The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be introduced during NFL Honors tonight on NBC, Peacock and NFL Network.
15 modern-era pro football players are in the running for this year’s class. Three players — defensive end Dwight Freeney, cornerback Darrelle Revis and left tackle Joe Thomas — made the cut in their first year of eligibility.
Below is a look at where the fifteen played their high school football.
Jared Allen – Gatos High School (California)
Pro Career – Defensive End –- 2004-2007 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-2015 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
Allen spent most of his high school days in Texas at Live Oak High School. He moved to California for his senior season where he attended Los Gatos High.
Even though he played only one year at Los Gatos, Allen made a big impact. The 2000 graduate was named to first team All-League in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year after 96 tackles, 12 sacks, five forces fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
Willie Anderson – Vigor High School (Alabama)
Pro Career – Offensive Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
In the early 90’s Anderson was one of the best offensive linemen in the nation. In-state, he was named the Alabama 6A Player of the Year. Out-of-state, the Atlanta Touchdown Club named Anderson the Bobby Dodd National High School Lineman of the Year and USA TODAY named him a High School All-American.
Ronde Barber, DB – Cave Spring (Virginia)
Pro Career – Defensive Back — 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Barber was a three-sport athlete at Cave Spring. In addition to football, he wrestled and was a part of the track team. During his junior year, Barber made Virginia AAA All-State Team. If you you look at the clipping below, you’ll notice Barber was joined on the team by Allen Iverson, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
While his senior football season was cut short by a broken clavicle, he finished his scholastic career by becoming a state and national track champ in the 55-meter hurdles.
Dwight Freeney – Bloomfield HS (Connecticut)
Pro Career – Defensive End — 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego
Bloomfield retired Freeney’s No. 44 after an outstanding career as a two-way starter (defensive end and tight end) for the Warhawks. He graduated with a then Connecticut state record 60 sacks. Freeney finished with 254 tackles and was named an All-American by USA TODAY.
During his All-State senior season, he was part of a defense that scored 12 touchdowns.
1997 Connecticut All-State Football Team
Freeney was a goalie on the school’s soccer team during his freshman year, winning a varsity letter. But, he quit the sport after one year to play football. He was also a four-year letterman in baseball and basketball.
Devin Hester – Suncoast HS (Florida)
Pro Career – Punt Returner/Kick Returner/Wide Receiver — 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-2015 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens, 2016 Seattle Seahawks
It comes as no surprise that Hester was a football and track & field standout at Suncoast High. After his senior season, Hester was named a Parada Magazine All-American. The running back, receiver, return specialist and defensive back. was ranked as Florida’s top prospect and the No. 6 overall college football prospect in the nation.
As a long jumper was considered one of the best in America. He was also a sprinter, competing in the 60- and 100-meter dashes.
Torry Holt – Eastern Guilford HS (North Carolina)
Pro Career – Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Holt was an North Carolina All-State player at Eastern Guilford, finishing his career with 129 receptions for 2,573 yards with 42 touchdowns. He was also a great special teams player with three kickoff returns for touchdowns and three punt returns for scores.
Holt graduated from high school No. 11 on North Carolina all-time receiving yardage list.
On defense, Holt played cornerback with 62 tackles and four interceptions during his senior season.
Andre Johnson – Miami Senior HS (Florida)
Pro Career – Wide Receiver — 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans
Johnson was a Parade All-American after catching 32 balls for 931 yards during his senior season for an average of 29.1 yards per catch.
Albert Lewis – DeSoto HS (Louisiana)
Pro Career – Cornerback — 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-1998 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
In high school, Lewis wasn’t able to make the DeSoto football team until he was a sophomore. By his senior season, he was an All-District defensive back.
His high school sports career began on the school’s track team. During his senior season, Bell finished No. 3 in the state in the Class AA 100-yard dash with a time of 9.83 seconds. He was fourth in the 220-yard dash with a time of 22.5 seconds.
Darrelle Revis – Aliquippa HS (Pennsylvania)
Pro Career – Cornerback — 2007-2012/2015-16 New York Jets, 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2014 New England Patriots, 2017 Kansas City Chiefs
Revis closed-out his scholastic career with an incredible performance in the Pennsylvania AA championship game. He led Aliquippa to a come-from-behind 32-27 win in the title game.
Revis scored all five touchdowns, including the game-winning 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. In all, he scored three touchdowns on the ground, plus had a kickoff return and he returned a block field goal attempt for a score.
Revis was also unstoppable on the basketball court, averaging 25.2 points a game during his senior season.
Joe Thomas – Brookfield Central HS (Wisconsin)
Pro Career – Tackle — 2007-2017 Cleveland Browns
During his high school days, Thomas played many positions aside from offense tackle. On offense, he was a tight end and fullback, at different points in his career. On defense, he was a standout defensive end, who won the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association’s Defensive Player of the Year after his senior season. He recorded 12 sacks in his final high school season.
Considered the No. 3 prospect in Wisconsin, Thomas played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Thomas was a four-year letterwinner in track & field in the shot put and discus.
Zach Thomas – Pampa HS (Texas)
Pro Career – Linebacker — 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys
Thomas closed-out his high school career by leading Pampa to a Texas 1A state championship. He was named All-State after recording 58 solo tackles with 136 assists and ten sacks.
DeMarcus Ware – Auburn HS (Alabama)
Pro Career – Linebacker — 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-2016 Denver Broncos
At Auburn High School, Ware was a linebacker and wide receiver. He was named the Tigers Most Outstanding Player at both positions.
On defense, he racked-up 40 solo tackles with seven sacks.
Reggie Wayne – John Ehret HS (Louisiana)
Pro Career – Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
It was hard to get Wayne off the field during his high school days. He rewrote John Ehret’s receiving records. On defense, he played free safety. The two-time All-State player, also returned kicks and punted for the Patriots.
Patrick Willis – Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central HS (Tennessee)
Pro Career – Linebacker — 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers
Willis, a 3-star college football recruit, was a two-time All-State selection. The Hollow-Rock-Bruceton Central High School alum is also the first person in Tennessee state history nominated for both the Mr. Football Award for a Lineman (as a linebacker) and the Mr. Football Award for a Back (as a tailback) in the same season.
Darren Woodson – Maryvale HS (Arizona)
Pro Career – Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
ESPNRISE.com once called Woodson one of the best players to come out of Arizona. At Maryvale he played running back and linebacker. He once scored six touchdowns in one game.
One of his teammates at Maryvale was future NFL cornerback Phillippi Sparks.
The modern-era player finalists are determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee, a process that began with 129 nominees. That group of nominees was trimmed to 28 semifinalists in November.
