Assuming LeBron James stays with the Los Angeles Lakers this 12 months, he and Bronny James will change into the primary father-son duo to ever share an NBA court docket after the latter’s latest draft-day choice. Basketball would not have a monopoly on legendary bloodlines, nevertheless, with the NFL boasting greater than a dozen lively huge names whose fathers additionally excelled on the gridiron.
Which acquainted names might be subsequent? Listed below are 16 future NFL prospects with direct ties to former greats:
Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
Place: QB | Father: Deion Sanders
The Jackson State switch has lately been certainly one of faculty soccer’s most achieved signal-callers, and his father, now Colorado’s coach, was one of many NFL’s premier playmakers throughout his heyday, an eight-time Professional Bowler and Corridor of Fame inductee as a cornerback and return specialist.
E.J. Warner (Rice)
Place: QB | Father: Kurt Warner
Transferring from Temple after two seasons with the Owls, Warner is trying to change into the most recent in his household to defy the percentages below middle: His father loved a storied profession as a two-time NFL MVP, notably guiding the Rams to a Tremendous Bowl championship to cap the 1999 season.
Cole Pennington (Marshall)
Place: QB | Father: Chad Pennington
Pennington began three video games for Marshall in 2023, coming off the bench as an harm alternative. His father performed 12 years with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, profitable Comeback Participant of the 12 months.
Henry Hasselbeck (UCLA)
Place: QB | Father: Matt Hasselbeck
Hasselbeck dedicated to UCLA final winter after preliminary plans to attend Michigan State. His father was a three-time Professional Bowler greatest recognized for main the Seattle Seahawks from 2001-2010.
Eden James (Howard)
Place: RB | Father: Edgerrin James
James has averaged greater than 5 yards per carry in every of his first two faculty seasons. His father joined the Corridor of Fame in 2020 and ranks simply outdoors the NFL’s all-time top-10 speeding checklist following a dominant 10-year stretch cut up between the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals.
E.J. Smith (Texas A&M)
Place: RB | Father: Emmitt Smith
The Stanford switch is the son of the NFL’s all-time main rusher. Emmitt performed 13 of his 15 professional seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, racking up three Tremendous Bowl titles and eight Professional Bowl nods.
Antonio Gates Jr. (Michigan State)
Place: WR | Father: Antonio Gates
Gates made his faculty debut as a redshirt freshman in 2023. His father is among the most achieved tight ends of all time, totaling 116 landing catches as a longtime staple of the Chargers.
Cristian Driver (Minnesota)
Place: WR | Father: Donald Driver
Initially a defensive again with Penn State, Driver has since transformed to the identical place his father performed over a 14-year profession with the Inexperienced Bay Packers, throughout which Donald went to 4 Professional Bowls.
Mason Taylor (LSU)
Place: TE | Father: Jason Taylor
Taylor had at the least 35 catches in every of his first two faculty seasons. His father was a 2017 Corridor of Fame inductee after a 15-year pass-rushing profession that included three stints with the Miami Dolphins, six Professional Bowl choices and a Defensive Participant of the 12 months award.
Willis McGahee IV (Nebraska)
Place: EDGE | Father: Willis McGahee III
A top-ranked outdoors linebacker prospect popping out of highschool, McGahee is trying to make it on protection after his father performed 11 seasons at operating again, most notably for the Buffalo Payments.
Devan Kennedy (Iowa)
Place: EDGE | Father: Jimmy Kennedy
New to the faculty soccer scene, Kennedy follows within the footsteps of a father who went No. 12 general within the 2003 draft, enjoying 9 NFL seasons, most notably as a St. Louis Rams starter.
Place: DL | Father: Bryant Younger
To not be confused with Bryce Younger of the Carolina Panthers, this one is a four-star recruit within the trenches. His father performed 14 years with the San Francisco 49ers, profitable one Tremendous Bowl and incomes 4 Professional Bowl nods as a staple of the membership’s Nineties-era line of defense.
Christian Harrison (Tennessee)
Place: DB | Father: Rodney Harrison
A particular teamer early in his faculty profession, Harrison roams the again finish of the secondary like his father, who gained two Tremendous Bowls throughout a 15-year profession cut up between the Chargers and Patriots.
Shilo Sanders (Colorado)
Place: DB | Father: Deion Sanders
One other huge title within the Sanders clan, Shilo aligns extra intently together with his father by way of place, transferring from Jackson State as an skilled security prospect.
Kennedy Urlacher (Notre Dame)
Place: S | Father: Brian Urlacher
A Chandler Excessive Faculty star, Urlacher is trying to set up himself on protection, the place his father — a 2018 Corridor of Fame inductee — was an eight-time Professional Bowler as the guts of the Chicago Bears.
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. (Alabama)
Place: S | Father: Dre Kirkpatrick
A extremely regarded defensive again and return specialist, Kirkpatrick solely noticed his father shut his NFL profession in 2021. The elder Kirkpatrick performed 10 seasons as a former first-round choose, primarily with the Bengals.
