Best NFL draft picks by state

Say what you will about Terrell Owens — there has only been a handful of other wide receivers to dominate the NFL like T.O. did. Born in Alexander City, Ala., Owens played 15 seasons in the NFL, was a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection and finished his career with over 15,000 receiving yards and 156 total touchdowns.

Not too many Super Bowl champions have come out of Alaska, let alone as an NFL Draft selection. Former Redskins and Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth is the only one to accomplish both. Born in Anchorage, Schlereth, a 10th-round draft pick in 1989, won three Super Bowls and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection over the course of his career.

Using one of the picks they received from the Vikings in the Herschel Walker trade, the Cowboys selected safety Darren Woodson in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft. Woodson helped anchor a Cowboys secondary that won three Super Bowls in the 1990s. Woodson was also selected to five Pro Bowls before his retirement in 2004.

Born in Little Rock, Ark., former Chargers, Rams and Chiefs pass rusher Leslie O’Neal amassed 132.5 sacks over the course of his career, good for 13th all time. O’Neal was taken by the Chargers with the eighth overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft.

Born in San Mateo, Calif., if Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn’t go down as the greatest quarterback in NFL history, he certainly has a place in the top three. Brady, a sixth-round pick out of Michigan, has led New England to five Super Bowl wins since entering the league in 2000 and has won 196 regular-season games. Brady is the definition of a first-ballot Hall of Fame player.

One of the more underrated quarterbacks to play in the NFL in recent memory, Matt Hasselbeck was born in Boulder, Colo. After attending Boston College, Hasselbeck was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. His best years, however, came with the Seattle Seahawks, whom he helped guide to their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

Known best by NFL fans for the spin move that has helped him garner 125.5 sacks and counting, defensive end/linebacker Dwight Freeney was born in Hartford, Conn. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Freeney is still putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

One of just a handful of NFL players born in Delaware, former Giants lineman Luke Petitgout started 110 games in his NFL career. Petitgout was taken by the Giants with the 19th overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.

There have been hundreds of NFL players to come out of the state of Florida, but it’s hard to argue that any have been better than the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. A first-round pick by the Cowboys in 1990, Smith ran for 18,355 yards over the course of his Hall of Fame career and won three Super Bowls. He is also second all time in total touchdowns with 175 scored.

Along with being one of the greatest running backs ever to step on to a football field, Jim Brown is also one of football’s most respected figures off the field as well. The former Cleveland Browns star was an eight-time First-Team All-Pro selection in his nine NFL seasons, won four NFL MVPs and helped lead the Browns to the 1964 NFL Championship. Brown was born in St. Simons, Ga.

Out of the many Hawaiian-born players to come through the league, none have been better than former Bears center Olin Kreutz. When Kreutz was at the top of his game, he was the best center in the NFL. A third-round pick from Washington, Kreutz started 187 NFL games in his 14-year career.

Throughout the course of his 11-year NFL career, there were few tackles more consistent than Jordan Gross of the Panthers. Born in Fruitland, Idaho, Gross started 167 games for Carolina and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

Born in Chicago, Broncos and Ravens Hall of Fame player Shannon Sharpe helped prove that tight ends could be just as dangerous in the passing game as receivers. Sharpe caught 815 passes for more than 10,000 receiving yards over the course of 14-year career. A seventh-round pick from Savannah State, Sharpe was a four-time First-Team All-Pro selection and three-time Super Bowl champion.

Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., Rod Woodson is one of the greatest defensive backs ever. Playing his best years for the Steelers, Woodson intercepted an incredible 71 passes over the course of his Hall of Fame career and was a six-time First-Team All-Pro selection at safety and cornerback.

One of the most unlikely NFL success stories ever, quarterback Kurt Warner was born in Burlington, Iowa. After playing in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe, Warner was thrust into the spotlight in 1999, when Rams starter Trent Green was lost to an injury. Warner proceeded to lead St. Louis to a Super Bowl-winning season. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Warner also led the Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl appearance in 2009.

Considered by many to be the most electrifying running back of all time, former Lions great Barry Sanders was born in Wichita, Kansas. The third overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft, Sanders was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and six-time First-Team All-Pro player over the course of his 10-year NFL career. Sanders was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2004.

