The Republic's Top 25 all-time Arizona high school football players who starred at ASU

Corrections and clarifications: Danny White won 3 Fiesta Bowls for ASU. An earlier version of the article gave an incorrect number.

Arizona State's new football coaching regime is making a concentrated effort on recruiting the hometown high school football players. Just look at the Sun Devils' staff. From the head coach, Kenny Dillingham, to assistants Shaun Aguano, Charlie Ragle, Jason Mohns and Vince Amey, they all have past ties to coaching high school football in the Valley.

And so far they're making headway into landing some top 2024 prospects who have committed to them, including Scottsdale Desert Mountain's Dylan Tapley and Scottsdale Chaparral's Plas Johnson, two of the state's best two-way players in Arizona at wide receiver and defensive back.

It's not as if former ASU coaches haven't gone after top local talent. Many players just want to get away from home after high school or latch onto a program having more success. The college-town vibe and how those college stadiums fill up on Saturdays appeal to kids, as well.

There was only one former Arizona high school football player who made the All-Pac 12 team, which feature 23 from California high schools and four each from Washington and Nevada and three each from Oregon and Texas.

Two years ago, former Mesa Desert Ridge defensive tackle D.J. Davidson was one of six Arizona-produced first- or second-team All-Pac-12 picks, along with his ASU teammate Tyler Johnson, who starred at Gilbert Highland.

In all, 17 Arizona high school football players have ended up in ASU's Hall of Fame, including the latest to be inducted, former Phoenix Shadow Mountain wide receiver Shaun McDonald. ASU has started a page listing top Arizona high school football players who have come through ASU.

Success will lead to landing the in-state 5-stars. As the high school teams and the Sun Devils get ready for the 2023 season, The Arizona Republic takes a look at the Top 25 former ASU players who came out of Arizona high schools:

NFL players from Arizona State: Sun Devils on team rosters in 2023 season

Top 25 in-state players who played at ASU

1. Randall McDaniel, Avondale Agua Fria, OL

He starred in high school at tight end in football and was a force on the basketball court and one of the top 100-meter sprinters in track and field. The big man could flat move. He was moved to the offensive line at ASU, where he starred from 1984-87, and was part of the home-grown line that paved the way to the Sun Devils' Rose Bowl victory. He ended up starring in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

2. Danny White, Mesa Westwood, QB

He was a four-sport star in high school, who played both football and baseball for the Sun Devils in the early 1970s. He led the Sun Devils to the first three Fiesta Bowl wins and finished among the best in the nation in total offense, setting ASU passing records in yards with 6,717 and touchdowns with 64 from 1971-73. He also averaged close to 42 yards a punt. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, where he backed up Hall of Famer Roger Staubach before becoming the starter and leading the Cowboys to NFC Championship games.

3. Terrell Suggs, Chandler Hamilton, DE

Suggs was simply a wrecking ball in high school, running over defenders as a rugged tailback on offense and hammering ball carriers on defense, coming out of Hamilton as SuperPrep's No.1-ranked jumbo athlete in the nation in football. At ASU, he was an enforcer at defensive end, playing from 2000-02. In his last season at ASU, he set an NCAA record with 24 sacks. He also had the most tackles for losses in the country that season with 31.5. He went on to a great NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won two Super Bowl rings.

4. Wilford "Whizzer" White, Mesa, RB

This was Danny White's father. He played for the Sun Devils from 1947-50, as a dazzling halfback who ran circles around defenses. He had 3,173 rushing yards in his career, while scoring 48 touchdowns. His number 33 was retired. He had 1,502 yards rushing in 1950, the second-most in a season in school history.

5. Todd Heap, Mesa Mountain View, TE

When he left high school, he held Mountain View records for receiving yards (1,377) and receptions (87). He ramped it up at ASU and in 2013 was inducted into the Sun Devils' Hall of Fame. From 1998-2000, he starred for the Sun Devils, and even played a basketball season. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 1999 and 2000. When he left, he held ASU tight ends record for all-time catches with 115 and yards with 1,685. He starred for the Ravens in the NFL and made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2002 and '03.

More: Arizona State football roster full of former Arizona high school standouts in 2023

6. Curley Culp, Yuma, DT

He was an exceptional football player and wrestler in high school, winning back-to-back state heavyweight wrestling championships in 1963 and '64. He tore it up at ASU in both sports, and, in 1967, he was named All-American in football and won the NCAA heavyweight wrestling title. In the NFL, he anchored the Kansas City Chiefs defensive front, helping them to a win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

7. Bob Breunig, Phoenix Alhambra, LB

He became the 10th ASU player to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. He starred at middle linebacker for the Sun Devils during their early years in the Fiesta Bowl in the early 1970s. In 1974, he was the team's MVP, and made All-American, helping the Devils to a third straight Fiesta Bowl win. He played in 117 straight games for the Dallas Cowboys, winning a Super Bowl 12 title.

8. Darren Woodson, Phoenix Maryvale, LB/S

He was a running back in high school, but became an enforcer at ASU at safety. Because he didn't qualify academically, he walked on at ASU, where he stood out at linebacker from 1988-91, being coached up by Lovie Smith. He led ASU in tackles in 1989 with 122. He became a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, where he played safety. He also was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro.

9. Adam Archuleta, Chandler, RB/CB/LB

Archuleta was one of the best feel-good stories to come out of high school in 1996. After starring at running back and defensive back for the Chandler Wolves, Archuleta made the ASU football team in '96 as a walk-on. He eventually got his scholarship and, in 1999, he was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker. He was taken in the first round of the NFL draft in 2000 by the St. Louis Rams, and played seven years in the league as a safety.

