The DMV High School Football Coaches Association has released its ranking of the top 10 football players to come out of Montgomery County, with Bullis graduate Jake Scott taking the No. 1 spot. The full list can be seen below.
The list ranks players based on their full football careers, rather than solely their high school accomplishments, taking into account their success at the high school, college and professional levels.
Scott, who attended Bullis, went on to become a five-time Pro Bowl selection and was named MVP of Super Bowl VII. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Richard Montgomery graduate Mike Curtis was ranked No. 2. Curtis earned four Pro Bowl selections during his NFL career and was a member of the Baltimore Colts team that won Super Bowl V.
Paint Branch’s Darnell Dockett came in at No. 3. Dockett played 10 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, earning three Pro Bowl selections and recording 40.5 career sacks.
Springbrook graduate Shawn Springs, ranked fourth, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 before going on to a 13-year NFL career that included a Pro Bowl selection and 33 interceptions.
Churchill placed two players on the list. Brian Holloway, ranked fifth, was a three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman, while No. 6 Paul Palmer finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1986 and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Gaithersburg’s Tony Greene was ranked seventh after a professional career that included First-Team All-Pro honors in 1974 and 37 NFL interceptions.
Sherwood graduate Richie Anderson came in at No. 8. Anderson played 11 seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2000. Anderson shared the ranking on social media, calling the recognition “really cool” and noting the number of standout football players the DMV has produced.
Rounding out the list are Montgomery Blair’s Tom Brown at No. 9 and Kennedy’s Erik McMillan at No. 10. Brown was a two-time Super Bowl champion, while McMillan earned two Pro Bowl selections and was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1988.
The association’s graphic also prompted discussion about notable players who did not make the top 10. Anderson specifically mentioned Diggs as one of the omissions. The complete top 10 is:
- Jake Scott, Bullis
- Mike Curtis, Richard Montgomery
- Darnell Dockett, Paint Branch
- Shawn Springs, Springbrook
- Brian Holloway, Churchill
- Paul Palmer, Churchill
- Tony Greene, Gaithersburg
- Richie Anderson, Sherwood
- Tom Brown, Montgomery Blair
- Erik McMillan, Kennedy
The social media post can be seen here.