Perhaps now known best for his color commentary with CBS, former Giants quarterback Phil Simms was a pretty darn good NFL quarterback as well. Simms won 95 games for Bill Parcells' team and led New York to a win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.

Although he grew up in Mississippi, Peyton Manning was born in New Orleans. Maybe the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Manning redefined what it means to be a signal-caller in the NFL. He is the only quarterback to win two Super Bowl championships as a starter for two different teams and owns a number of statistical records a quarterback can have. “The Sheriff” walked away from the game after he led the Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50.

Known more for its lobsters than football players, the state of Maine did manage to give the football world Alfred Harris, the ninth overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Harris, a defensive end, recorded 20.5 sacks in 11 years playing in the NFL.

With 106 career sacks, former Bears, Dolphins and Raiders defensive end Trace Armstrong is the finest NFL player to have been born in Maryland. Armstrong was the 12 overall pick in the 1989 Draft.

Born in Winthrop, Mass., former Giants tight end Mark Bavaro was one of the best at his position in the 1980s. Bavaro, a fourth-round draft pick from Notre Dame, caught 39 touchdowns over the course of his nine-year NFL career.

The pride of Detroit, Jerome Bettis is considered by many to be the greatest “power” running back of all time. Playing his best years for the Steelers, Bettis is the NFL’s sixth all-time best rusher with 13,622 yards. “The Bus,” whose final game was a Super Bowl win in his hometown, was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2015.

The third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, few wide receivers have been as consistently good over the course of their careers as Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald. Born in Minneapolis, Fitzgerald is an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and has 110 career touchdown receptions.

Putting aside positions, Jerry Rice just might be the greatest football player ever. The Hall of Fame wide receiver dominated the game like few others, scoring over 200 touchdowns and winning three Super Bowls with the 49ers. Born in Starkville, Miss., Rice was a 10-time First-Team All-Pro selection and is also the NFL’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards.

A four-time Pro Bowl safety, Lawyer Milloy played 15 seasons in the NFL. Taken by the Patriots in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft, Milloy finished his career with 25 interceptions and one Super Bowl championship. He was born in St. Louis.

A 10th-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, Keith Wortman is one of a handful of NFL players born in Montana. Wortman, an offensive lineman, played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Packers and Cardinals.

A third-round pick out of Nebraska, former Packers running back Ahman Green was one of the NFL’s best in the early 2000's. Green, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season six different times and scored 74 touchdowns over the course of his 12-year NFL career.

Born in Las Vegas, running back Steven Jackson ranks 18th overall in career rushing yards with 11,438. Jackson, who played his prime years with the Rams, has been selected to three Pro Bowls.

A state with few NFL players, New Hampshire did give the NFL quarterback Greg Landry. The 11th overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft by the Lions, Landry played 15 seasons in the NFL, winning 44 games as a starter.

Beloved by NFL fans for his rugged and powerful running style, Hall of Fame Steelers great Franco Harris is easily the best NFL player born in New Jersey. Harris won four Super Bowls with the Steelers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. Oh, and there was also that catch against the Raiders in the 1972 AFC Championship Game.

Not only is New Mexico the state where the hit television show “Breaking Bad” took place, but it’s also the birthplace of Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott. The eighth overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft, Lott was the leader of a 49ers defense that won four Super Bowls. A six-time First-Team All-Pro, Lott is one the NFL’s greatest defensive players.

Seemingly forgotten by most NFL fans, linebacker Kevin Greene was one of the best pass rushers ever to play in professional football. Born in Schenectady, N.Y., Greene amassed 160 sacks in 15 NFL seasons, good for third all time.

The second overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft, it feels like Julius Peppers will just find away to play in the NFL forever. The 38-year-old made his ninth Pro Bowl in 2015, and with 154.5 career sacks and counting, Peppers will go down as one of the all-time greats on the defensive side of the football.

Despite having one of the smallest populations of all the 50 states, North Dakota is the birthplace of a few NFL players. Former Vikings fullback Jim Kleinsasser is certainly the state’s best player to be drafted. Kleinsasser played 14 seasons in Minnesota, finding the end zone 13 times in his career.

