Here’s North Dakota’s Contribution to the NFL Landscape

As the football season draws to a close and we prepare for the "super big game" that will take place in Las Vegas on February 11, we find ourselves discussing the players who have stood out the most as each team has progressed.

This past weekend, everyone was watching Jason Kelse, who was likely enjoying his final game in the National Football League.

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I thought it might be fun to find out which state generates the most NFL players. Does the Midwest even come close? Let's take a look. These stats come from Pro Football Reference

• Texas - 2645
• California - 2626
• Florida - 1723
• Ohio - 1569
• Pennsylvania - 1512
• Illinois - 1171
• Georgia - 1057
• Louisiana - 974
• New York - 903
• Michigan - 793

None of our midwest states placed in the top 10. Now to see where our region stacks up.

• North Dakota has sent 53 players to the NFL according to Pro Football Reference.
• Montana has sent 74 players to the NFL according to Pro Football Reference.
• South Dakota has sent 61 players to the NFL according to Pro Football Reference.
• Minnesota has sent 437 players to the NFL according to Pro Football Reference.

All of these guys were born in the state, just so there is no confusion about that. There is no relevance to the area they attended school or were even drafted from here. What we are discussing is simply the locations of birth for all these players.

In terms of producing these players, it appears that Texas is the dominant state. It's a shame that the Cowboys can't keep all of the talented players that the state provides. Based on how the game played out over the last weekend, it appears like they are in desperate need of it!