4 B1G footprint cities among top producers in NFL talent

As the college football landscape is set to change in the coming years, there’s an ongoing argument between fans when it comes to discussing talent and conferences. Which conference reigns supreme; the SEC or the B1G?

The latest tweet from ESPN’s Adam Schefter might shed some light on the subject. While Houston, TX, took the top spot in terms of producing NFL talent, several cities in B1G country were also listed among the best. These included Detroit, MI, Cleveland, OH, Cincinnati, OH, and Philadelphia, PA.

There were 19 players each from Houston (TX) and Miami (FL) high schools on Kickoff Weekend rosters, tied for the most of any city. Detroit (MI) produced the third-most players (16) in 2022, followed by Tampa (FL) with 15 players. pic.twitter.com/VGZZ9RsGWK

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2022

Detroit, which roughly is 90 minutes away from East Lansing and 45 minutes from Ann Arbor, came in 3rd with 16 players represented. Several names that hail from the Motor City that also played in the B1G include Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Allen Robinson (Penn State), Detriot Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan), Houston Texans cornerback Desmond King (Iowa), Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end William Gholston (Michigan State) and New England Patriots offensive lineman Michael Onwenu.

Cleveland, which roughly is 2 hours away from Columbus, came in 8th with 12 current players in the league. Several names that grew up in “The Land” were Miami Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker (Ohio State) and New York Giants cornerback Justin Layne (Michigan State).

Cincinnati came in tied for 10th place with 10 active players in the league. Players who grew up in Cincinnati and played in the B1G include Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (Ohio State) Washington Commanders offensive lineman Andrew Norwell and Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (Wisconsin).

Philadelphia, a 3 1/2 drive from State College, also has 10 active players in the NFL, including Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker (Penn State) and Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore (Maryland).