Best NFL players by state (current)

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was the most dominant pass catcher in the NFC last season. Jones had a career year, nabbing 136 receptions for 1,871 yards, and eight touchdowns. With those numbers, he became a First-Team All-Pro and was selected to his third Pro Bowl. Jones, who just turned 27 years old, should terrorize opposing defensive backs for years to come.

Not too many NFL players come out of Alaska, but a few always manage to make their way to football’s top professional league. The most recent player to do so is Daryn Colledge. A second-round pick out of Boise State in 2006 by the Packers, Colledge played 141 career games at guard over nine seasons.

Born in Avondale, Ariz., Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen has emerged as one of the NFL’s better pass rushers. Griffen, a fourth-round pick out of USC, had a career season in 2015, recording 10.5 sacks, and was named to his first Pro Bowl. He also earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play in a win against the Vikings' hated division rival, the Green Bay Packers.

Although Darren McFadden has never lived up to the hype that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Arkansas product is a quality running back. Able to run both between the tackles and catch the football, he rushed for over 1,000 yards last season with the Dallas Cowboys and was often the team’s lone bright spot on offense.

Sorry, Patriots fans, but at this point in time, it’s Aaron Rodgers who is the best quarterback hailing from the state of California, not Tom Brady. Rodgers is a savant at the quarterback position. A two-time NFL MVP, he is capable of striking a defense at its most vulnerable spot on the field every single snap. Born in Chico, Calif., Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl championship in 2010 and currently has a career record of 80-39 as a starter in Green Bay.

Born in Denver, Calais Campbell has been a mainstay on the Arizona defensive line since 2008. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Campbell is a pro at both attacking the quarterback and clogging up running lanes.

Jordan Reed emerged in 2015 as one the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. The third-year player caught 87 passes for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 14 games. Reed was born in New London, Conn.

The most recent player from the state of Delaware to play in the NFL is former New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Luke Petitgout. Born in Milford, Del., Petitgout started most of his career in the NFL for some strong New York teams. He has since run on hard times, facing legal troubles for sexual assault and drug offenses.

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown appears intent on rewriting the NFL record books. A four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time First-Team All-Pro, Brown has led the NFL in receptions for two straight seasons and posted a career-high 1,834 receiving yards this past year. He appears destined to be inducted into NFL Hall of Fame when his career comes to an end.

Love him or hate him, there’s no doubting that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is one of the best signal callers in the NFL. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Newton led Carolina to 15-1 regular season in 2015 and even found the end zone 10 times as runner. Although Newton’s fairy tale season came to an unfortunate end in the Panthers' loss to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, the man who popularized the “dab” should continue to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for years to come.

Although he only has one year of NFL experience under his belt, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota looks like he’s headed for stardom. The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, Mariota had a successful rookie season in Tennessee and with a few more years of experience should become a top-tier NFL quarterback. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Born in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Brock Osweiler is out to prove to the world that he was much more than just a placeholder for Peyton Manning in Denver. Now with the Texans, Osweiler has been given control of Houston’s offense, and the former backup appears primed to establish himself as a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL once the 2016 season begins.

Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is the embodiment of what head coach Bill Belichick loves in a football player. Ninkovich is tough, versatile and has an astute football mind. Oh, and he’s also pretty good at that whole playing defense thing. Born in New Lenox, Ill., he is always a threat to sack the opposing quarterback and seldom misses an assignment on defense. The 10-year NFL veteran is one of the most underrated players in football.

Few defensive tackles in the NFL have as much impact on a game as Panthers star Kawann Short. Short is both capable of putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks (evident by his 11.5 sacks in 2015) and constantly overpowers opposing lineman to disrupt plays in the backfield. Born in East Chicago, Ind., the 27-year-old Short made his first Pro Bowl this past season.

Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda is a strong man. A five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time First-Team All-Pro, Yanda consistently creates running lanes for his teammates in the backfield, and it’s almost impossible for a defensive lineman to beat him to the quarterback on a straight bull rush. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Yanda has been one of the NFL’s best offensive lineman for some time now and should continue to be for years to come.

Although most players on the Atlanta Falcons faded as the 2015 season progressed, there was one noticeable exception. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder got better and better as the year went along. Schraeder didn’t give up an inch to opposing pass rushers and was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Pro team. Not too shabby for an undrafted player out of Valdosta State.

