Who’s the greatest football player from the state of Maryland? Let the debate begin.

Who is the greatest football player from Maryland?

Let the debate begin.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states. 

First up, we’re honoring the stars of the gridiron. Here are our selections for the football players who defined the state of Maryland. While accomplishments at the college and professional level undoubtedly influenced which standouts cracked the top-10 list, we are primarily looking to highlight those who starred at the high school level and dominated local headlines.

Now it’s your turn to pick the best of the best.

Be sure to vote in the poll below until it closes on Friday, May 15 at noon.

Print readers can find the poll at heraldmailmedia.com.

If you feel we’ve left somebody out, feel free to write in a candidate.

Tavon Austin, Dunbar

Austin led the Poets of Baltimore to three straight Class 1A state championships from 2006-08 and finished his high school career as Maryland’s all-time leader in career offensive yards (9,258), rushing yards (7,962), touchdowns (123) and points (790). He was a two-time Maryland Offensive Player of the Year and all-state first-team honoree. He played for West Virginia in college, totaling 288 receptions for 3,413 yards with 29 TD catches and rushing for 1,033 yards and six TDs. He was drafted eighth overall by the St. Louis Rams and played for six NFL teams over 10 seasons, finishing his NFL career with 244 receptions for 2,239 yards, 1,361 yards rushing, 1,934 return yards and 29 total TDs.

NaVorro Bowman, Suitland

Bowman starred as a linebacker and running back at Suitland in his junior year in 2004. He had 165 tackles, nine sacks and three fumble recoveries on defense and rushed for 1,200 yards and 22 TDs on offense. He was the Maryland Defensive Player of the Year and an all-state first-team honoree. He missed most of his senior season with an injury. He played college ball at Penn State, made the All-Big Ten team in 2008 and 2009 and was a second-team All-American in 2009. He was drafted in the third round by San Francisco in 2010 and played in 89 games with the 49ers and 10 with the Oakland Raiders over seven seasons, finishing his NFL career with 798 tackles, 14 sacks, seven forced fumbles, six recoveries and five interceptions. He made the All-Pro first team four times and was the 2013 Butkus Award winner.

Raymond Chester, Frederick Douglass

Chester was a standout offensive and defensive tackle at Frederick Douglass in Baltimore in the mid-1960s. He played college ball at Morgan State in Baltimore, and across his junior and senior seasons as a tight end, he made 85 receptions, 12 for TDs. He also was a feared defensive end and earned All-American honors in 1968 and 1969. He was drafted 24th overall by Oakland in 1970 and played 11 NFL seasons with the Raiders and Baltimore Colts from 1970-81, finishing with 364 receptions for 5,013 yards and 48 TDs. He made four Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro in 1979, made the second team in 1970 and was part of the Raiders’ Super Bowl XV championship.

Mike Curtis, Richard Montgomery

Curtis, nicknamed “Mad Dog” and “the Animal,” played fullback for Richard Montgomery in Rockville and was named to the Washington Post All-Metro team in 1960. He played fullback and middle linebacker at Duke and made the All-ACC first team twice. He was drafted 14th overall by Baltimore in 1965 and played 14 NFL seasons — the first 11 with the Colts, one with the Seattle Seahawks and the final two with Washington. The versatile defender finished his NFL career with 25 interceptions, 22.5 sacks and nine fumble recoveries. He was a two-time All-Pro first-team honoree and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and helped the Colts win Super Bowl V.

Stefon Diggs, Good Counsel

Diggs was the runner-up for Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year honors as a junior at Good Counsel in 2010 after producing 810 yards receiving with 23 TDs. He had 770 yards receiving, 277 rushing yards and 11 total TDs as a senior. He played college ball at Maryland and made an immediate impact, racking up 1,896 all-purpose yards as a true freshman in 2012. Over three seasons and 28 games, Diggs made 150 catches for 2,227 yards with 14 TDs. Diggs was taken by Minnesota in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft and has played for the Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and New England Patriots over the last 11 seasons, making 942 catches for 11,504 yards with 74 TDs. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2020, when he led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, and is a four-time Pro-Bowler.

Darnell Dockett, Paint Branch

Dockett earned Maryland Player of the Year honors as a senior at Paint Branch in 1998, making 171 tackles and 15 sacks, and was an All-American selection by USA TODAY and Parade. He set a Paint Branch career record with 47 sacks. He starred as a four-year starter at Florida State, making 247 tackles including 65 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2003. Dockett was drafted in the third round by Arizona in 2004 and played 11 seasons with the Cardinals, earning three Pro Bowl nods while compiling 472 tackles, 40.5 sacks, 14 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and four interceptions.

Chuck Foreman, Frederick

Foreman first gained recognition as a playmaker in the late 1960s at Frederick High, where he had a four-touchdown game against Bel Air. He played college ball at Miami, and as a running back he rushed for 951 yards as a junior in 1971, earning All-American first-team honors by Sporting News. He played both running back and receiver as a senior, totaling 1,041 yards. He was drafted 12th overall by Minnesota in 1973 and played seven seasons with the Vikings and one with the New England Patriots. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 and the NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 1976, a two-time All-Pro first-teamer and a five-time Pro Bowler who finished his NFL career with 5,950 rushing yards, 350 receptions for 3,156 yards and 76 total TDs.

Antonio Freeman, Baltimore Poly

Freeman was the Baltimore Sun Offensive Player of the Year in 1989, when he led Poly to an undefeated season and Class 1A state championship. He starred in college at Virginia Tech, catching 121 passes for 2,207 yards with 22 touchdowns over four seasons. He was drafted by Green Bay in the third round in 1995 and played nine NFL seasons — eight with the Packers and one with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his NFL career with 477 catches for 7,251 yards and 61 total TDs. He made the All-Pro first team and Pro Bowl in 1998 when he led the league in receiving yards, and helped Green Bay win Super Bowl XXXI.

Cameron Wake, DeMatha

Wake was the Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at DeMatha in Hyattsville in 1999. He played in college at Penn State, and over his sophomore and junior seasons he totaled 122 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and five blocked kicks. Wake started his pro career in Canada before signing with Miami in 2009. He played for the Dolphins for 10 seasons, earning All-Pro first-team honors in 2012, second-team honors three times and five Pro Bowl selections. Over 11 NFL seasons, he compiled 364 tackles, 100.5 sacks and 22 forced fumbles.

Brian Westbrook, DeMatha

Westbrook earned Washington Catholic Athletic Conference first-team honors as a junior and senior at DeMatha, and was twice an all-state honorable mention. He played in college at Villanova and set an NCAA all-divisions record for career all-purpose yards (9,512) that still stands. In 1998, he became the first college player at any level to record 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He was drafted in the third round by Philadelphia in 2002 and played eight seasons with the Eagles and a final year with the San Francisco 49ers. He rushed for 6,335 yards and 41 TDs while making 442 receptions for 3,941 yards and 30 TDs in his NFL career, earning 2007 All-Pro first-team honors and two Pro Bowl nods.