Detroit High Schools produce most NFL players in week 1
Detroit High School alum had the most starters in the NFL.
"There were 19 players from Detroit high schools on NFL rosters for opening week, the most of any city. Bradenton, Florida, had the second-most players (17), followed by Houston with 16 players."
No Georgia or Cali schools. Bradenton is the home of IMG Academy, so that's not the "real" hometown for most of their players.
With continued success and the improved scouting, maybe the tides are turning. Heck, who is tracking the jersey sales in Ohio?
September 15th, 2023 at 11:01 PM ^
Sorry. First sentence should say "players," not "starters."
September 15th, 2023 at 11:13 PM ^
Deeeetoit Football!
September 15th, 2023 at 11:28 PM ^
I was very surprised at first when I saw this. Then when I thought of who from Detroit is in the NFL it made sense.
It is crazy from a recruiting standpoint because you think of some of the Ohio schools in Cincinnati and Cleveland area, Louisiana schools, and Miami area as being the hubs for top talent. Also, the PSL has gone down so much the past two decades with the exception of King and Cass you wouldn’t think the volume would be what it is. Also, there is only 1 large Catholic HS in Detroit, unlike other large cities who have sometimes 4 and 5.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:45 AM ^
Since you mentioned Cincinnati ...... I spot-checked them on Pro Football Reference and that lists 21 active NFL players. Which would be more than the 19 it shows for Detroit.
BUT ... it also lists Moeller as being in Cincinnati, which it isn't. So subtract 2? Still a tie?
Who knows ... this probably isn't all a science. The other 3 Big Catholic HS (Elder, St X, La Salle) are all within Cinci itself, they got that right.
Link: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=OH
September 16th, 2023 at 12:05 AM ^
I recall talking about this last year --- impressive from Detroit and something to tout, but Los Angeles is truly number 1.
It doesn't list as Number 1 because Pro Football Reference classifies most of the Valley High Schools --- which are still the city of LA --- by their neighborhood instead (Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills, etc).
As for Bradenton at #2, that's mostly IMG.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:19 AM ^
Are Sherman Oaks, Encino, etc, their own school districts? Maybe that's the distinction? I truly don't know.
September 16th, 2023 at 12:36 AM ^
Taft (the school in Woodland Hills that has 2 active NFL players) is LA School District.
The Encino & Sherman Oaks schools that have a combined 5 active NFL players are private, but they're definitely in LA (which makes them similiar to U-D Jesuit and their 1 active NFL player).
It's a minor point - and arguably I'm being pedantic. But it's an LA peculiarity - the city is so huge and sprawling that saying "I live in LA" is borderline meaningless, especially to locals. Everyone says their neighborhood. I live in Sherman Oaks myself, FWIW.
Discussion from last year, I found it: https://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/ot-schefter-detroit-high-schools-have-produced-third-most-current-nfl-players-any-city
September 16th, 2023 at 3:48 AM ^
Gotcha. Too had they didn't show their work.
September 16th, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
Makes sense. I mean city of LA is like 5 or 6 times the population of Detroit so it’d be incredible if the D had produced more.
September 16th, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
Where do it say Los Angeles is #1? It says Detroit. Let Detroit have its shine please.
September 16th, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
Bradenton shouldn't count. They're not homegrown talent
September 16th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
It’s an analysis by high school. Not sure there is another way to realistically do this in a more meaningful way. You can’t really reallocate every private school player to where they’re “really from.” I don’t think those data are generally available.