Since returning to the NFL in 1999, just about nothing has gone right for the Cleveland Browns. That being said, Browns fans can at the very least be happy that they have a Pro Bowl tight end in Gary Barnidge. A journeyman most of his career, Barnidge came out of seemingly nowhere last season to have a career year in Cleveland, catching 79 passes for 1,043 yards. Now just imagine what a player like Barnidge could do for the Browns if they actually had a competent quarterback.

Capable of making a gravity-defying catch at any moment, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has needed just two seasons to established himself as one the NFL’s elite wideouts. Already a two-time Pro Bowl selection, Beckham is impossible to stop in one-on-one coverage and is as precise a route runner as you’ll ever see. In just 27 career NFL games, he has 25 receiving touchdowns. OBJ was born in Baton Rouge, La.

Born in Brunswick, Maine, offensive lineman Will Montgomery is currently the best NFL player from the Pine Tree State. Montgomery has been in the NFL since 2006 and has played for the Panthers, Jets, Redskins, Broncos and Bears.

Despite having only 12 career starts, Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley II is already one of the best runners in the NFL. Both explosive and electrifying, Gurley is nearly impossible to tackle one on one in open space and also has the speed to burn defenders on the sidelines. Simply put, he is threat to score every time he touches the football.

Surprisingly, not too many NFL players come out of the state of Massachusetts. Presently, Seattle Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka is its best. A former soccer player, Hauschka is one the most accurate and reliable kickers in the NFL. The 30-year-old connected on 93.5 percent of his field goal attempts in 2015.

Unless you play fantasy football, you’re probably not familiar with Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson. The 22-year-old exploded onto the scene in Jacksonville this past year, catching 80 passes for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Born in Detroit, Robinson made his first of what should by many Pro Bowls last season.

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 nine-time Pro Bowl selection and will likely eclipse the 100-touchdown reception mark next season in Arizona.

Eagles star Fletcher Cox is the best player on the defensive side of the ball in Philadelphia. The defensive lineman out of Mississippi State commands a double team on every snap but still finds a way to tackle runners behind the line of scrimmage and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Cox was selected to his first Pro Bowl this past season.

Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is one of the more underappreciated offensive players in the NFL. A precise route runner, Maclin caught 87 passes for 1,088 yards this past season in Kansas City. He is also a dangerous return man when put to the task by his coaches.

Currently a free agent, Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker/defensive end Kroy Biermann has been a productive, versatile player since entering the league in 2008. Born in Hardin, Mont., Biermann has 23.5 career sacks.

If you were to see Danny Woodhead on the street, you would probably never guess that he’s an NFL player, let alone a pretty good one. The diminutive running back can do a little bit of everything out of the backfield, as he can run between the tackles, pass catch and even block attacking linebackers on blitzes. Born in North Platte, Neb., the Chargers running back has become one of the most reliable backs in all of football.

Admittedly, DeMarco Murray’s lone year in Philadelphia was a disaster. But don’t forget that it was only a season prior when Murray ran for an incredible 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys. Now with the Titans, expect him to regain his Pro Bowl form this upcoming season.

Chargers defensive lineman Kendall Reyes has been one San Diego’s most consistent players over the past several seasons. Born in Nashua, N.H., Reyes was a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

A first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson finally emerged as Pro Bowl player this past season. Wilkerson recorded a caree- high 12.5 sacks and was able to get his big hands up to deflect seven passes at the line of scrimmage. Expect him to get even better in 2016, as he is just now entering the prime of his career.

Born in Albuquerque, Texans defensive tackle Jared Crick is currently the best NFL player from the 47th state to join the Union. While he’s not the type of player to rack up sacks at will, Crick is a steady defensive lineman who wraps up opposing runners and rarely makes mistakes.

Whether you love or hate his wild antics, there isn’t a single NFL fan who would disagree with statement that Rob Gronkowski is the most dangerous tight end in the NFL. A touchdown machine, Gronkowski is nearly impossible to defend, as he overpowers defenders who are smaller than him and is just too fast to be covered by a linebacker. A three-time First-Team All-Pro, Gronkowski already owns the record for most touchdown receptions in the playoffs for a tight end. Years from now, when Gronk is inducted into Canton, you can also expect that he’ll give the most entertaining Hall of Fame acceptance speech ever.

