College football becoming family affair as sons of former high-profile stars get their turn in spotlight

With the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected … a familiar name. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. joined his famous father of the same name as a first-round pick, and he was actually selected 15 slots higher than his Indianapolis Colts legend dad. 

The bloodlines didn’t stop there. Jerry Rice’s son, Brendan Rice, headed to the Los Angeles Chargers in the seventh round. He joined tackle Joe Alt, the son of Pro Bowler John Alt. Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey is the son of Ed and brother of Christian; he was selected in the third round by the Washington Commanders. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. went in the fifth round. 

All-American defensive end Jonah Elliss of Utah takes it a step further. Not only was his father, Luther, a two-time Pro Bowler, but his three brothers — Kaden, Christian and Noah — also all play in the NFL. Clearly, sons of former NFL players are having a moment. 

“I mean, there’s no better role model, coach, mentor that you can have than someone who’s played the game,” Harrison Jr. told reporters at his introductory press conference. “And then, you know, he’s actually your father too, so he means a lot to me.” 

While the high-end NFLers get the lion’s share of attention, there are connections everywhere. Among quarterbacks, Texas‘ Arch Manning is the biggest name because of his famous uncles Peyton and Eli. Temple‘s EJ Warner (Kurt Warner) and Marshall‘s Cole Pennington (Chad Pennington) are also making names for themselves. Shedeur Sanders (Deion Sanders) has a chance to go in the first round next year. 

Notre Dame has emerged as a major player on the bloodline front. In addition to the first-rounder Alt, Kennedy Urlacher (son of Brian) joins the program this fall. Jerome Bettis Jr. is committed in the Class of 2025. Meanwhile, former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr didn’t play in the NFL, but his grandson is Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr. 

The Class of 2026 provides even more interesting names, which were highlighted in the initial Top247 rankings. Chris Henry Jr., son of the late Chris Henry, is one of three initial five-stars. Linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. shares names with his famous Carolina Panthers linebacker father. Quarterback Dia Bell is the son of ex-Phoenix Suns guard Raja Ball. Wide receiver Jett Washington is the nephew of the late Kobe Bryant. Bloodlines are not just limited to the football field. 

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