10. Art Malone, Eloy Santa Cruz, RB

After leaving his legacy at Santa Cruz in the mid-1960s, Malone starred at ASU from 1967-69. The fullback ran for 1,439 yards in '69, the second-best single-season mark in school history. He made first-team All-WAC in '68 and '69, and later starred in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons.

More: Arizona State football's first-round NFL draft picks

11. Nathan LaDuke, Alhambra, DB

LaDuke was among the first of the known dual-threat quarterbacks in Arizona high schools in the mid-1980s, running for over 1,000 yards and passing for more than 1,000 yards his senior season, when he also was a star wrestler and baseball player. One of the greatest all-around athletes in Arizona preps history, LaDuke played at ASU from 1987-90 at safety. He was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 1989 and '90 and was the Devils' Defensive MVP each of those seasons.

12. Zach Miller, Phoenix Desert Vista, TE

He was simply a man-child in high school, a wrecking ball of a receiver, who racked up ASU tight ends receiving record during his time there from 2004-06. He played his first four NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders, and made the Pro Bowl in 2010. He then played for the Seattle Seahawks and was a part of their Super Bowl 48 championship team.

13. Phillippi Sparks, Maryvale, DB

He played his first two college seasons at Glendale Community College, leading the Gauchos to a national championship in 1988. In 1991, he made first-team All-Pac-10 and entered the NFL draft, where he was chosen in the second round by the New York Giants. He played nine NFL seasons. And, oh yeah, his daughter Jordin Sparks was an American Idol winner at the age of 17.

14. John Mistler, Tucson Sahuaro, WR

He was a pass-catching machine in high school before heading to Tempe in 1977. He earned All-Pac-10 and All-American honors in 1980 and finished his ASU career with 156 catches and 21 touchdowns. He played four NFL seasons for the Giants and entered the ASU Hall of Fame in 1990.

15. Benny Malone, Santa Cruz, RB

The younger brother of Art Malone, Benny had jets on his heels, because he came through the line of scrimmage so fast it was tough to lay a finger on him. He played with Danny White from '71-73, and set a single-game ASU record with 250 rushing yards and five touchdowns his senior year. He played for the Miami Dolphins and Washington. He died in 2020.

16. Levi Jones, Santa Cruz, OL

He is the third former Santa Cruz football player to be inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame. He went from a walk-on to playing defensive line before finding his place at offense line, where ended up having a dominating career from 1998-2001. He received first-team All-Pac-10 honors and was taken eighth overall in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He made 89 starts in his NFL career.

17. Shaun McDonald, Shadow Mountain, WR

After leaving his mark in high school, he played from 1999-2002 at ASU, where he made first-team All-Pac-10 his final two college seasons. His best NFL season came in 2007 with the Detroit Lions, catching 79 passes for 943 yards and six TDs. He'll go into the ASU Hall of Fame this fall.

18. N'Keal Harry, Chandler, WR

He was the highest-rated 5-star local recruit to ever sign with the Sun Devils, after finishing an incredible career that included a state championship at Chandler. He played at ASU from 2016-18, during which he caught 213 passes (many of them insanely acrobatic) for 2,889 yards before being taken by the New England Patriots as the 32nd overall NFL draft pick.

19. Larry Gordon, Phoenix Union, LB

He played for ASU from 1972-75, and had back-to-back 100-plus tackles seasons. He was a big part of the 12-0 1975 ASU team that beat Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl, being named MVP. That team ended up ranked second in the national polls. He started his rookie NFL season in 1976 for the Miami Dolphins.

20. Paul Ray Powell, Santa Cruz, Athlete

He was a sensational football and baseball player at ASU, winning the College World Series as a fleet-footed center fielder for Bobby Winkles in 1969. He set an NCAA record for hits in 1969. And he led the nation in kicker-scoring football in the 1968 season.

Starred in Tucson: The Republic's Top 25 all-time Arizona high school football players who played at UA

21. Jimmy Williams, Tempe, LB

Played from 1981-84 at ASU after a great career at Tempe. One of the smartest defensive players and fiercest hitters to put on a helmet for ASU, he led the team in tackles as a sophomore with 153, starting at inside linebacker. He followed that up with 145 tackles in 1983. He died from a heart attack at the age of 35 in 1999.

22. Mario Bates, Tucson Amphitheater, RB

He was the state's leading rusher coming out of Amphi in 1991, then, in his third season for the Sun Devils in 1993, he ran for 1,111 yards and eight TDs. He is considered among the top five running backs of all time to come out of Arizona high schools, amassing nearly 5,000 career rushing yards and leading Amphi to the big-school state final in 1990. He played two years for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.

23. Kevin Miniefield, Phoenix Camelback, CB

A talented point guard in basketball, he opted for a career in football. And it paid off. One of the greatest lock-down cornerbacks in ASU history, he played five NFL seasons, four with the Chicago Bears. He played in the same '80s eras as Maryvale's Woodson and Sparks.

24. Ryan Kealy, Phoenix St. Mary's, QB

The two local quarterbacks who most come to mind when you think of ASU's football history are Danny White and Ryan Kealy. Different eras. But Kealy, despite the knee injuries that plagued him, put up impressive numbers and led the Sun Devils to two bowl games. He had 510 passing yards and four TDs in a classic shootout 50-42 loss against Arizona in 1998. He had 6,274 passing yards in his ASU career.

25. D.J. Foster, Scottsdale Saguaro, RB/WR

He was Todd Graham's first big in-state recruit, coming in after being the state's Player of the Year in 2011. He never missed a game in his college career from 2012-15, playing 53 games. He wound up with a catch in all 53 games, and was second all-time at ASU with 222 catches.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Top 25 all-time Arizona high school football players who played at ASU