Out of the hundreds of NFL players born in Ohio, no player has been more successful on the field than Charles Woodson. A surefire Hall of Fame player, Woodson played 18 seasons in the NFL before retiring in 2015. During that time, Woodson grabbed 65 interceptions, was selected to nine Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Player of the year in 2009. Woodson will go down as one of the greatest defensive backs ever to play in the NFL.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent is the best NFL player to be drafted out of the state of Oklahoma. Largent played his entire 14-year career with the Seahawks, racking up 13,089 receiving yards and 101 touchdowns. After his NFL career ended, Largent returned to Oklahoma and served as a congressman for his home state in the House of Representatives for eight years.

Born in Portland, Ore., offensive lineman Stan Brock played 16 years in the NFL. The 12th overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, Brock started 223 games over the course of his career for the Saints and Chargers.

A third-round pick out of Notre Dame, quarterback Joe Montana had one of the most successful NFL careers ever. Montana won four Super Bowls with the 49ers, two MVPs and was inducted into Canton in 2000. Montana epitomized what playing quarterback in the NFL was all about.

Born in Providence, R.I., Will Blackmon is the best player from the smallest state in terms of land mass. A fourth-round pick by the Packers in 2006, the cornerback out of Boston College has played in 96 NFL games and has five career defensive and special teams touchdowns.

The fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green could find himself in Canton one day. In seven NFL seasons, Green failed to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving just once and is yet to miss a Pro Bowl. The star wide out was born in Summerville, S.C.

He may have been named after a city from another state, but Dallas Clark was born in Sioux Falls, S.D. One of Peyton Manning’s favorite targets in Indianapolis, the tight end caught 505 passes for 5,665 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns over the course of his career.

Beloved by fans and teammates alike, legendary defensive end Reggie White was born in Chattanooga, Tenn. One of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, White finished his career with 198 sacks and won one Super Bowl. Sadly, White died in 2004 at the age of 43 from cardiac arrhythmia.

In the state of Texas, football is a way of life. Choosing the greatest NFL player born in the state to be drafted wasn’t easy, but we’ll go with Eric Dickerson. Born in Sealy, Texas, Dickerson played 12 electrifying years in the NFL, running for 13,259 yards. Most famously, however, Dickerson holds the NFL record for rushing yards in a single season, running for 2,105 in 1984 with the Rams.

The 49ers took a massive leap of faith in Steve Young when they chose to trade Joe Montana after the 1992 season and roll with the Salt Lake City, Utah native as their starter. It turned out to be a wise decision. Young led the 49ers to another Super Bowl and was one of the best quarterbacks to play in the 1990's. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Young was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2005.

You can count the number of NFL players born in the state of Vermont to be drafted on one hand. The best of the lot is Steve Wisniewski. A second-round pick by the Cowboys in 1989, the offensive lineman out of Penn State played all 13 years of his NFL career with the Raiders and made it to eight Pro Bowls.

Considered by many to be the greatest defensive player in NFL history, former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor may have also been football’s most intimidating player ever. An eight-time First Team All-Pro, Taylor recorded 132.5 sacks in his 12-year career and won two Super Bowls for Bill Parcells and the Giants.

Born in Port Angeles, Wash., John Elway is without question the greatest player to be drafted from the state of Washington. Elway, one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, played his entire 16-year career with the Denver Broncos, appearing in five Super Bowls and winning two of them. The first overall pick of the 1983 Draft, Elway is currently the Broncos general manager and executive vice president of football operations.

Born in the unincorporated town of Rand, W.V., wide receiver Randy Moss was one of the NFL’s most incredible athletes, as well as one of its most controversial. Controversy aside, the numbers Moss put up speak volumes. He racked up over 15,000 receiving yards and 156 touchdowns playing for the Vikings, Raiders, Patriots, Titans and 49ers. “The Freak” also owns the record for most touchdown receptions in a single season with 23 in 2007.

Is it too early to deem J.J. Watt the best NFL player ever born in Wisconsin? Nah. Watt is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest football players ever. The 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Watt has already won three Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Texans and is still in the prime of his career at 29 despite a few injury plagued seasons.

Born in the state with the smallest population in the Union, former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley made it to two Pro Bowls in his time playing in Washington. A third-round pick, Cooley caught 429 passes for 4,711 yards and 33 touchdowns in his nine-year NFL career.