Who is Florida's all-time best football player? Vote now

It may be the fiercest debate in the history of our great land: Who is the best football player from Florida ? USA TODAY Sports is celebrating the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time to honor the United States' 250th anniversary . Over the next few months, the USA TODAY Network will also spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.

First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports, highlighting the trailblazers and trendsetters whose influence reaches beyond championships and statistics. This week, we're honoring stars from the football field. As you can imagine, it was an immense task to narrow this list down to 10 players with so many legendary players hailing from the Sunshine State .

These players, listed in alphabetical order, were all standouts in high school football before moving on to greater achievements in college football and the NFL. Who’s the greatest Florida high school football player of all-time? Glades Central or Pahokee?

A deep dive into the Muck Bowl rivalry's all-time results Here are our selections for the football players who have defined the state of Florida: Derrick Brooks, defensive back, Booker T. Washington Before becoming a superstar at Florida State and the NFL, Brooks was an all-everything defensive back at Washington High in Pensacola , where he helped his school reach the 5A state title game as a junior. Brooks was named the USA TODAY national defensive player of the year.