Top all-time players from Ohio high schools

 
Desmond Howard #445? Archie Griffin #296? Those two stood out as one's that should be much higher. Art Schlichter #653, maybe if you are ranking on character, but on talent he should be much higher. Kudos to whoever took the time to compile a list of the top 865 players of all time from Ohio. No arguing the top ten which all of whom are in the NFL HOF or will be when Kuechly and Rothlisberger are elected.
 
Very interesting list. It appears that the same player can be ranked multiple times if they played
different positions.

Example: Joe Morrison of Lima South is ranked 3 different times.
#43 as a RB
#556 as a PR
#606 as a KR

He has 3 different overall rankings : #762, #10078, and #12108.

This same Company also did a ranking of Ohio HS basketball players recently that
a long time Yappi poster recently sent me.



JB
 
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What’s the criteria

Football Player Ranking Explanations

This website uses statistics and results to rank players. It does not use opinion/bias to rank players.
Only professional league stats are factored into the ratings.

What a player did in High School or College does factor into the ratings.

What is problematic is football is a tough sport to use stats for unless you go back and grade every play by each non skill player its hard to come up with a true snapshot of a career. Also how can different positional stats compare, as an example is a dominating OL like Orlando Pace or Jim Parker really beneath a QB like Roger Staubach? All other sports have shared stats yet in football because of specialization and rules not everyone can pass, receive, or run the ball. Unfortunately it is the one sport that opinion should be used when weighing these types of rankings. With that being said the list is a good starting point and I would move players up or down adjusting for position and era. My tope 10 would look something like this:

1) Jim Parker
2) Jack Lambert
3) Charles Woodson
4) Roger Staubach
5) Alan Page
6) Orlando Pace
7) Len Dawson
8) Marion Motley
9) Ben Roethlisberger
10) Cris Carter

Len Dawson gets a top 10 because he was able to compete at a high level while having the handicap of a nicotine addiction:
len-dawson-cig-super-bowl-01192014.jpg
 

Football Player Ranking Explanations

This website uses statistics and results to rank players. It does not use opinion/bias to rank players.
Only professional league stats are factored into the ratings.

What a player did in High School or College does factor into the ratings.

What is problematic is football is a tough sport to use stats for unless you go back and grade every play by each non skill player its hard to come up with a true snapshot of a career. Also how can different positional stats compare, as an example is a dominating OL like Orlando Pace or Jim Parker really beneath a QB like Roger Staubach? All other sports have shared stats yet in football because of specialization and rules not everyone can pass, receive, or run the ball. Unfortunately it is the one sport that opinion should be used when weighing these types of rankings. With that being said the list is a good starting point and I would move players up or down adjusting for position and era. My tope 10 would look something like this:

1) Jim Parker
2) Jack Lambert
3) Charles Woodson
4) Roger Staubach
5) Alan Page
6) Orlando Pace
7) Len Dawson
8) Marion Motley
9) Ben Roethlisberger
10) Cris Carter

Len Dawson gets a top 10 because he was able to compete at a high level while having the handicap of a nicotine addiction:
len-dawson-cig-super-bowl-01192014.jpg
And that Fresca was a game changer also. Had to be tough as nails to suck down a Winny and chug a Fresca both at the same time.
 
As far as I can tell, missing from this list from Fremont Ross....
Rob Lytle
Bob Brudzinski
Tony Gant.

I checked several times just to make sure. The omission of those three alone makes this list very inaccurate.
 
Chuck Webb the first to jump out at me as missing from Toledo. Their metric includes pros. Injuries takes him out of the list.
Fields had 10 NFL years and a pro-bowl. Being punter might have lowered him.
Dick Kazmeijer, Maumee and Heisman winner didn't make the list.
Mel Long, Macomber, All American and COF, didn't make the list.
 
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As far as I can tell, missing from this list from Fremont Ross....
Rob Lytle
Bob Brudzinski
Tony Gant.

I checked several times just to make sure. The omission of those three alone makes this list very inaccurate.
FremontKeith,

Bob Brudzinski is ranked # 313 .

I remember him well from the mid 70's. Was an All-American by his senior year.
1st round pick by the LA Rams as a linebacker, but DE in college.

