Best NFL players born in Alabama
Football has long been woven into the cultural fabric of America, and every state has produced its share of gridiron legends. From Hall of Fame quarterbacks to record-setting receivers and defensive stalwarts, some of the NFL's greatest talents trace their roots back to Alabama.
Using data from Pro Football Reference, Stacker compiled a ranking of the best NFL players born in Alabama. Players were ranked by weighted career approximate value (AV), a metric developed by Pro Football Reference that measures overall career impact. Data is as of the start of the 2025 NFL season.
This list highlights players who made their mark on the league—some remembered for their longevity, others for their peak dominance. Read on to see which football stars born in Alabama have left the biggest legacy in NFL history.
#47. Broderick Thompson (T) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1985-1996 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 152
- Weighted career value: 54
#47. Joe Cribbs (RB) (tie)
- City: Sulligent
- Years played: 1980-1988 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 102
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 54
#47. Michael Johnson (DE) (tie)
- City: Selma
- Years played: 2009-2018 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 155
- Weighted career value: 54
#47. Tom Neville (T) (tie)
- City: Montgomery
- Years played: 1965-1979 (12 years as starter)
- Games played: 190
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 54
#44. Bobby Hunt (DB) (tie)
- City: Lanett
- Years played: 1962-1969 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 112
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 55
#44. Rich Caster (TE) (tie)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 1970-1982 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 161
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 55
#44. Wes Hopkins (DB) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1983-1993 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 137
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 55
#42. Marcell Dareus (DT) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 2011-2019 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 121
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 56
#42. Tom Banks (C) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1971-1980 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 116
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 56
#40. Tony Tolbert (DE) (tie)
- City: Tuskegee
- Years played: 1989-1997 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 144
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 57
#40. Za'Darius Smith (DE) (tie)
- City: Montgomery
- Years played: 2015-2024 (4 years as starter)
- Games played: 140
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 57
#34. Ben Jones (C) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 2012-2022 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 172
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 58
#34. Cornelius Griffin (DT) (tie)
- City: Brundidge
- Years played: 2000-2009 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 146
- Weighted career value: 58
#34. DeMeco Ryans (LB) (tie)
- City: Bessemer
- Years played: 2006-2015 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 140
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 58
#34. Mark Barron (OLB) (tie)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 2012-2019 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 119
- Weighted career value: 58
#34. Marlon Humphrey (CB) (tie)
- City: Hoover
- Years played: 2017-2024 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 116
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 58
#34. Tim Harris (LOLB) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1986-1995 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 122
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 58
#33. Ozzie Newsome (TE)
- City: Muscle Shoals
- Years played: 1978-1990 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 198
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 59
#32. Tony Nathan (RB)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1979-1987 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 123
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 60
#30. Richard Todd (QB) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1976-1985 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 119
- Weighted career value: 61
#30. Rodney Hudson (C) (tie)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 2011-2022 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 159
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 61
#29. Jameis Winston (QB)
- City: Bessemer
- Years played: 2015-2024 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 105
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 62
#27. Chris Samuels (T) (tie)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 2000-2009 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 141
- Pro Bowl selections: 6
- Weighted career value: 63
#27. Woody Peoples (G) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1968-1980 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 168
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 63
#26. Chris Gray (G)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1993-2007 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 208
- Weighted career value: 64
#24. Adalius Thomas (LB) (tie)
- City: Equality
- Years played: 2000-2009 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 135
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 65
#24. Justin Tuck (DE) (tie)
- City: Kellyton
- Years played: 2005-2015 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 147
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 65
#23. Eric Davis (DB)
- City: Anniston
- Years played: 1990-2002 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 188
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 67
#22. Howard Ballard (T)
- City: Ashland
- Years played: 1988-1998 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 170
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 68
#21. Dave Edwards (LB)
- City: Columbia
- Years played: 1963-1975 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 181
- Weighted career value: 69
#20. Hanford Dixon (DB)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 1981-1989 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 131
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 70
#19. Gene Washington (WR)
- City: Tuscaloosa
- Years played: 1969-1979 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 140
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 71
#18. Robert Brazile (LB)
- City: Mobile
- Years played: 1975-1984 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 147
- Pro Bowl selections: 7
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 76
#17. Dave Butz (DT)
- City: Lafayette
- Years played: 1973-1988 (14 years as starter)
- Games played: 216
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 80
#14. C.J. Mosley (ILB) (tie)
- City: Theodore
- Years played: 2014-2024 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 133
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- Weighted career value: 81
#14. John Stallworth (WR) (tie)
- City: Tuscaloosa
- Years played: 1974-1987 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 165
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 81
#14. Karlos Dansby (LB) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 2004-2017 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 212
- Weighted career value: 81
#12. Lee Roy Jordan (LB) (tie)
- City: Excel
- Years played: 1963-1976 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 187
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- Weighted career value: 88
#12. Maxie Baughan (LB) (tie)
- City: Forkland
- Years played: 1960-1974 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 147
- Pro Bowl selections: 9
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 88
#11. Andre Tippett (LB)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1982-1993 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 151
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 90
#9. Bart Starr (QB) (tie)
- City: Montgomery
- Years played: 1956-1971 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 196
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 91
#9. Cornelius Bennett (LB) (tie)
- City: Birmingham
- Years played: 1987-2000 (14 years as starter)
- Games played: 206
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 91
#7. Ken Stabler (QB) (tie)
- City: Foley
- Years played: 1970-1984 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 184
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 93
#7. Willie Anderson (T) (tie)
- City: Whistler
- Years played: 1996-2008 (12 years as starter)
- Games played: 195
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 3
- Weighted career value: 93
#6. Buck Buchanan (DT)
- City: Gainesville
- Years played: 1963-1975 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 182
- Pro Bowl selections: 8
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 4
- Weighted career value: 96
#5. Walter Jones (T)
- City: Aliceville
- Years played: 1997-2008 (12 years as starter)
- Games played: 180
- Pro Bowl selections: 9
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 4
- Weighted career value: 98
#4. DeMarcus Ware (LB)
- City: Auburn
- Years played: 2005-2016 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 178
- Pro Bowl selections: 9
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 4
- Weighted career value: 100
#3. Julio Jones (WR)
- City: Foley
- Years played: 2011-2023 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 166
- Pro Bowl selections: 7
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 101
#2. Terrell Owens (WR)
- City: Alexander City
- Years played: 1996-2010 (13 years as starter)
- Games played: 219
- Pro Bowl selections: 6
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 5
- Weighted career value: 121
#1. Philip Rivers (QB)
- City: Decatur
- Years played: 2004-2020 (15 years as starter)
- Games played: 244
- Pro Bowl selections: 8
- Weighted career value: 149
