When it comes to NFL offensive linemen, consider the legacy established in California. The state is home to Hall of Famers Larry Allen, Bob St. Clair, Ron Mix, Anthony Munoz, Ron Yary and Gary Zimmerman, who combined for 49 Pro Bowls. Yet, none of them are the greatest professional offensive lineman to come from the Golden State.
That honor goes to Bruce Matthews, a graduate of Arcadia who played in 14 Pro Bowls in his career.
Close behind is Ohio, which is home to Hall of Fame linemen Bob Brown, Dan Dierdorf, Lou Groza, Wilbur Henry, Mike Michalske, Jim Parker and Orlando Pace. However the greatest lineman, based on the number of Pro Bowl selections, is Tom Mack with 11.
Bruce Matthews and Tom Mack are just two of the 51 offensive linemen (District of Columbia included) to make the MaxPreps list of every state's greatest offensive lineman. Lineman were selected based on the number of Pro Bowls selected. A couple of exceptions were made, such as the case of Mel Hein in Washington. A Hall of Fame center, Hein played many of his best seasons prior to the advent of the Pro Bowl.
Ronnie Stanley, Bishop Gorman
File photo by Todd Shurtleff
John Hannah,
AlbertvillePro Bowls: 9
AlaskaMark Schlereth,
Service (Anchorage)Pro Bowls: 2
ArizonaRandall McDaniel,
Agua Fria (Avondale)Pro Bowls: 12
ArkansasWillie Roaf,
Pine BluffPro Bowls: 11
CaliforniaBruce Matthews,
ArcadiaPro Bowls: 14
ColoradoNate Solder,
Buena VistaGames played: 134
ConnecticutBob Skoronski,
Fairfield Prep (Fairfield)Pro Bowls: 1
DelawareLuke Petitgout,
Sussex Central (Georgetown)Games Played: 110
District of ColumbiaJonathan Ogden,
St. AlbansPro Bowls: 11
FloridaMaurkice Pouncey,
LakelandPro Bowls: 9
GeorgiaRayfield Wright, Fairmont
Pro Bowls: 6
HawaiiOlin Kreutz,
St. Louis (Honolulu)Pro Bowls: 6
IdahoJerry Kramer,
SandpointPro Bowls: 3
IllinoisChris Hinton,
Phillips (Chicago)Pro Bowls: 7
IndianaZach Martin,
Indianapolis Bishop ChatardPro Bowls: 6
IowaMarshal Yanda,
AnamosaPro Bowls: 8
Kansas
Mike McCormack, De La Salle (Kansas City)
Pro Bowls: 5
KentuckyDermontti Dawson,
Bryan Station (Lexington)Pro Bowls: 7
LouisianaKevin Mawae,
LeesvillePro Bowls: 8
MaineChet Bulger,
Stevens Academy (Blue Hill)Games played: 86
MarylandBrian Holloway,
Churchill (Potomac)Pro Bowls: 3
MassachusettsWalt Sweeney,
CohassetPro Bowls: 9
MichiganEd Budde,
Denby (Detroit)Pro Bowls: 7
MinnesotaJim Langer,
RoyaltonPro Bowls: 6
MississippiBilly Shaw, Carr Central (Vicksburg)
Pro Bowls: MissouriRuss Washington,
Southeast (Kansas City)Pro Bowls: 5
MontanaPat Donovan,
HelenaPro Bowls: 4
NebraskaMick Tingelhoff,
LexingtonPro Bowls: 6
NevadaRonnie Stanley,
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)Pro Bowls: 1
New HampshireDon Macek,
Manchester CentralGames played: 162
New JerseyJim Ringo,
PhillipsburgPro Bowls: 10
New MexicoRicky Siglar,
Manzano (Albuquerque)Games played: 100
New YorkEd Newman,
SyossetPro Bowls: 4
North CarolinaMarvin Powell,
Seventy-First (Fayetteville)Pro Bowls: 5
North DakotaMark Slater,
Bishop Ryan (Minot)Games played: 82
OhioTom Mack,
Cleveland HeightsPro Bowls: 11
OklahomaWill Shields,
LawtonPro Bowls: 12
OregonStan Brock,
Jesuit (Portland)Games played: 234
PennsylvaniaMike Munchak,
ScrantonPro Bowls: 9
Rhode IslandJohn Mellekas,
Rogers (Newport)Games played: 84
South CarolinaArt Shell, Bonds-Wilson (North Charleston)
Pro Bowls: 8
South DakotaBarry French,
Washington (Sioux Falls)Games played: 49
TennesseeGene Hickerson,
Trezevant (Memphis)Pro Bowls: 6
TexasForrest Gregg,
Sulphur SpringsPro Bowls: 9
UtahWillie Wilkin,
SpringvillePro Bowls: 3
Vermont
Bob Yates,
MontpelierGames played: 68
VirginiaRoosevelt Brown,
Jefferson (Alexandria)Pro Bowls: 9
WashingtonMel Hein, Burlington
Pro Bowls: 4
West VirginiaDennis Harrah, Stonewall Jackson (Charleston)
Pro Bowls: 6
WisconsinJim Otto, Wausau
Pro Bowls: 12
WyomingNick Bebout,
ShoshoniGames played: 97
