PSL to the NFL

When it comes to individual talent, the Detroit Public School League has some of the best football players in the country. A large amount of those players go on to play in college at different levels. But what is more impressive is the number of players the PSL has in the NFL this season. We count them down.

Joseph Barksdale was the top player in the city of Detroit when he came out of high school in 2007 out of Cass Tech. He signed with LSU. The Oakland Raiders took him in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Chargers as their starting right tackle.

The 2013 class out of the state of Michigan was a special one, with several players who would go on to be drafted by the NFL. Jourdan Lewis was the top player in the PSL, and top cornerback in the state. He proved to be one of the best college cornerbacks in the nation at Michigan, prompting the Dallas Cowboys to take him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. So far he has 12 tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception as a rookie.

Delano Hill has yet to make an impact for the Seattle Seahawks as a rookie, but his time will come for the 'Legion of Boom." Hill was one of the top safeties in the nation out of Michigan when the Seahawks took him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played in the same defensive secondary as Jourdan Lewis at Cass Tech in 2013.

Antonio Gates was a basketball star at Central back in the day, leading the Trailblazers to a state title in 1998. He played basketball at Kent State but went undrafted out of college. He was considered to short to play his forward position in the NBA, so the NFL is was, where he has carved out a Hal of Fame career as one of the best tight ends in history with 903 receptions, over 11,000 yards and 112 touchdowns.

A man amongst boys in high school at Crockett, Brandon Graham was the top player in the state in 2006, and obviously the PSL. An All-American, he chose to play at Michigan in college, where he was also an All-American player. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, where he has racked up 239 tackles and 31.5 sacks.

Tony Lippett was actually the starting quarterback for Crockett when he played there, and was pretty good at it. He was good at a lot of things, playing wide receiver, cornerback, and kick returner at Michigan State in college. The Miami Dolphins took him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has four career interceptions.

Desmond King actually graduated from East English Village Prep in 2013, but did play for Crockett before it closed in 2012. Amazingly, he was a bit underrated out of high school, but when to Iowa and starred. He won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2015, as the nation's top defensive back. The Los Angeles Chargers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has six tackles and one pass break-up in his early career.

Nick Perry began his career at Mackenzie High, but when it closed in 2007, he finished his at King. And in a big way. He helped the Crusaders win the PSL's first ever football state title in 2007, and set the state single-season sack record with 36. He played his college ball out west at USC, then was taken in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In his career, he has 163 tackles and 25 sacks for the Pack.

Lawrence Thomas was a former five-star, but eventually lost his fifth star. Still, the No1. player in the state of Michigan in 2011 was a beast at Renaissance during a time when all they did was produce Division I talent. He played his college ball at Michigan State and went undrafted in 2016. The New York Jets picked him up, and he has four career tackles for them and has even been used in the running game.

Maybe the best player to ever come out of Southeastern, Will Gholston was dominate in the PSL. At 6-7, he was playing defensive end, linebacker, and tight end. He went on to play three years at Michigan State, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose him in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He as 201 tackles and 10 sacks in his career there.

Southeastern football was so good in 2008-2009, it had two future NFL players on its defensive line: William Gholston and Johnathan Hankins. Ohio State got a steal out of Hankins, who was severely underrated out of SE. That didn't stop him being an All-American for the Buckeyes, and having the New York Giants draft him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts, and has 146 tackles and 10 sacks in his career.