Active NFL players from the state of Michigan and where they went to college

Earlier this week, one of our readers suggested in the comments section to take a look at the players currently in the NFL from our great state and round up not only where they are playing now, but where they came from. Two state of Michigan men (Central Michigan men, actually. Fire Up Chips!) in Joe Staley and Eric Fisher take center stage on Sunday in the Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, so this exercise feels apt given their ties to the Mitten State.

The only stipulation here is that the guys on the list had to have played high school football in the state of Michigan, so there may be a few guys you recognize as missing. These players came listed from the state via Pro Football Reference.

2007 (year they entered the league)

• Joe Staley, offensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers — Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS) Central Michigan University (Two-star recruit)

2008

• Brandon Carr, cornerback, Baltimore Ravens — Flint, Michigan (Carman-Ainsworth HS), Grand Valley State University

2010

• Jared Veldheer, offensive tackle, Green Bay Packers — Grand Rapids, Michigan (Forest Hills, Northern HS), Hillsdale College
• Brandon Graham, defensive end, Philadelphia Eagles — Detroit, Michigan (Crockett HS), University of Michigan (Five-star recruit)

2013

• William Gholston, defensive end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Detroit, Michigan (Southeastern HS), Michigan State University (Five-star recruit)
• Eric Fisher, offensive tackle, Kansas City Chiefs — Rochester, Michigan (Stoney Creek HS), Central Michigan University (Two-star recruit)
• Johnathan Hankins, defensive tackle, Las Vegas Raiders — Dearborn Heights, Michigan (Southeastern HS), Ohio State University (Four-star recruit)
• Jeff Heath, defensive back, Dallas Cowboys — Lake Orion, Michigan (Lake Orion HS), Saginaw Valley State

2014

• Allen Robinson, wide receiver, Chicago Bears — Detroit, Michigan (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s), Penn State University (Three-star recruit)
• Bennie Fowler, wide receiver, free agent — Beverly Hills, Michigan (Detroit Country Day), Michigan State University (Three-star recruit)

2015

• Devin Funchess, wide receiver, Indianapolis Colts — Detroit, Michigan (Farmington Hills Harrison HS), University of Michigan (Four-star recruit)
• Carl Davis, defensive tackle, Jacksonville Jaguars — Detroit, Michigan (Sterling Heights Stevenson HS), University of Iowa (Three-star recruit)

2016

• Kavon Frazier, safety, Dallas Cowboys — Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grand Rapids Christian HS), Central Michigan University (Two-star recruit)
• Jack Conklin, offensive tackle, Tennessee Titans — Plainwell, Michigan (Plainwell HS), Michigan State University
• Anthony Zettel, defensive end, Penn State — West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS), Penn State University (Four-star recruit)
• Matt Judon, defensive end, Baltimore Ravens — Baton Rouge, Louisiana (West Bloomfield HS, Michigan), Grand Valley State University
• Parker Ehinger, offensive lineman, Baltimore Ravens — Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS), University of Cincinnati (Three-star recruit)

2017

• Taylor Moton, offensive tackle, Carolina Panthers — Lansing, Michigan (Okemos HS), Western Michigan University (Two-star recruit)
• Lano Hill, safety, Seattle Seahawks — Detroit, Michigan (Cass Tech HS), University of Michigan (Four-star recruit)
• Desmond King, safety, Los Angeles Chargers — Detroit, Michigan (Crockett HS), University of Iowa (Three-star recruit)
• Cooper Rush, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys — Charlotte, Michigan (Lansing Catholic HS), Central Michigan University (Three-star recruit)
• Eric Wilson, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings — Redford, Michigan (Thurston HS), Northwestern University (Three-star recruit)
• Jourdan Lewis, cornerback, Dallas Cowboys — Detroit, Michigan (Cass Tech HS), University of Michigan (Four-star recruit)

2018

• Tavierre Thomas, defensive back, Cleveland Browns — Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Allen Academy), Ferris State University

2019

• Khari Willis, defensive back, Indianapolis Colts — Jackson, Michigan (Lumen Christi HS), Michigan State University (Three-star recruit)

School rundown

• Central Michigan University: 4
• University of Michigan: 4
• Michigan State University: 4
• Penn State University: 3
• University of Iowa: 2
• Grand Valley State University: 2
• Ohio State University: 1
• Saginaw Valley State University: 1
• Hillsdale College: 1
• Northwestern University: 1
• University of Cincinnati: 1
• Ferris State University: 1
• Western Michigan University: 1

Do you have any memories of watching these guys play and grow up in the state? Or thinking to yourselves that Michigan let them get away on the recruiting trail? Sound off in the comments below.