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Best NFL players from Southern Nevada? Here’s our Top 5

Las Vegas’ high school football talent was noticed at this year’s NFL draft with Bishop Gorman having the most players drafted (three) of any high school.

Seven players from four schools were drafted in April. As more locals get drafted and begin their NFL journey, a handful of past high school stars have already made their mark in the league.

Here is the Review-Journal’s list of the top five NFL players who played high school football in Las Vegas:

5. Brandon Marshall, Cimarron-Memorial

Marshall was an all-state linebacker at Cimarron-Memorial, where his jersey is retired. He started all four seasons at UNR before being drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft by Jacksonville.

Marshall found success with Denver, where he helped the Broncos to the Super Bowl 50 title. The 6-foot, 1-inch linebacker recorded 416 of his 418 career tackles with the Broncos, where he played six seasons during his seven-year NFL career.

4. Lawrence Guy, Western

As a senior at Western, Guy recorded 102 tackles and 15.5 sacks. He starred at Arizona State and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 draft by Green Bay.

After playing with four teams in his first nine seasons, the 6-foot, 4-inch defensive end found his home with New England, where he’s spent the last six seasons. Guy signed a four-year contract extension with the Patriots in 2021.

He has 469 tackles and 17 sacks during his 13-year NFL career and helped New England to the Super Bowl LIII title.

3. Mike Pritchard, Rancho

The Rancho High all-purpose back played college football at Colorado. In 1990, Pritchard helped the Buffaloes to an 11–1–1 record and AP poll national title, where he was voted the team’s MVP. Pritchard was drafted in the first round, 13th overall, by Atlanta in the 1991 draft. He played with three NFL teams in his nine-year career and finished with 422 receptions, 5,187 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns.

2. DeMarco Murray, Bishop Gorman

A three-sport athlete at Gorman, Murray was an all-state running back in 2005 when he rushed for 1,947 yards and 27 touchdowns in his senior year. He was drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft out of Oklahoma by Dallas.

Murray was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 when he led the league in rushing with 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Cowboys. He totaled 7,174 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns in seven NFL seasons.

1. Steven Jackson, Eldorado

Jackson rushed for 6,396 yards and 81 touchdowns during his prep career with the Sundevils. After spending three seasons at Oregon State, Jackson was selected in the first round of the 2004 draft by the St. Louis Rams.

Jackson rushed for more than 1,000 yards in eight of his nine seasons with the Rams. The three-time Pro Bowler finished his 12-year NFL career with 11,438 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns.

Honorable Mentions: Frank Hawkins (Western), David Humm (Bishop Gorman), Grey Ruegamer (Bishop Gorman), Will Hernandez (Chaparral), Vernon Fox (Cimarron-Memorial), Miles Killebrew (Foothill).

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.

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