America is a huge nation that produces hundreds of elite athletes. Some states are talent-producing factories while others have one in every generation like Nebraska’s iconic Terence Crawford. So today, we’re going to look at each US state’s best athlete right now. We’re sticking to the present so the obvious greats like Tom Brady or Michael Jordan won’t appear on this list.
Some of these inclusions will be obvious while others will be more surprising because there isn’t a big talent pool. There are plenty of high-profile exclusions as well. It’s fascinating to see who comes from where and how much love smaller states give to their elite stars. Check them out here.
Alabama – Derrick Henry
If this was an all-time list, we’d be talking about Hank Aaron as Alabama’s greatest ever. But there’s no denying Henry is their best current athlete. The running back is a force of nature. It’s no surprise that Tennessee made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid running backs.
In 2020, he won the Offensive Player of the Year Award after leading the league in rushing and touchdowns. Henry is one of his team’s leaders and helps them contend without an elite quarterback (via Sports Illustrated).