High school football is king in Texas, so it should come as no surprise that the Lone Star State has produced numerous college and professional hall of fame talents.
Who is the all-time best Texas high school football player, the top-tier talent who defined Friday Night Lights?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
These are our selections for the football players who defined Texas. The 15 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before they eventually went on to play at both the college and professional ranks.
Did we miss someone? There's a spot for you to write in your own candidate who wasn't included on our list of 15.
Long before he was a star at Purdue and an eventual NFL Hall of Famer, Drew Brees was one of the Lone Star State's most efficient signal-callers. As a senior, he led Austin Westlake to its first-ever unbeaten season and state championship, finishing the year 16-0. He threw for 3,529 yards and 31 touchdowns that season.
Campbell is a Lone Star State legend in nearly every facet. Before he played at Texas and with the Houston Oilers, he was leading Tyler John Tyler to a state championship in 1973. That was the program's first state championship win since 1930, and no team had an answer for Campbell, who rushed for 2,036 yards and 29 touchdowns.
A two-time All-State selection, Dickerson led Sealy to the program's first state championship in 1978. He ended a prolific high school career rushing for 5,873 yards before becoming a star at SMU and eventual NFL Hall of Famer who played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders and Atlanta Falcons.
All Gray did at Aledo was win. He was a three-time state champion (2009, 2010, 2011), a three-time All-State selection, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Mr. Texas Football, and a USA TODAY All-American. For his career, he ran for 10,889 yards and 205 touchdowns before heading to Texas.
Greene didn't have the nickname "Mean Joe" until his sophomore year at North Texas, but he was an imposing figure on the field long before that. In high school, he was one of the state's top defensive forces and continued that all the way through a Hall of Fame NFL career.
Hall is the definition of a trailblazer, having played his final season of high school football all the way back in 1953. Before playing at Texas A&M and three professional teams, the "Sugar Land Express" was a problem at the high school level, amassing 11,232 career rushing yards, including a ridiculous 4,045 yards his senior season.
Given what he did in high school, Harrell was the perfect choice for Mike Leach's air raid offense at Texas Tech. He led Ennis to a state championship in 2001 and amassed 12,532 yards and 167 touchdowns through the air during his high school career. As a senior, he threw for 4,825 yards and 67 touchdowns.
It could be argued that no player in the state's history has a resume as loaded as Murray. He led Allen to three state championships (2012, 2013, 2014), was named state championship MVP all three times, was named a USA TODAY All-American, was an All-State selection three times, was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, and was named Mr. Texas Football. The eventual Heisman winner and 2019 No. 1 overall pick, Murray threw for 10,386 yards and 117 touchdowns while also rushing for 4,139 yards and 69 touchdowns for his career.
Longhorn fans may never forgive Peterson for going to Oklahoma but they can't deny that he was one of the best high school backs to ever come out of the state. A two-time All-State selection, he rushed for 2,960 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior before becoming a national star with Oklahoma and eventually the Minnesota Vikings.
Thomas may be best known as one of the key members of Seattle's "Legion of Boom," but he was a star long before that. He became nationally known first as a high school star, earning All-State honors twice and finishing his high school career with 11 interceptions. His legacy was cemented with what he did at Texas and then in the NFL.
Thomas' NFL career may not have lasted as long as many expected, but there's no denying his status as one of the state's all-time greats. He led Groveton to back-to-back state titles in 1989 and 1990, rushing for 3,701 yards as a senior. For his career, he rushed for 8,441 yards and 115 touchdowns.
As a professional, Thomas is known more for his Hall of Fame career with Miami. However, he's still a Lone Star State legend from his college and high school days. A state champion and two-time All-State selection, Thomas was at his best as a senior, rushing for 928 yards and eight touchdowns on offense while recording 158 tackles, six sacks, and five forced fumbles on defense.
Tomlinson's induction in the Texas High School Hall of Fame was an easy choice even without looking at his college or professional stats. He was one of the state's most prolific running backs and showed his eventual Hall of Fame talent in his senior season, rushing for 2,554 yards and 39 touchdowns.
Williams was a dominant offensive lineman the moment he took the field in high school and to this day, that remains the case. He was an All-State selection before playing at Oklahoma and being taken by Washington with the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Over 20 years since he last played a high school game, he remains one of the best offensive linemen in the game.
Young's status as a Lone Star State legend was cemented when he led Texas past USC in the "Game of the Century" for the 2005 national championship. However, he made a name for himself in the state long before that as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play at the high school level. As a senior, he threw for 3,819 yards and 59 touchdowns while finishing his career with 12,987 all-purpose yards.