Mississippi is the king of high school football: more players per capita in Magnolia State than any other
OXFORD, Miss. — The state of Mississippi obviously loves football. But did you know its football-playing youngsters at the high school age are more prevalent per capita than any state in the country?
That’s right.
More young men per capita are participating in high school football in the Magnolia State than in Alabama, Texas, or any other so-called “hot bed” for high school football talent. And with numbers comes opportunity.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, there were 7.7 high school football players per 1,000 Mississippi residents during the 2021-2022 school year.
Alabama is second with 5.9 high school players per 1,000 residents. Texas is third with 5.6. No other state saw a rate greater than 5 in 1,000.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MAP OF PER CAPITA PLAYERS FOR EACH STATE.
Across the three states of Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, one-third of the high schoolers are playing for their football team.
“From a fan perspective, it’s still the number one sport by a long shot,” said Neil Schwartz, President of Sports Business Research Network. “I think the reports of football’s demise are greatly exaggerated.”
Jeff Segars, Assistant Director and head of football for the Alabama High School Sports Association, says at the high school level it’s about more than just the players.
“It’s not just football. It’s the band, the cheerleaders, the fans. It’s time for that community to come together.”
Jeff Segars
Mississippi’s prowess also extends to NFL
And it’s not just high school football where Mississippi’s young men are making their mark. While Mississippi is home to fewer than 1% of the nation’s population, it continues to produce NFL players unlike most any other state in the country other than Louisiana and Georgia.
In 2022, Mississippi, with a total population of 2.9 million, boasted 1 NFL player per 82,258 people in the state.
The only two states with higher per capita NFL players than the Magnolia State are Georgia (No. 1 with one NFL player per 70,940 people and a total population of 10.7 milion) and Louisiana (No. 2 with one NFL player per 71,658 people and a total population of 4.6 million).
There were 38 players from the great state of Mississippi in the 2022 NFL playoffs. And, there were more players in last year’s Super Bowl from Mississippi than from any other state.
It’s good to be the King!
(Feature image credit of Suntarine Perkins, Raleigh High School)
David Walker
David Walker was named Louisiana’s High School Player of the Year at just 16 years old and, at 17, became college football’s first quarterback to earn Freshman of the Year honors. He remains the NCAA’s youngest-ever starting quarterback, a distinction that has stood for decades.
Transitioning from a wide-open high school offense to Emory Bellard’s renowned wishbone triple option, Walker excelled as a dual-threat quarterback. He graduated as Texas A&M’s all-time winningest quarterback and served as a two-time team captain, helping to transform a program that had endured 15 losing seasons in the previous 16 years.
After his playing career, Walker coached and taught algebra at six Texas high schools before moving into private business. In 2011, he published his memoir, “I’ll Tell You When You’re Good,” a title inspired by the coaching philosophy of Shannon Suarez, the Sulphur High and Louisiana High School Hall of Fame coach who was a significant influence on Walker’s life and career.
Walker’s compelling storytelling in his autobiography reflects the breadth of his experiences in high school and college football, and it is an undeniable fact that he saw more action than any athlete in the history of the NCAA. Since 2013, he has contributed to The Rebel Walk, sharing his insights and expertise with readers.
