California leads the way with 22 former high school football players on the list of 167 Modern-Era Players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 presented by Visual Edge IT. Texas is next with 16 former high schoolers, followed by Florida with 14 and Virginia with 13. Georgia and Pennsylvania each have 11 former high school football players on the Road to Canton.
Four schools have two players each on the list.
- Dunbar (Washington, DC) – TE, Vernon Davis and Special Teams, Josh Cribb
- Miami Beach Sr. (Florida) – WR, Chad Johnson and DB, Samari Rolle
- Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Illinois) – QB, Donovan McNabb and DE, Simeon Rice
- Point Loma (California) – DT/NT, La’Roi Glover and DB, Eric Allen
Overall 35 different states, plus the District of Columbia are represented on the below list. Three countries — Australia, Canada and South Africa — are also on the list
Sixteen players in their first year of eligibility are among the list of 167 Modern-Era Players nominated.
Four offensive linemen, the highest number among any position group, are among the first-year eligible players: Travis Frederick, Ryan Kalil, Joe Staley and Marshal Yanda. Others making the list for consideration for the first time are: quarterback Eli Manning; running backs Marshawn Lynch and Darren Sproles; wide receiver Demaryius Thomas; tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker; linebackers Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib and Earl Thomas; and kicker Adam Vinatieri.
The roster of nominees consists of 94 offensive players, 56 defensive players and 17 special teams players.
In the next step in the selection process, a Screening Committee will reduce the list to 50 (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot).
The full 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee then will reduce the list further – to 25 Semifinalists, later this fall. Another vote will create the list of 15 Finalists who will be discussed at the annual meeting ahead of Super Bowl LVIX that will produce the new class, which can consist of three, four or five Modern-Era Players under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws.
QUARTERBACKS (10):
- Marc Bulger – Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania)
- Randall Cunningham – Santa Barbara (California)
- Jake Delhomme – Teurlings Catholic (Louisiana)
- Doug Flutie – Natick (Massachusetts)
- Rich Gannon – St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania)
- Jeff Garcia – Gilroy (California)
- Donovan McNabb – Mount Carmel (Chicago, Illinois)
- Eli Manning – Isidore Newman (Louisiana)
- Steve McNair – Mt. Olive (Mississippi)
- Tony Romo – Burlington (Wisconsin)
RUNNING BACKS (31)
- Shaun Alexander – Boone County (Kentucky)
- Terry Allen – Banks County (Georgia)
- Jamal Anderson – El Camino Real (Los Angeles, California)
- Tiki Barber – Cave Spring (Virginia)
- Larry Centers, Fullback – Tatum (Texas)
- Jamaal Charles – Memorial (Port Arthur, Texas)
- Stephen Davis – Spartanburg (South Carolina)
- Corey Dillon – Franklin (Washington)
- Warrick Dunn – Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
- Charlie Garner – J.E.B. Stuart, now known as Justice HS (Virginia)
- Eddie George – Fork Union Military (Virginia)
- Priest Holmes – John Marshall (San Antonio, Texas)
- Steven Jackson – Eldorado (Nevada)
- Chris Johnson – Olympia (Florida)
- Thomas Jones – Powell Valley (Virginia)
- John Kuhn, Fullback – Dover (Pennsylvania)
- Vonta Leach – South Robeson (North Carolina)
- Dorsey Levens – Nottingham (New York)
