

According to MaxPreps, district 7-5A rivals Hahnville and Destrehan are tied for most active NFL players at four each. Only six other high schools in the country have more active players. Moreover, the city of New Orleans ranks eleventh on the active NFL players list with 32 players.

Louisiana has a history of producing great athletes, specifically football players. It’s not guaranteed that active Louisiana players on current NFL rosters will remain in the league for years or that there will be a steady abundance of football talent coming out of Louisiana for years to come. One thing for sure is that as long as football is being played in Louisiana, great high school football players will continue to prosper on fields across the state, and around the country at every level of competition.