All-time best Minnesota HS football star? Vote in '250 for 250' poll

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAYSat, May 2, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC

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Minnesota might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think about high school football talent.

However, the North Star State has yielded a few gems who have gone onto be successful college and professional players at the next levels.

Who among the best of the best has defined the Friday Night Lights in Minnesota?

More: Who's Minnesota girls high school basketball's GOAT? Vote in '250 for 250' poll

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, that's a question USA TODAY Sports is looking to answer in celebration of the greatest American sports figures of all time, which includes the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.

With that in mind, these are USA TODAY's selections for players who defined high school football in Minnesota. The 15 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts 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.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Academy of Holy Angels

Sure, the Hall of Fame wide receiver did not finish his high school career in Minnesota, but his origins do trace back to here. He was a two-time first-team All-State wide receiver in high school. As a senior, he caught 73 passes for 1,254 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had a string of 10 straight 100-yard receiving games as a junior.

Michael Floyd, WR, Cretin-Derham Hall

Floyd helped lead his team to the state championship game appearance as a junior with 59 receptions for 1,247 yards and 17 touchdowns, while adding 497 yards on the ground and four touchdowns as a returner. Floyd was named Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year twice (2007 and 2008).

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CJ Ham, HB, Duluth Denfeld

As a two-way player with Duluth Denfeld, Ham recorded 1,873 total yards and 24 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons. He also recorded 109 total tackles on defense in that time. The future NFL fullback also starred in track and field for the program.

Amani Hooker, WR, Park Center Senior

Hooker was a finalist for Minnesota's Mr. Football in 2015, yet he had only two Division I scholarship offers. At Park Center, Hooker played primarily safety and wide receiver, but also earned snaps at cornerback, running back, quarterback and linebacker. He set the school record for interceptions with 11 as a senior.

Jermaine Johnson, DE, Eden Prairie

Johnson showed off what made him a star at FSU and then in the NFL during his senior season with Eden Prairie, recording 37 tackles and 7 sacks. He earned All-Metro honors. Shockingly, Johnson was also considered a "big-play receiver" on offense.

Tyler Johnson, QB, North Community

The future NFL wide receiver began as a quarterback and defensive back for North Community in high school. It was not until college that Johnson transitioned to WR. The dual-threat QB led his school to the Class 1A state championship game.

Trey Lance, QB, Marshall

Lance began his path to becoming the first MHS player to reach the NFL when he took over as a starter in 2015 as a sophomore. He finished his high school career with 3,026 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns, 1,177 rushing yards, and 18 rushing touchdowns.

Frank Ragnow, OL, Chanhassen

Ragnow attended Chanhassen High School in Chanhassen, Minnesota, before pursuing a college career and entering the NFL. Ragnow attended Arkansas, but also held offers from big-time programs like Ohio State and Florida State. He also threw shot put on the track and field team, earning a second-place finish at state in 2014.

Jake Ratzlaff, LB, Rosemount

Ratzlaff is one of the rare players to play Division I in two sports in college. He got his career started by playing hockey, football, and baseball at Rosemount High. He was named Minnesota Mr. Football as a senior and committed to Wisconsin. In his prep career, he had 261.5 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 12 hurries, 5 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, 3 blocked punts, and 2 blocked field goals.

Jalen Suggs, QB, Minnehaha Academy

While Suggs is an NBA player, Minnesota prep fans will remember him as a standout high school football player. As a senior, he became the first athlete in Minnesota history to win Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football awards for his state.

Adam Thielen, WR, Detroit Lakes

Thielen was a four-sport athlete at Detroit Lakes, playing football, basketball, baseball and golf. As a senior, he led the Lakers to a 9-1 record and earned all-conference and all-state honors. He was also a member of the state championship golf team as a senior.

Maxx Williams, TE, Waconia

As a senior in 2011, Williams passed for 784 yards and eight touchdowns as a quarterback, while adding 902 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground. He recorded 80 tackles and two interceptions defensively as well.

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Source: “AOL Sports”