UTAH

Two studies sum up Utah’s professional athletic abilities

Sep 17, 2022, 1:00 PM

High School football has been cleared to begin as soon as next month, which appears to have players from other states now transferring to Utah. (PHOTO: Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)

(PHOTO: Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)

BY CHANDLER HOLT

Digital Content Producer

SALT LAKE CITY — Sports seasons are coming into full effect across the United States. And to celebrate, a few studies have been released comparing the professional athletes that come from each state in the country.

Utahns in the NFL

With week one of the NFL season coming to a close, BeenVerified decided to do some football-specific research. Since 1920, Utah ranked 25th for most NFL players per 100,000 population, with nearly 11 NFL players per 100,000 people in the state.

Utah also came in at number 23 in the “top hometown states for NFL players” category, 22nd on a list of best high schools for future NFL players, and 34th in the number of high schools that produce NFL talent.

Salt Lake City has produced 55 NFL players since 1920. The next best cities were Ogden and Provo with 15 and 13 respectively. The best high schools in the state for producing NFL players are Logan, Highland, and Bingham — all with 9 NFL players.

Just how athletic is Utah?

Since Utah sits right around the middle of the pack for producing NFL players, can some redemption be found in other professional sports? The short answer is no.

A study from Offers.Bet analyzed American states to find which one produces the most professional athletes. The study takes into account each state’s population, so states with more people don’t automatically take the crown.

Despite this, Utah came in at 42nd for most professional athletes. Only 9 professional athletes call Utah their home state.

Utah is better off than some of its neighbors, however. Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico are all in the bottom five.

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