Best NFL players born in Oklahoma
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 Oklahoma.
Using data from Pro Football Reference, Stacker compiled a ranking of the best NFL players born in Oklahoma. 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 Oklahoma have left the biggest legacy in NFL history.
#50. Don Calhoun (RB)
- City: Sumner
- Years played: 1974-1982 (2 years as starter)
- Games played: 114
- Weighted career value: 35
#48. David Baas (G) (tie)
- City: Bixby
- Years played: 2005-2013 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 122
- Weighted career value: 36
#48. Steve Wilson (C) (tie)
- City: Fort Sill
- Years played: 1976-1985 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 125
- Weighted career value: 36
#45. R.W. McQuarters (DB) (tie)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 1998-2008 (4 years as starter)
- Games played: 156
- Weighted career value: 37
#45. Rick Bryan (DE) (tie)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 1984-1993 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 109
- Weighted career value: 37
#45. Thomas Benson (RLB) (tie)
- City: Ardmore
- Years played: 1984-1992 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 120
- Weighted career value: 37
#42. Chuck Walton (G) (tie)
- City: Shattuck
- Years played: 1967-1974 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 98
- Weighted career value: 38
#42. Jon Gilliam (C) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1961-1967 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 76
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 38
#42. Steve Owens (RB) (tie)
- City: Gore
- Years played: 1970-1974 (4 years as starter)
- Games played: 53
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 38
#39. Brian Young (DT) (tie)
- City: Lawton
- Years played: 2000-2008 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 123
- Weighted career value: 39
#39. Clendon Thomas (DB) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1958-1968 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 137
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 39
#39. Phillippi Sparks (DB) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1992-2000 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 115
- Weighted career value: 39
#35. Creed Humphrey (OL) (tie)
- City: Shawnee
- Years played: 2021-2024 (4 years as starter)
- Games played: 68
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 40
#35. Karl Baldischwiler (T) (tie)
- City: Okmulgee
- Years played: 1978-1986 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 118
- Weighted career value: 40
#35. Mark Cotney (DB) (tie)
- City: Altus
- Years played: 1975-1984 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 127
- Weighted career value: 40
#35. Sherman Plunkett (T) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1958-1967 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 132
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 40
#34. Leonard Thompson (WR)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1975-1986 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 175
- Weighted career value: 41
#32. Darrien Gordon (DB) (tie)
- City: Shawnee
- Years played: 1993-2002 (3 years as starter)
- Games played: 138
- Weighted career value: 42
#32. Mike Gann (DE) (tie)
- City: Stillwater
- Years played: 1985-1993 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 118
- Weighted career value: 42
#30. Charlie Harraway (RB) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1966-1973 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 110
- Weighted career value: 43
#30. Tracy Scroggins (DE) (tie)
- City: Checotah
- Years played: 1992-2001 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 142
- Weighted career value: 43
#29. Sam Bradford (QB)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 2010-2018 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 83
- Weighted career value: 44
#28. Tony Peters (DB)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1975-1985 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 133
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 45
#27. Curtis McClinton (FB)
- City: Muskogee
- Years played: 1962-1969 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 107
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 47
#24. Dave Lloyd (LB) (tie)
- City: Sapulpa
- Years played: 1959-1970 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 157
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 48
#24. Jeremy Shockey (TE) (tie)
- City: Ada
- Years played: 2002-2011 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 136
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 48
#24. Paul Smith (DT) (tie)
- City: Ada
- Years played: 1968-1980 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 164
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 48
#21. Curtis Lofton (LB) (tie)
- City: Kingfisher
- Years played: 2008-2015 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 128
- Weighted career value: 49
#21. Pat Holmes (DE) (tie)
- City: Durant
- Years played: 1966-1973 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 108
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 49
#21. Rey Maualuga (LB) (tie)
- City: Fort Sill
- Years played: 2009-2017 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 120
- Weighted career value: 49
#18. Buddy Dial (SE) (tie)
- City: Ponca City
- Years played: 1959-1966 (5 years as starter)
- Games played: 98
- Pro Bowl selections: 2
- Weighted career value: 50
#18. Roger Carr (WR) (tie)
- City: Seminole
- Years played: 1974-1983 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 115
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 50
#18. Scott Case (DB) (tie)
- City: Waynoka
- Years played: 1984-1995 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 178
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 50
#17. Josh Jacobs (RB)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 2019-2024 (6 years as starter)
- Games played: 90
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 51
#16. Ken Mendenhall (C)
- City: Enid
- Years played: 1971-1980 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 143
- Weighted career value: 53
#15. Dale Meinert (LB)
- City: Lone Wolf
- Years played: 1958-1967 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 125
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- Weighted career value: 54
#13. Antonio Smith (DE) (tie)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 2004-2016 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 186
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- Weighted career value: 56
#13. Tony Casillas (DT) (tie)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 1986-1997 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 166
- Weighted career value: 56
#12. Jon Kolb (T)
- City: Ponca City
- Years played: 1969-1981 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 177
- Weighted career value: 62
#11. Tyler Lockett (WR)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 2015-2024 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 161
- Pro Bowl selections: 1
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 67
#10. Chris Harris Jr. (CB)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 2011-2022 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 172
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 68
#9. Gerald McCoy (DT)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 2010-2021 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 140
- Pro Bowl selections: 6
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 69
#8. Chip Banks (LB)
- City: Fort Lawton
- Years played: 1982-1992 (10 years as starter)
- Games played: 138
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 73
#7. Jason Gildon (LB)
- City: Altus
- Years played: 1994-2004 (8 years as starter)
- Games played: 167
- Pro Bowl selections: 3
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 75
#6. Lee Roy Selmon (DE)
- City: Eufaula
- Years played: 1976-1984 (9 years as starter)
- Games played: 121
- Pro Bowl selections: 6
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 78
#5. Mark Gastineau (DE)
- City: Ardmore
- Years played: 1979-1988 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 137
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 3
- Weighted career value: 84
#4. Wes Welker (WR)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 2004-2015 (7 years as starter)
- Games played: 175
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 91
#3. Cornell Green (DB)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1962-1974 (12 years as starter)
- Games played: 182
- Pro Bowl selections: 5
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 2
- Weighted career value: 97
#2. Dan Hampton (DE)
- City: Oklahoma City
- Years played: 1979-1990 (11 years as starter)
- Games played: 157
- Pro Bowl selections: 4
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 102
#1. Steve Largent (WR)
- City: Tulsa
- Years played: 1976-1989 (14 years as starter)
- Games played: 200
- Pro Bowl selections: 7
- All-Pro selections (1st team): 1
- Weighted career value: 103
