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St. Edward High School has produced some of the most talented and successful football players in the history of the game. Today, we take a look at the 10 greatest St. Edward High School Football Players of all time. From legendary quarterbacks to renowned running backs, these players have each made a lasting impression on the sport and have left an indelible mark on the legacy of St. Edward High School. Read on to find out more about the 10 greatest St. Edward High School Football Players of all time!
1. Alex Boone
As one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time, Alex Boone was an offensive tackle who graduated in 2005. He was the only St. Edward football player to receive Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honors and to be named a USA Today High School Football All-American.
At 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds, Boone helped lead St. Edward to a state runner-up finish as a junior in 2003 and became one of the most highly recruited offensive linemen in the nation. He started four years at Ohio State, was a two-time All-Big Ten selection and won four Big Ten titles as well as played in four BCS bowl games.
Boone went undrafted in 2009 due to concerns about his alcohol abuse, but he turned his life around and played 12 seasons in the NFL. He is remembered as one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time for his successful career on and off the field.
2. Tom Cousineau
As one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time, Tom Cousineau was an outstanding linebacker who graduated in 1975 and went on to Ohio State, where he was a three-time All-Big Ten pick, two-time All-American, three-time Big Ten champion and named MVP of the 1977 Orange Bowl. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1979 NFL Draft but never played a game for them, instead signing with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL for double the money offered by the Bills. Cousineau played three seasons in the CFL and was named Grey Cup MVP before he played in the NFL for six seasons, earning NFL All-Pro honors with the Cleveland Browns in 1984.
3. Kevin Burke
A two-time Gagliardi Trophy winner and three-time national championship participant, Kevin Burke is easily one of the top 10 St. Edward High School football players of all time. As a senior in 2010, Burke led his team to a 15-0 record and the first state championship in school history — he outplayed future Ohio State star Braxton Miller in the state championship game. After graduating from St. Edward, Burke continued his success at NCAA Division III powerhouse Mount Union, leading them to three consecutive national championship games from 2012 to 2014, winning the 2012 championship and becoming the only two-time winner of the Gagliardi Trophy as NCAA Division III’s top player in 2013 and 2014.
4. Shaun Crawford
Shaun Crawford was one of the top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time, excelling on offense, defense and special teams throughout his career with the Eagles. A four-year starter, Crawford capped off his career at St. Edward in 2014 by leading the Eagles to a Division I state championship and was named an All-Ohio selection and Under Armour All-American after he recorded 91 tackles, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles and 54 receptions for 824 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior.
Crawford went on to sign with Notre Dame where he suffered season-ending injuries in his first two years due to a torn ACL in 2015 and a torn Achilles tendon in 2016. However, he returned to finish his collegiate career as a team captain and All-ACC selection in 2020.
5. Rodney Bailey
Rodney Bailey was a standout at St. Edward High School, graduating in 1997 and earning The Cleveland Plain Dealer Division I Player of the Year and The Touchdown Club of Cleveland Player of the Year honors. He went on to have a successful collegiate career at Ohio State, where he started as a true freshman and eventually became a team captain and All-Big Ten pick as a senior. In the 2001 NFL Draft, Bailey was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round and played seven seasons in the NFL for four different teams, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2004. A true testament to his excellence, Bailey is one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time.
6. Kyle Kalis
Kyle Kalis is one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman was a dominant force during his time at St. Edward, helping lead his team to the first state championship in school history as a junior in 2010 and being named a U.S. Army All-American and Parade Magazine All-American as a senior. After originally committing to Ohio State, he transferred to Michigan after a scandal that led to the firing of OSU head coach Jim Tressel. Kalis went on to become a two-time All-Big Ten pick for the Wolverines and a second-generation NFL offensive lineman, playing four seasons from 2017 to 2020.
7. Cole Gest
Cole Gest, one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time, is a former running back who graduated in 2016. After missing his sophomore season due to injury, Gest bounced back to help lead his team to back-to-back Division I state championships in 2014 and 2015. He finished his career as St. Edward’s career-leading rusher with nearly 4,000 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns and was a two-time All-Ohio selection.
Gest signed with Indiana and battled injuries during his time there but still finished second on the team in rushing as a redshirt freshman in 2017 before playing his final season at Akron as a graduate transfer. His performance at St. Edward earned him a place among the greatest football players in the school’s history.
8. Raishaun Stover
A member of the top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of all time, Raishaun Stover was an unstoppable force as a running back during his senior year in 2001. He earned the Cleveland Plain Dealer Player of the Year Award after rushing for 2,300 yards and 36 touchdowns while also grabbing 19 receptions for 340 yards. During his high school career, he set 10 records including 3,700 rushing yards and 52 touchdowns.
Stover went on to play college football at Bowling Green State University under the guidance of head coach Urban Meyer. He played in back-to-back bowl games for the Falcons and had his best season in 2003, where he amassed more than 200 yards of total offense and scored four touchdowns. Stover is remembered as one of the most talented players ever to come out of St. Edward High School and will always have a special place in the hearts of all those associated with the program.
9. DeJuan Groce
is an unquestionable member of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time. A Defensive Back/Return Specialist, Groce graduated in 1998 and went on to have a successful collegiate career at Nebraska. He earned All-Ohio and Parade All-American honors as a safety, cornerback and return specialist, averaging almost 27 yards per return and returning seven kicks for touchdowns over three seasons.
At Nebraska, Groce was a three-year starter at cornerback and became one of the all-time great punt and kick returners in college football history — he was an AP All-American as a return specialist in 2001 and finished his career as the second player in Nebraska history to pass over 1,000 career punt return yards following 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. After being a fourth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2003, Groce played five seasons in the NFL.
His remarkable athletic career is just one reason why DeJuan Groce is a member of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time.
10. Wyatt Gedeon
Wyatt Gedeon is one of the Top 10 St. Edward High School Football Players of All Time. A linebacker for the Eagles, Gedeon graduated in 2023 and committed to Coastal Carolina prior to his senior season. He earned All-Ohio honors in 2015 as a junior when the team won the Division I state championship with a record of 15-1.
Gedeon has impressive speed for his position — he’s been clocked running a 4.52-second, 40-yard dash. His size (6-foot-1 and 235 pounds) makes him a formidable presence on the field. During his senior season, Gedeon led his team in tackles and sacks through the first five games, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest St. Edward players ever.