LeBron James, large Stark contingent up for National High School Football Hall of Fame

CANTON — Stark County is well represented among the list of 50 nominees for the National High School Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. So is the NBA, with two of the 50 achieving far greater fame in basketball than football. There's also a former Major League Baseball MVP among the 50.

Perhaps the biggest name is LeBron James, who some forget did excel as a football player for a few seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where he starred as a wide receiver. Of course, he's achieving far greater success and fame in basketball, and last season became the NBA's career scoring leader.

Joining him among the list of 50 is another former NBA MVP, Allen Iverson, who was recruited to play college football, in addition to basketball. Another prized college football recruit who made his millions in another sport is three-time MLB batting champion Joe Mauer, who is nominated. Like Iverson, Mauer played quarterback.

Three Stark County members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are among the 50 — Dan Dierdorf (Canton Glenwood), Alan Page (Canton Central Catholic) and Len Dawson (Alliance)

Among the eight coaches on the list is Lee Tressel, who enjoyed success at Massillon. Recently retired St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle also is among the 50.

Three teams also have a chance to make the class, and two of those are from Stark County — the 1940 Massillon Tigers and the 1997 McKinley Bulldogs.

The list of 50 features former Heisman Trophy winners, College Football Hall of Famers, Super Bowl MVPs and NFL record-setters.

Among the other Pro Football Hall of Famers up for the honor are Deion Sanders, Joe Namath, Dan Marino, Eric Dickerson, Cris Carter and Randy Moss. Also up for the honor is former Browns QB Tim Couch, who enjoyed a record-setting high school career in Kentucky.

The National High School Football Hall of Fame Foundation celebrated its 2023 inaugural class this past summer by enshrining 23 legendary former high school players, and coaches at McKinley Senior High School. That class included legends such as Jim Brown and Peyton Manning, and several with Stark County ties — Paul Brown, Mike Doss, Thom McDaniels, Marion Motley, Don Nehlen and Chris Spielman.

From this list of 50, 15 will be announced as the 2024 class in a press conference Dec. 1 in Canton.

The 2024 National High School Football enshrinement weekend is set for May 31-June 2, 2024.

50 eligible candidates for the National High School Football Hall of Fame 2024 Class

• DB Deion Sanders, North Fort HS (Fort Myers, FL)

• QB Joe Namath, Beaver Falls HS (Beaver Falls, PA)

• QB Chuck Ealey, Notre Dame HS (Portsmouth, OH)

• QB Dan Marino, Central Catholic HS (Pittsburgh, PA)

• RB Barry Sanders, Wichita North HS (Wichita, KS)

• RB Ernie Davis, Elmira Free Academy (Elmira, NY)

• QB Charlie Batch, Steel Valley HS (Munhall, PA)

• OT Dan Dierdorf, Glenwood HS (Canton, OH)

• RB Jerry Jones, North Little Rock HS (Little Rock, AR)

• QB Steve Spurrier, Science Hill HS (Johnson City, TN)

• QB Vince Young, Madison HS (Houston, TX)

• RB Billy Sims, Hooks HS (Hooks, TX)

• RB Cookie Gilchrist, Har-Brack HS (Natrona Heights, PA)

• RB Don Shula, Harvey HS (Painesville, OH)

• QB Doug Williams, Chaneyville HS (Zachary, LA)

• WR LeBron James, St. Vincent/St. Mary HS (Akron, OH)

• RB Robert Smith, Euclid HS (Euclid, OH)

• QB Tim Couch, Leslie County HS (Hyden, KY)

• LB Dick Butkus, Chicago Vocational (Chicago, IL)

• WR Ted Ginn, Jr., Glenville HS (Cleveland, OH)

• DB Rod Woodson, Snider HS (Fort Wayne, IN)

• DT Alan Page, Central Catholic HS (Canton, OH)

• QB Joe Mauer, Cretin-Derham Hall HS (St. Paul, MN)

• RB Herschel Walker, Johnson County HS (Wrightsville, GA)

• RB Bo Jackson, McAdory HS (McCalla, AL)

• RB Emmitt Smith, Escambia HS (Pensacola, FLA

• WR Paul Warfield, Warren Harding HS (Warren, OH)

• RB Eric Dickerson, Sealy HS (Sealy, TX)

• RB Ken Hall, Sugar Land HS (Sugar Land, TX)

• WR Cris Carter, Middletown HS (Middletown, OH)

• OT Orlando Pace, Sandusky HS (Sandusky, OH)

• RB Tony Dorsett, Hopewell HS (Aliquippa, PA)

• WR Randy Moss, DuPont HS (Belle, WV)

• RB Jerome Bettis, Mackenzie HS (Detroit, MI)

• DT Harvey Armstong, Kashmere HS (Houston, TX)

• QB Allen Iverson, Bethel HS (Hampton, VA)

• LB Tom Cousineau, St. Edwards HS (Lakewood, OH)

• QB Len Dawson, Alliance HS (Alliance, OH)

• LB Clay Matthews, Jr., New Trier HS (Palo Alto, CA)

• Coach Lee Tressel (Massillon, OH)

• Coach George Curry (Berwick, PA)

• Coach Chuck Kyle (St. Ignatius, OH)

• Coach Joe Mucci (Jeannette, PA)

• Coach Reno Saccocia (Steubenville, OH)

• Coach John McKissick (Summerville, SC)

• Coach Frank Lenti (Mt. Carmel, IL)

• Coach John T, Curtis, Jr., (New Orleans, LA)

• Team Massillon Washington-1940

• Team Valdosta, GA.-1980

• Team Canton McKinley-1997

Who made the National High School Football Hall of Fame's first class in 2023?

The Class of 2023, in alphabetical order, includes Jerry Ball, Jim Brown, Lomas Brown, Paul Brown, Greg Cameron, John Crowell, Mike Doss, Marcus Dupree, Ray Freeman, Ted Ginn Sr., Archie Griffin, Greg Kampe, Bernie Kosar, Kevin Mack, Archie Manning, Cooper Manning, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Thom McDaniels, Marion Motley, Don Nehlen, Horace Sheffield and Chris Spielman.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: LeBron James nominee for National High School Football Hall of Fame