High school football players all want to make a name for themselves, but when your dad is famous the challenge is even greater. Examples of that dynamic are aplenty this fall at the prep level with sons of former MLB, NFL and UFC athletes taking the field – not to mention a certain Miami-based rapper.
Below is a rundown of 20 current high school football players whose dads have gained notoriety either in the athletic arena or entertainment industry. And this group is gaining notoriety of its own with 11 of them being four- or five-star recruits according to 247Sports. Five others have earned at least three stars.
Of the 19 dads, 15 are former NFL players with three earning spots in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Several others earned HOF credentials with teams they played for. Four were linebackers and three played quarterback while the running back, defensive line, defensive back positions were each represented with two.
See the complete list below.

R.J. Maryland, son of 1991 No. 1 draft pick Russell Maryland, will continue his football career at Boston College next year.
Photo by Robbie Rakestraw
Sons with famous fathers playing HSFB
Vitor is a former UFC champion who competed in three divisions (heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight) and was known for his devastating knockout power, which he put on display in a celebrity boxing knockout of Evander Holyfield last weekend. Davi is one of the top freshman quarterback prospects in the country with offers already from Alabama, Arizona State, Florida Atlantic, Florida State and Miami.
Father: Donald Driver
Son: Cristian Driver,
Liberty Christian (Argyle, Texas)Donald played 14 seasons in the NFL, earned four Pro Bowl selections at wide receiver and won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2010. Cristian is a four-star senior recruit with 43 college offers. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound safety committed to Penn State on July 29.
Father: Antonio Gates
Son: Antonio Gates Jr.,
Fordson (Dearborn, Mich.)Dad was an eight-time Pro Bowl tight end who caught 955 passes for more than 11,000 yards and 116 touchdowns for the Chargers. Son (6-1, 185) is a four-star wide receiver from the Class of 2022 and a Michigan State commit.
Father: Dwight "Doc" Gooden
Son: Dylan Gooden,
Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)Doc is a New York Mets Hall of Famer, four-time All-Star pitcher who won a Cy Young in 1985. Dylan is a four-star defensive end from the Class of 2023. The 6-6, 200-pounder is the No. 3 recruit in Maryland and has 15 college offers.
Father: Edgerrin James
Son: Eden James,
Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie, Fla.)Edgerrin is a 2020 NFL Hall of Fame running back inductee after amassing 12,246 career rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns. Eden, a 5-10, 180-pound senior tailback, has 10 college offers. He rushed for 267 yards and two touchdowns last month in a 29-21 upset over the nation's No. 7 team, American Heritage.
Father: Brad Johnson
Son: Jake Johnson,
Oconee County (Watkinsville, Ga.)Brad played 15 seasons at quarterback in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl title with Tampa Bay. Jake, a 6-5, 225-pound senior, is rated the No. 2 tight end in the nation. He's committed to LSU.
Father: Marvin Jones
Son: Marvin Jones Jr.,
American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)Dad played 10 seasons at linebacker for the New York Jets, racking up more than 1,000 career tackles. Son is the nation's No. 15 national recruit overall as an edge rusher. The 6-4, 245-pound senior has 31 college offers but appears to have narrowed his pick to either Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State or Florida State, where his dad starred.
Father: Earl Little
Son: Earl Little Jr., American Heritage
Dad played defensive back nine seasons in the NFL with the Saints, Browns and Packers. His son, a 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback, is a Top 100 national recruit from the Class of 2022. He has 39 offers, including Alabama, Florida State, LSU and Florida.
Father: Russell Maryland
Son: R.J. Maryland,
Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)Russell, the No. 1 pick in the 1991 NFL draft, was a three-time Super Bowl champion and 10-year NFL veteran at defensive tackle. R.J. (6-4, 210) is a three-star senior tight end for the country's No. 14 team. He has 24 college offers but committed to Boston College on June 28.
Father: Deland McCullough
Sons: Dasan and
Daeh Mccullough,
Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.)Deland, the associate head coach and running backs coach at Indiana University, had a brief NFL career as a running back and was the MAC Freshman of the Year in 1992 at Miami University. He won a Super Bowl as running backs coach for the Chiefs in 2020. Dasan (6-5, 220) is a Top 100 senior recruit nationally as a safety/edge rusher while Daeh (6-2, 195) is rated the No. 2 junior in Indiana. Both have committed to Indiana.
Father: Rick Mirer
Son: Charlie Mirer,
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)Rick played 11 seasons in the NFL, primarily as a backup quarterback, after a standout college career at Notre Dame. He was the No. 2 pick overall of the Seahawks in the 1993 NFL Draft. Charlie is a 6-6, 225-pound quarterback for one of California's top teams. The 3-star senior recruit has an offer from Michigan.
Father: Rick Ross
Son: William Roberts,
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)The Boss, born William Leonard Roberts II, hustled his way to the top of the rap industry. William is a 6-2, 270-pound sophomore offensive tackle with six college offers including Miami, Texas A&M, Syracuse and Colorado.
Father: Lorenzo Styles
Son: Sonny Styles,
Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)Lorenzo played linebacker in the NFL for six seasons, split between the Falcons and Rams. Sonny (6-4, 215) is the No. 8 rated national recruit from the Class of 2023 with 22 offers, including Ohio State where his dad starred. He's a five-star recruit.
Father: Bobby Taylor
Son: Bobby Taylor Jr.,
Katy (Texas)Dad played cornerback 10 seasons in the NFL, nine with the Eagles. Son plays the same position for the 11th-ranked team in the nation and is one of the top senior recruits in Texas. The 6-1, 180-pounder has 32 college offers but committed to Texas A&M.
Father: Jason Taylor
Son: Mason Taylor, St. Thomas Aquinas
Jason, an NFL Hall of Fame defensive end, is the defensive coordinator at Aquinas. Mason, a 6-4, 230-pound senior, is a three-star tight end who has committed to LSU.
Father: Jeremiah Trotter
Son: Josiah Trotter,
St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.)Jeremiah, a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker selection, played 12 NFL seasons and is a member of the Eagles' Hall of Fame. Josiah is a 6-2, 225-pound four-star linebacker recruit from the Class of 2023. He has 12 college offers.
Father: Brian Urlacher
Son: Kennedy Urlacher,
Chandler (Ariz.)Brian was a 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted after racking up more than 1,000 tackles and 41 sacks as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Kennedy, a MaxPreps Freshman All-American in 2021, is a 6-1, 180-pound sophomore cornerback for the No. 12 team in the country. He has three college offers.
Father: Kurt Warner
Son: Elijah Warner,
Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)Kurt is a 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee after throwing for more than 32,000 career yards, 208 touchdowns and winning two league MVP awards. Elijah, a 6-foot, 192-pound senior, is a 3-star prospect with six college offers, including Ball State and Colorado State.
Father: Tyron Woodley
Son: T.J. Woodley,
De Smet Jesuit (St. Louis, Mo.)Tyron is a former UFC welterweight champion and more recently has garnered attention for a celebrity boxing loss to Jake Paul late last month. T.J. is a 5-10, 220-pound senior linebacker and running back at one the top schools in Missouri. He's a three-year starter getting FCS interest and offers.

Elijah Warner is off to a strong start this season as the quarterback at Brophy College Prep in Arizona.
Photo by Mark Jones