To be an athlete at the next level you must be physically and genetically gifted, In most circumstances. It is why children of former professional athletes have a good chance at being good at the college, and even professional, level. Also, kids naturally want to be like their parents growing up, so they are more likely to pursue the same path as their parents. Some are successful, but others aren’t. Let’s keep it positive and look at some talented children of former NFL players:
10 – Joe Alt
Joe Alt is an OT for Notre Dame, his father John Alt, played for the Kansas City Chiefs for 12 seasons where he was a 2x pro-bowler and 2nd team all-pro in 1990. Joe Alt is an excellent player for the Fighting Irish, not allowing a pressure in 112 pass-pro snaps in 2023. He has been a starter since his freshman year at Notre Dame and will be hearing his name called very early in the NFL Draft, if he chooses to declare this season, instead of playing his senior season of College Football in South Bend, Indiana.
9 – E.J. Warner
Warner is the starting QB for the Temple Owls and, as you probably guessed, is the son of legendary NFL QB Kurt Warner. E.J. Warner is in his sophomore season at Temple, but last season as a freshman he completed 60.5% of his passes for a touch over 3,000 yards with a 18-12 TD-INT ratio. He is only 6 feet tall so, like his father, he might have an uphill battle to make it and compete in the NFL.
8 – Eden James
The son of Indianapolis Colts legend and recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Edgerrin James, Eden is an uber talented RB for the Howard Bison. A sophomore for the Bison, James carried the ball 75 times last season for 400 yards and 2 TDs. The explosive back will look to continue following his father’s footsteps to try and make an NFL roster.
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7 – Frank Gore Jr.
Obviously, the son of 49ers legend and future Hall-of-Famer Frank Gore, Gore Jr. has had an excellent college career as a RB for Southern Mississippi. Last season he carried the ball 228 times for 1,382 yards, which is a staggering 6.1 YPC. During his 3 full seasons of college ball, his lowest YPC is 4.5 which is still an extremely impressive number. He has gotten off to a rocky start in 2023 though, carrying the ball 30 times for only 76 yards. Regardless, Gore Jr. has been an excellent college player and should be drafted or signed by an NFL team when his college playing days are over.
6 – Mason Taylor
Taylor is the son of NFL Hall-of-Famer Jason Taylor, and plays the Tight End spot for the LSU Tigers. He has a big frame for the TE spot, standing at 6’6”, 255 pounds. Last season for LSU he caught 36 passes for 414 yards and 3 TDs. Mason has extremely big shoes to fill, considering Jason Taylor is widely regarded as one of the best Edge rushers ever in the NFL.
5 – Luke McCaffrey
Luke is the son of former NFL player and Pro-Bowl WR Ed McCaffrey, and the brother of current 49ers Superstar RB Christian McCaffrey. Luke plays WR for the Rice Owls and is a rising prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2022 he caught 58 passes for 723 yards and 6 TDs in his first season of being a WR. In the beginning of his college career, he played QB and just recently converted to a full-time WR last season. He is an extremely versatile player, just like his brother, that NFL teams will surely have their eye on whenever he decides to declare for the NFL Draft.
4 – Antonio Gates Jr.
Gates Jr. is a freshman WR for the Michigan State Spartans, and in just 3 games has already made his presence felt with a 45-yard TD in just his 2nd game as a college athlete. Who else is better to learn from then his father, Antonio Gates? Gates is a surefire HOFer and San Diego Chargers legend who was known for being a very reliable target for longtime QB Philip Rivers. Coming out of High School, he was the rated the top WR in the state of Michigan and the 5th best player overall. After redshirting his first collegiate season, he is looking to make an impact for the Spartans.
3 – Brenden Rice
Rice is the son of the G.O.A.T and Hall-of-Fame 49ers WR Jerry Rice. Rice has been impressive in his collegiate career thus far; his best season was last year where he caught 39 passes for 611 yards as a transfer from the Colorado Buffalos to the USC Trojans. He is one of the most intriguing 2024 NFL Draft WR prospects, as he has the measurables, standing at 6’3” and 205 pounds, and has started off this season on fire. He has 5 catches for 124 yards and 3 TDs catching passes from future #1 overall pick Caleb Williams and is on pace for a career year.
2 – Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison Jr. is the son of Indianapolis Colts Hall-of-Fame WR Marvin Harrison, and Harrison Jr. is living up to his father’s name and then some. A projected top 5 pick in this year’s upcoming NFL Draft, he is widely regarded as the best WR in the country at Ohio State. He has 304 yards and 3 TDs this season despite leaving the season opener early with a minor injury. Last season, he earned All-American honors with 1,263 yards and 14 TDs and was dominant all season. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with when he is drafted and should be very exciting to watch.
1 – Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur is the hottest name in college football right now, along with his father Deion Sanders and even his brother, Shilo, who is a corner for the Colorado Buffalos. Shedeur played excellent last season with Jackson State and has been even better this season at Colorado. Last season at Jackson State, he completed over 70% of his passes for 3,732 yards and an astonishing 40-6 (!!!) TD-INT ratio. With Colorado, he has completed nearly 80% (!!!) of his passes for 1,251 yards and a 10-1 TD to INT ratio. His play on the field has lifted the Buffalos to be the 19th ranked team in the nation and has also seen his NFL Draft stock rise dramatically, with some scouts saying he could be the 2nd QB taken in this year’s draft if he were to declare. In my opinion, Colorado has been the most fun college football team to watch this season, and it all starts with Deion and Shedeur Sanders.