- Jamal Lewis – Douglass (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Marshawn Lynch – Oakland Tech (California)
- Eric Metcalf, also Wide Receiver/Punt ReturnerKick Returner) – Bishop Denis J. O’Connell (Virginia)
- Glyn Milburn, also Wide Receiver – Santa Monica (California)
- Lorenzo Neal, Fullback – Lemoore (California)
- Clinton Portis – Gainesville (Florida)
- Tony Richardson, Fullback – Daleville (Alabama)
- Robert Smith – Euclid (Ohio)
- Darren Sproles, also Punt Returner/Kick Returner – Olathe North (Kansas)
- Fred Taylor – Glades Central (Florida)
- Chris Warren – Robinson (Virginia)
- Ricky Watters – Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
- Ricky Williams – Patrick Henry (San Diego, California)
WIDE RECEIVERS (21)
- Anquan Boldin – Pahokee (Florida)
- Donald Driver – Milby (Texas)
- Antonio Freeman – Poly (Baltimore, Maryland)
- Irving Fryar – Rancoccas Valley (New Jersey)
- Torry Holt – Eastern Guilford (North Carolina)
- Joe Horn – Douglas Byrd (North Carolina)
- Chad Johnson – Miami Beach Sr. (Florida)
- Brandon Marshall – Lake Howell (Florida)
- Derrick Mason – Mumford (Michigan)
- Herman Moore – George Washington (Danville, Virginia)
- Muhsin Muhammad – Waverly (Michigan)
- Jordy Nelson – Riley County (Kansas)
- Andre Rison – Flint Northwestern (Michigan)
- Jimmy Smith – Callaway (Mississippi)
- Rod Smith – Arkansas Sr (Arkansas)
- Steve Smith Sr. – University (Los Angeles, California)
- Demaryius Thomas – West Laurens (Georgia)
- Hines Ward – Forest Park (Georgia)
- Reggie Wayne – John Ehret (Louisiana)
- Wes Welker – Heritage Hall (Oklahoma)
- Roddy White – James Island (South Carolina)
TIGHT ENDS (6)
- Ben Coates – Greenwood (South Carolina)
- Vernon Davis – Dunbar (Washington, DC)
- Antonio Gates – Central (Detroit, Michigan)
- Jeremy Shockey – Ada (Oklahoma)
- Delanie Walker – Pomona (California)
- Wesley Walls – Pontotoc (Mississippi)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26)
- Willie Anderson, Tackle – Vigor (Alabama)
- Bruce Armstrong, Tackle/Guard – Miami Central (Florida)
- Matt Birk, Center – Cretin-Derham Hall (Minnesota)
- Lomas Brown, Tackle – Miami Springs (Florida)
- Ruben Brown, Guard – Glass (Virginia)
- Jahri Evans, Guard – Frankford (Pennsylvania)
- Travis Frederick, Center – Big Foot (Wisconsin)
- Jordan Gross, Tackle – Fruitland (Idaho)
- Ryan Kalil, Center – Servite (California)
- Lincoln Kennedy, Tackle – Morse (California)
- Olin Kreutz, Center – Saint Louis (Hawaii)
- T.J. Lang, Guard/Tackle – Brother Rice (Michigan)
- Nick Mangold, Center – Archbishop Alter (Ohio)
- Logan Mankins, Guard – Mariposa (California)
- Tom Nalen, Center – Foxborough (Massachusetts)
- Jeff Saturday, Center – Shamrock (Georgia)
- Mark Schlereth, Guard/Center – Service (Alaska)
- Josh Sitton, Guard – Pensacola Catholic (Florida)
- Chris Snee, Guard – Montrose (Pennsylvania)
- Joe Staley, Tackle – Rockford (Michigan)
- Dave Szott, Guard – Clifton (New Jersey)
- Brian Waters, Guard – Waxahachie (Texas)
- Richmond Webb, Tackle – Roosevelt (Dallas, Texas)
- Erik Williams, Tackle – John Bartram (Pennsylvania)
- Steve Wisniewski, Guard – Westfield (Texas)
- Marshal Yanda, Guard – Anamosa (Iowa)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18)
- John Abraham, Defensive End also Linebacker – Lamar (South Carolina)
- Jared Allen, Defensive End – Los Gatos (California)
- La’Roi Glover, Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle – Point Loma (California)
- Casey Hampton, Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle – Ball (Texas)
- Robert Mathis, Defensive End – McNair (Georgia)
- Chester McGlockton, Defensive Tackle – Whiteville (North Carolina)