Despite having his 2015 campaign cut short due to injury, Jimmy Graham is still one of the top tight ends in the NFL. Truth be told, Graham is wide receiver in a tight end's body, as he is most effective when split out wide. In six NFL seasons, he has already caught 53 touchdown passes. Expect the Seahawks star to have a huge year in 2016.

While he is yet to play a single down in the NFL, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is still probably the best player on an NFL roster from North Dakota. The second overall pick of this year’s draft, expectations will be high in Philadelphia. Fortunately for Eagles fans, it appears the rookie has all the tools needed to become a great quarterback.

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Luke Kuechly is the best middle linebacker in the NFL. The Panthers star is a tackling machine and can drop into coverage and guard just about anyone. Born in Cincinnati, the 25-year-old Keuchly appears to be destined for the Hall of Fame.

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had little success the past few years, they do have a stud player along their defensive line in Gerald McCoy. The third overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, McCoy can both stop the run and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Born in Oklahoma City, he is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time First-Team All-Pro.

Although he is labeled as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is also one of the best. A three-time First-Team All-Pro, Suh commands a double team on every play, and even then he still finds a way to get to the quarterback and clog up holes like no other DT in the NFL. He was born in Portland, Ore.

The 2015 NFL season saw Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald emerge as one of football’s premier defensive players. The 2014 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Donald is impossible to block one on one and consistently finds himself in opposing teams' backfields, destroying running backs and quarterbacks. Donald, 25, was named to his first of what will be many First-Team All-Pro selections in 2015.

Born in Providence, R.I., Will Blackmon is 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 81 NFL games and has five career defensive and special teams touchdowns. Blackmon played for the Redskins in 2015.

The fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green could find himself in Canton one day. In five NFL seasons, Green has never had less than 1,000 yards receiving and is yet to miss a Pro Bowl. The star wide out was born in Summerville, S.C.

Born in Parkston, S.D., Lions offensive tackle Riley Reiff is currently the NFL’s best player from the Mount Rushmore State. A first-round pick out of Iowa in 2012, Reiff has become one of the Lions' most stable offensive linemen.

Tennessee is loaded with NFL talent, but both for his all-around game and his longevity of excellence, Jason Witten takes the top spot. A two-time First-Team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler, Witten can do it all. Not only is he one of Tony Romo's favorite targets, but he's also perhaps the best blocking tight end in football. He's surely a future Hall of Famer when he decides to finally hang up his cleats.

Move over, Adrian Peterson! After the year Von Miller had in Denver, it’s hard to argue that the linebacker isn’t the best NFL player born in the state of Texas at the moment. The MVP of Super Bowl 50, Miller is four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time First-Team All-Pro player. In 72 career regular-season games, he has already recorded 60 sacks. The pass rusher from Dallas is well on his way to becoming one the NFL’s greatest defensive players ever.

Playing in a backfield that includes Adrian Peterson will give you few moments to shine. But for Vikings running back Matt Asiata, when he’s played, he’s played well. Asiata is an old-school power running back but is also a reliable receiver out of the backfield too. The four-year NFL veteran went to high school in West Valley, Utah.

At the present moment, there isn’t a single NFL player born in the state of Vermont. In fact, 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.

Since entering the league in 2010, no safety has been more intimidating than Kam Chancellor. The Seattle star has made four Pro Bowls in five seasons in the NFL and been named Second-Team All-Pro twice. Chancellor was born in Norfolk, Va.

The brother of former Pro Bowl defensive back Marcus Trufant, Falcons corner Desmond Trufant emerged in 2015 as one of the best cover corners in the NFC. Opposing quarterbacks hardly ever even threw the ball in Trufant’s direction, and the 25-year-old from Tacoma, Wash., was selected to his very first Pro Bowl.

Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson is currently the most talented player form the state of West Virginia in the NFL. Injuries have hampered the 24-year-old’s development, but don’t be shocked if he cracks the Pats' wide receiver rotation when the 2016 season commences.

Is it too early to deem J.J. Watt the best ever NFL player born in Wisconsin? Nah. Watt is well on his 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 27.

Born in Casper, Wyo., guard Zane Beadles is current the best player in the NFL from the Cowboy State. A Pro Bowl selection in 2012 with the Broncos, Beadles signed with the 49ers this past offseason after playing two seasons with Jaguars.