The 23 greatest all-time football players from the Los Angeles area

The greater Los Angeles area has produced some of the greatest football players of all time. Here are our top choices, listed in alphabetical order. Let the fun begin.

Larry Allen, offensive lineman

Hailing from Compton, Allen was fortunate enough to have survived his rough childhood and play football. Following one year at Compton’s Centennial High School, Allen attended a different school each of the next three years, all either in the Central Valley or up in Northern California. Football provided a positive outlet for Allen, who showed enough promise to play at Division II Sonoma State and earn an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game. A second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, Allen enjoyed a 14-year, Hall-of-Fame NFL career (1994-2007) that included 11 Pro Bowl nods and seven first-team All-Pro selections.

Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive back

Though born in Louisiana, Asomugha grew up in Los Angeles. He attended several high schools throughout the L.A. area, but football remained a constant. Following a strong college career at Cal, where he recorded more than 180 tackles and had eight interceptions, Asomugha was a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2003. He spent all but three of his 11 NFL seasons sporting the silver and black. For his pro career, Asomugha had 15 interceptions and nearly 400 tackles while being named a first-team All-Pro twice (2008, ’10) and earning three Pro Bowl trips.

Glenn Davis, running back

A Southern California native, Davis prepped at Bonita High School in La Verne, some 30 miles east of L.A. in Los Angeles County. He helped the Bearcats to an 11-0 record in 1942, then shunned hometown USC to go across the country and play at Army. That proved to be the right move for Davis, who averaged 8.3 yards and scored 59 touchdowns for his career, won the Heisman Trophy in 1946 , and teamed with fellow backfield legend Doc Blanchard to help lead Army to three national championships (1944-46). Following his military service, Davis debuted in the NFL in 1950 for the Los Angeles Rams and made the Pro Bowl that season. However, a knee injury ultimately ended Davis’ pro career following the 1951 season.

John Elway, quarterback

John, the son of famed football coach Jack Elway, found stardom at Granada Hills High in the San Fernando Valley. A Parade All-American on the prep level, Elway became a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year (1980, 1982) at Stanford. It took some time, but Elway finally won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos to conclude the 1997 season and repeated the next season when he was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII. A nine-time Pro Bowler, NFL MVP (1987), and two-time AFC Offensive Player of the Year (1987, ’93), Elway ranks among the league’s all-time leaders in passing yards (51,475), completions (4,123), and touchdowns (300).

Tony Gonzalez, tight end

Is Gonzalez the greatest football player ever to come out of Southern California? The Hall of Famer is certainly the best tight end ever to grace the gridiron. His 15,325 receiving yards and 1,325 receptions, spanning 17 seasons (1997-2013) with Kansas City and Atlanta, are the most by a tight end. The native of Torrance, who starred at Huntington Beach High (where he posted 62 receptions for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior), also caught 111 touchdowns during a career that featured 14 Pro Bowl selections and was a six-time All-Pro first-teamer.

Mike Haynes, defensive back

Whether providing air-tight coverage, displaying his blazing speed, or laying the lumber, Haynes was one of the elite defensive backs during an NFL career that spanned from 1976 to ’89. A product of the famed John Marshall High School in Los Angeles (where the football stadium was named in his honor), Haynes is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames. He recorded 46 interceptions during his pro career, which began with New England and ended with the then-Los Angeles Raiders. A nine-time Pro Bowler, Haynes helped the Raiders win Super Bowl XVIII.

Keyshawn Johnson, wide receiver

An L.A. native, Johnson played at both Palisades High and Dorsey, but trouble followed him quite often as a teen. Johnson played at West Los Angeles College, then was good enough to land at nearby USC. Johnson made the most of his two seasons in the program, twice honored as a two-time First-Team All-Pac-10 performer, the league’s offensive player of the year, and a unanimous All-American in 1995, when he caught 102 passes for 1,434 — both ranking within the top five on the school’s single-season records list. Though Johnson had his issues on and off the field in the NFL, he played 11 seasons and caught 814 passes for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns. He was named to three Pro Bowls and helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl (XXXVII ).

James Lofton, wide receiver

Before Lofton had himself a Hall-of-Fame career as an eight-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro receiver, mostly with the Green Bay Packers, he was a star quarterback and defensive back at Los Angeles’ George Washington High School. From there, Lofton earned All-American status at Stanford and won the long jump at the 1978 NCAA Track and Field Championships. All that paved the way for Lofton to enjoy an NFL career from 1978-93. During that time, he caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards and 75 touchdowns.

Ronnie Lott, safety

Lott attended Eisenhower High School in Rialto, nearly 60 miles east of L.A. in San Bernardino County — close enough to grab a spot on our list. After winning a national championship (1978) and earning consensus All-American honors (1980) at USC, Lott established himself as arguably the greatest safety in NFL history. Lott, in many ways, revolutionized the position. With more than 1,100 tackles and a total of 63 interceptions, the the ever-present Lott proved that a safety can be effective in coverage and playing near the line of scrimmage.

Bruce Matthews, offensive lineman

Matthews’ No. 72 jersey was retired by Arcadia High School in the San Gabriel Valley. That was just the beginning for Matthews, who was named a consensus All-American at USC in 1982. From there, Matthews enjoyed a 19-year NFL career that was all spent with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise. A pros’ pro, Matthews played every spot on the offensive line and was named a first-team All-Pro seven times and selected to a whopping 14 Pro Bowls. Matthews was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Hugh McElhenny, halfback

The pride of L.A.’s George Washington High School and Compton Junior College (currently known as El Camino College Compton Center), McElhenny was an All-American at Washington before putting together a Hall-of-Fame NFL career with San Francisco, Minnesota, the New York Giants, and Detroit from 1952-1964. He rushed for more than 5,200 yards, recorded just over 3,200 receiving and combined for 58 touchdowns while being named a six-time Pro Bowler. McElhenny was also selected as a first-team All-Pro on five occasions.

From Los Angeles’ Boyle Heights neighborhood to Canton, Ohio. Mix’s road to the Pro Football Hall of Fame began at Hawthorne High School, where his strength was a story. Mix stayed close to home by attending USC, where he set himself up for pro football greatness. The versatile lineman played in AFL, then the NFL, from 1960-71. Mix won an AFL championship with the Los Angeles Chargers in 1963, was named All-AFL nine times, and was an eight-time AFL All-Star. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame.

Hailing from La Puente in Los Angeles County, Montoya overcame a heart murmur in high school to continue his football career at the college level. After playing at a local community college, Montoya transferred to UCLA, where he earned All-Pac-10 recognition in 1978. Though Montoya was drafted in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL Draft by Cincinnati, he played 11 seasons in the league. During that time, Montoya started 195 of 223 games, was named to four Pro Bowls, earned second-team All-Pro recognition in 1989, and was part of two Super Bowl teams with the Bengals.