- Haloti Ngata, Defensive Tackle – Highland (Utah)
- Simeon Rice, Defensive End – Mount Carmel (Chicago, Illinois)
- Clyde Simmons, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle – New Hanover (North Carolina)
- Justin Smith, Defensive End – Jefferson City (Missouri)
- Neil Smith, Defensive End – McDonogh 35 (Louisiana)
- Henry Thomas, Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle – Eisenhower (Houston, Texas)
- Justin Tuck, Defensive End – Central Coosa County (Alabama)
- Ted Washington, Nose Tackle/Defensive Tackle – Tampa Bay Tech (Florida)
- Vince Wilfork, Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle – Santaluces (Florida)
- Jamal Williams, Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle – Summit (California)
- Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle – Fordyce (Arkansas)
- Pat Williams, Defensive Tackle – Wossman (Louisiana)
LINEBACKERS (20)
- Jessie Armstead – Carter (Dallas, Texas)
- Brendon Ayanbadejo – Santa Cruz (California)
- Cornelius Bennett – Ensley (Alabama)
- Lance Briggs – Elk Grove (California)
- Keith Brooking – East Coweta (Georgia)
- NaVorro Bowman – Suitland (Maryland)
- Tedy Bruschi – Roseville (California)
- Donnie Edwards – Chula Vista (California)
- James Farrior – Matoaca (Virginia)
- London Fletcher – Villa Angela- St. Joseph (Ohio)
- James Harrison – Coventry (Ohio)
- Luke Kuechly – St. Xavier (Ohio)
- Willie McGinest, also Defensive End – Long Beach Poly (California)
- Ken Norton Jr. – Westchester (Los Angeles, California)
- Julian Peterson – Crossland (Maryland)
- Bill Romanowski – Rockville (Connecticut)
- Takeo Spikes – Washington County (Georgia)
- Terrell Suggs – Hamilton (Arizona)
- Mike Vrabel – Walsh Jesuit (Ohio)
- Lee Woodall – Carlisle (Pennsylvania)
DEFENSIVE BACKS (18)
- Eric Allen, Cornerback – Point Loma (California)
- Eric Berry, Defensive Back – Creekside (Georgia)
- Antoine Bethea, Safety – Denbigh (Virginia)
- Dré Bly, Defensive Back – Western Branch (Virginia)
- Kam Chancellor, Safety – Maury (Virginia)
- Nick Collins, Defensive Back – Dixie County (Florida)
- Antonio Cromartie, Cornerback – Lincoln (Tallahassee, Florida)
- DeAngelo Hall, Defensive Back – Deep Creek (Virginia)
- Rodney Harrison, Safety – Marian Catholic (Illinois)
- Eugene Robinson, Defensive Back – Weaver (Connecticut)
- Samari Rolle, Defensive Back – Miami Beach Sr. (Florida)
- Allen Rossum, Defensive Back – Skyline (Dallas, Texas)
- Bob Sanders, Safety – Cathedral Prep (Pennsylvania)
- Aqib Talib, Cornerback – Berkner (Texas)
- Earl Thomas, Safety – West Orange-Stark (Texas)
- Charles Tillman, Cornerback – Copperas Cove (Texas)
- Troy Vincent, Cornerback – Pennsbury (Pennsylvania)
- Darren Woodson, Safety – Maryvale (Arizona)
PUNTERS/KICKERS (15)
- David Akers, Kicker – Tates Creek (Kentucky)
- Gary Anderson, Kicker – South Africa
- Darren Bennett, Punter – Australia
- Jason Elam, Kicker – Brookwood (Georgia)
- Jeff Feagles, Punter – Gerard Catholic (Arizona)
- Jason Hanson, Kicker – Mead (Washington)
- John Kasay, Kicker – Clarke Central (Georgia)
- Sean Landeta, Punter – Loch Raven (Maryland)
- Shane Lechler, Punter – East Bernard (Texas)
- Pat McAfee, Punter – Plum (Pennsylvania)
- Brian Moorman, Punter – Sedgwick (Kansas)
- Matt Stover, Kicker – Lake Highland (Texas)
- Matt Turk, Punter – Greenfield (Wisconsin)
- Mike Vanderjagt, Kicker – Canada
- Adam Vinatieri, Kicker Central (Rapid City, South Dakota)
SPECIAL TEAMS (2)
- Josh Cribbs, Kick Returner/Punt Returner also Wide Receiver – Dunbar (Washington, DC)
- Brian Mitchell, Kick Returner/Punt Returner also Running Back – Plaquemine (Louisiana)
