Who is Florida's all-time best football player? Vote now

It may be the fiercest debate in the history of our great land: Who is the best football player from Florida?

USA TODAY Sports is celebrating the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time to honor the United States' 250th anniversary. Over the next few months, the USA TODAY Network will also spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.

First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports, highlighting the trailblazers and trendsetters whose influence reaches beyond championships and statistics.

This week, we're honoring stars from the football field. As you can imagine, it was an immense task to narrow this list down to 10 players with so many legendary players hailing from the Sunshine State.

These players, listed in alphabetical order, were all standouts in high school football before moving on to greater achievements in college football and the NFL.

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Here are our selections for the football players who have defined the state of Florida:

Derrick Brooks, defensive back, Booker T. Washington

September 28, 2008; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks (55) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Before becoming a superstar at Florida State and the NFL, Brooks was an all-everything defensive back at Washington High in Pensacola, where he helped his school reach the 5A state title game as a junior. Brooks was named the USA TODAY national defensive player of the year. He went on to help revolutionize the linebacker position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Lee Corso, quarterback/cornerback, Miami Jackson

Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Lee Corso smiles while on the ESPN set prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game with Clemson Tigers playing against the LSU Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Corso moved to Miami as a child and at Andrew Jackson High School, he became a star, mostly as a quarterback. An All-State performer in football and baseball, Corso weighed signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers out of high school or playing football at Florida State. He picked the latter, helping put FSU on the football map as the Sunshine Scooter. Later went on to coach college football and become a preeminent voice on ESPN.

Brian Dawkins, defensive back, Raines

Aug 4, 2018; Canton, OH, USA; Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 enshrinee Brian Dawkins during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Bensen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Dawkins may have made more noise on the basketball court than the football field at Raines High School, where he helped the Vikings win a state basketball title. But the man eventually known as Weapon X did not let his otherwise undersized stature deter him. He worked his way to a scholarship at Clemson and then to the NFL, where he became a Hall of Fame safety for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Derrick Henry, running back, Yulee

Derrick Henry #22, Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Hard not to include the man to set the national high school rushing yards record at 12,124 yards. Henry is perhaps still the most feared running back in the NFL, so imagine trying to tackle him coming out of the backfield at Yulee High. Not many were able to, as Henry hit the end zone for 153 rushing TDs in his high school. The success kept coming for Henry, who went on to win the 2015 Heisman Trophy and two rushing titles in the NFL.

Lamar Jackson, quarterback, Boynton Beach

Boyton Beach quarterback Lamar Jackson scrambles while being pursued by Ft. Lauderdale Stranahan's Cleveland Singletary Friday, September 26, 2014. (Damon Higgins / The Palm Beach Post)

Speaking of Heisman Trophy winners, Jackson may have only played two years of high school football, but was already a viral sensation before he earned his diploma. In his time at Boynton Beach, he amassed 2,263 yards passing and 31 touchdowns, along with 1,624 yards rushing and 22 more scores. Since then, he’s one of nine men to win the Heisman Trophy (2016) and NFL MVP (2019, 2023).

Ray Lewis, linebacker, Kathleen

Known for his all-time high intensity and standard-bearing play at linebacker, Lewis’ career began as a football star and state-champion wrestler at Kathleen High in Lakeland. During his high school days, Lewis accumulated over 200 tackles to go with 10 sacks and eight interceptions, drawing the notice of the University of Miami, where he almost immediately impacted the Hurricanes. During his 17-year Pro Football Hall of Fame career, he was the heart and soul of two Baltimore Ravens championship teams.

Deion Sanders, quarterback/defensive back, North Fort Myers

As he did during his professional playing days, Sanders did it all at North Fort Myers, lettering in football, baseball, basketball and track and field. In a state of incredible athletes, Sanders may still be one of the all-time best. Though he wasn’t heavily recruited, he turned down a contract from the Kansas City Royals to join Florida State, where the world began to learn about Prime Time, who went on to play in a World Series, win two Super Bowls, reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame and now coach college football.

Warren Sapp, tight end/linebacker, Apopka

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Warren Sapp before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Before becoming one of the NFL’s greatest defensive tackles, Sapp was more than a handful at Apopka as a tight end, linebacker and punter (who had a 40-plus-yard average). A double-double machine in basketball, he had 14 touchdown catches and 52 solo tackles as a senior. He also lettered in track before joining Miami for college, where he switched positions en route to becoming a Hall of Fame defensive tackle.

Emmitt Smith, running back, Escambia

Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith (22) reacts on the sidelines during Super Bowl 30 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, on Jan. 28, 1996. Dallas defeated Pittsburgh 27-17.

Before winning three Super Bowls as the focal point of the Dallas Cowboys dynasty, Smith was the star on his high school football team in Pensacola. He led Escambia to two state championships (1984, 1985) and rushed for 8,804 yards and 106 touchdowns in his four seasons. As a senior, he was named the USA TODAY national player of the year. It was a bit of foreshadowing for the eventual NFL all-time leading rusher and Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Tim Tebow, quarterback, Nease

Oct 7, 2006; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback (15) Tim Tebow celebrates with fans after the Gators defeated the Louisiana State Tigers 23-10 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2006 Jason Parkhurst

Though he was homeschooled, Tebow put Nease High School on the map, winning Florida Player of the Year twice. While a broken leg ended his junior season early, he was still able to set the state record with 4,286 passing yards. As a senior, he helped Nease win the 4A state title, accounting for a then-record six touchdowns, and set state records for passing yards, total yards and total touchdowns in a high school career. That dual-threat success continued at Florida, where he helped the Gators win two national titles, winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy.

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who is Florida's all-time best football player? Vote now