JB
 
Abdul Salaam, Kent State's Larry Faulk (Jets, Chargers), was for several years part of the New York Sack Exchange with Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko. At Kent he was a teammate of both Cedric Brown (Bucs), who made the list, and Mike Zele (Falcons), who didn't. He was also a teammate for two years with Jack Lambert, and a guy named Nick Saban (Who didn't make the list. Darn. Oh yeah, not a Buckeye). Impossibly hard list to do. It illustrates to me a) Just how many Ohio kids make it to the NFL; b) how impossible it is to rate players over eras; and, c) how well known, highly regarded, or hyped a player is in high school is hardly relevant as to the player they will become. Lambert and the Kelces are just a few examples of this. Maybe repeated readings would answer some of my own questions. But a couple other observations: Alex Boone of St. Edward was higher on the list than Tom Cousineau of St. Edwards by a few spots. Those two schools should schedule each other to settle it. And who knew that Ross Browner went to Wester Reserve Academy in Hudson? The people of Warren should be notified. For all the endless numbers of players, I'm guessing there's a huge number of players who made it to the league that were missed. Did I miss James Harrison? Guys like him, hardly recruited out of high school, undrafted, make lists like this interesting.
 
As far as I can tell, missing from this list from Fremont Ross....
Rob Lytle
Bob Brudzinski
Tony Gant.

I checked several times just to make sure. The omission of those three alone makes this list very inaccurate.
I agree, although as mentioned, Brudzinski was on this list.

Maybe moreso than Gant how about David Liggins?
 
Did I miss James Harrison? Guys like him, hardly recruited out of high school, undrafted, make lists like this interesting.
1654785049855.png

Scary Jimmy made the list.

As I scrolled through it just kept thinking "WOW, these dudes all played high school football here!" Sure there will be arguments about who's above who and who didn't make it (couldn't find my name!?!?) but . . . wow. No wonder we're all so addicted to this sport.
 

Football Player Ranking Explanations

This website uses statistics and results to rank players. It does not use opinion/bias to rank players.
Only professional league stats are factored into the ratings.

What a player did in High School or College does factor into the ratings.

What is problematic is football is a tough sport to use stats for unless you go back and grade every play by each non skill player its hard to come up with a true snapshot of a career. Also how can different positional stats compare, as an example is a dominating OL like Orlando Pace or Jim Parker really beneath a QB like Roger Staubach? All other sports have shared stats yet in football because of specialization and rules not everyone can pass, receive, or run the ball. Unfortunately it is the one sport that opinion should be used when weighing these types of rankings. With that being said the list is a good starting point and I would move players up or down adjusting for position and era. My tope 10 would look something like this:

1) Jim Parker
2) Jack Lambert
3) Charles Woodson
4) Roger Staubach
5) Alan Page
6) Orlando Pace
7) Len Dawson
8) Marion Motley
9) Ben Roethlisberger
10) Cris Carter

Len Dawson gets a top 10 because he was able to compete at a high level while having the handicap of a nicotine addiction:
len-dawson-cig-super-bowl-01192014.jpg
GREAT post Auggie!! Well done, sir.
 
Saw Larry Csonka when he was a Stow Bulldog, he was an absolute beast. As a high school player, he should be ranked higher. He was unstoppable. A quick comment on the Lenny Dawson pic. I saw an interview with Art Donavan, when he played for the Colts. He crossed paths with Lion’s star QB, and well known party boy, Bobby Lane as the teams were returning to the field for The 2nd half. He said Lane smelled like a gin mill. Donavan asked him if he had wild time, the night before ? Lane answered, “ Hell no, I just had a couple of belts, during the half.” Ahh, the good ol’ days.
 

Didn’t see this guy either. Coincidentally in todays Obits.
 
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Didn’t see this guy either. Coincidentally in todays Obits.
He is listed at #131.

I saw Mr. Babich play a few times for Campbell. His size and speed were exceptional for a high school player at that time. He was outstanding at Campbell. He went on to have a College Hall of Fame career at Miami (O) and a good NFL career with San Diego & the Browns. RIP Bob Babich.

I may have missed him but one local guy that I did not see on the list from that same era is Rich Buzin from Wilson. They have Nick Feher from North listed but not Buzin? Nick Bolkovac from Wilson is listed twice but no Buzin or John Natyshak from Wilson.
 
From Hubbard:
701 Anthony Smith
781 Walter Poole
903 Kurtis Drummond

Where are LJ Scott (#5 all time Ohio rushing leader, 7,481 yards) and Dan Benish (Clemson, Atlanta Falcons DT)?
I would rank both of them much higher than Poole or Drummond.
 
Oliver Luck wasn't on the list anywhere. He played for the Houston Oilers for several years. He was one of many players from Saint Ignatius.
 
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Desmond Howard #445? Archie Griffin #296? Those two stood out as one's that should be much higher. Art Schlichter #653, maybe if you are ranking on character, but on talent he should be much higher. Kudos to whoever took the time to compile a list of the top 865 players of all time from Ohio. No arguing the top ten which all of whom are in the NFL HOF or will be when Kuechly and Rothlisberger are elected.

Perhaps, they are ranking on what Art actually did in the NFL. How exactly do you measure talent anyway? He had three touchdown passes and eleven interceptions in his NFL career. Nobody cares about talent if you don't produce results.
 
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