Earning an invite to the Elite 11 Finals is an honor that quarterbacks from all over the country hope to achieve during their high school football careers.
While only a select few get that chance every year, players from all around the U.S. have been selected since its inception in 1999.
This year is no exception: 12 states will be represented. Of those 12, five have the opportunity of being the first to potentially have their first Elite 11 MVP.
With that in mind, will a new state join the list of those that have already produced an Elite 11 MVP?
Arizona, Arkansas, D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, and Missouri are all home to one player who was named an Elite 11 MVP. Here’s a look at where the rest of the Elite 11 MVPs have come from.
Florida: 7
Players: John Brantley, Trinity Catholic (2006); Aaron Murray, Plant (2008); Jeff Driskel, Oviedo Hagerty (2010); Asiantii Woulard, Winter Park (2012); Sean White, University School (2013); Shea Patterson, IMG Academy (2015); Dia Bell, American Heritage (2025)
Breakdown: No state has produced more Elite 11 MVPs than the Sunshine State, including the 2025 winner, Texas quarterback Dia Bell. While Florida has more MVPs than any other state, that success hasn’t translated well past the high school level.
Murray had the best college career of the lot, starting all four years at Georgia and throwing for over 13,000 yards and 121 touchdowns. Patterson also had a great college career, especially at Michigan, where he threw for 5,661 yards and 45 touchdowns in two seasons with the Wolverines.
California: 6
Players: Ben Olson, Thousand Oaks (2001); Kyle Wright, Monte Vista (2002); Mark Sanchez, Mission Viejo (2004); Blake Barnett, Santiago (2014); CJ Stroud, Rancho Cucamonga (2019); Julian Sayin, Carlsbad (2023)
Breakdown: It could be argued that the first true successful Elite 11 MVP came from California. Sanchez found success in his final season at USC, was selected early in the 2009 NFL Draft and then had a successful eight seasons in the NFL.
As for the modern day, CJ Stroud was regarded by many as a phenom in his first NFL season but has seen his numbers drop over the last two years. Julian Sayin is also hyped as one of the best college quarterbacks in the country following a standout 2025 season and could be an early draft pick in 2027.
Texas: 5
Players: Rhett Bomar, Grand Prairie (2003); Matt Stafford, Highland Park (2005); Cade Klubnik, Westlake (2021); Jackson Arnold, Denton Guyer (2022); Keelon Russell, Duncanville (2024)
Breakdown: Texas is always loaded with talent, and arguably the best Elite 11 MVP in history hails from the Lone Star State. Stafford has excelled at every level, and no other Elite 11 MVP has had a better NFL career than him as he’s won a Super Bowl and is now coming off of his first MVP season.
Klubnick enjoyed a memorable career at Clemson, highlighted by a junior season where he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns. Arnold’s college career hasn’t panned out as many expected, but Russell could be the next standout MVP from Texas as he’ll get the chance to start for Alabama next season.
Alabama: 2
Players: Brodie Croyle, Westbrook Christian (2000); Jameis Winston, Hueytown (2011)
Breakdown: The state of Alabama loves football, and both Elite 11 MVPs from the state went on to have great college careers while one has enjoyed a long tenure in the NFL.
Croyle decided to stay home, spending four seasons with Alabama and throwing for 6,382 yards and 41 touchdowns. Winston’s college career is one of the best ever, as he won the Heisman Trophy as a freshman, led Florida State to a national championship, and was then selected by Tampa Bay with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Washington: 2
Players: Matt Tuiasosopo, Woodinville (2002); Jake Heaps, Skyline (2009)
Breakdown: Washington may come as a surprise to some on this list. The Evergreen State has produced elite football talent, including two Elite 11 MVPs, but only one ever played college football.
Heaps found success in his freshman season at BYU, throwing for over 3,700 yards, but wasn’t able to replicate that success after transferring to Kansas or Miami. Tuiasosopo signed with Washington but never took the field, as the Seattle Mariners drafted him and chose to follow that path, spending five seasons in the major leagues.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which states produced the most Elite 11 MVPs