Texas teams figure to be prominent when it comes to Super Bowl betting for the 2024 NFL season. Both the traditional power the Dallas Cowboys and the surprising Houston Texas should be getting more action in online sports betting than say, Washington.
Texans will be playing prominent roles with every team. During the 2023 NFL season, no state out-produced Texas when it came to gridiron talent. There were 187 NFLers from Texas, the most in the NFL. However, none of them hailed from Sherman.
That wasn’t always the case, though. Sherman holds a rich history when it comes to sending its best to the NFL. The Sherman roster of NFL stars includes two Super Bowl champions, an All-Pro selection and even a movie star.
Hunter Smith
Smith was a stud at Sherman High School who defied the odds to fashion a long NFL career and even win a Super Bowl. At Sherman, Smith lettered in football, basketball and track.
On the gridiron he played quarterback and tight end and handled punting and place kicking duties. Smith was a two-time all-state selection.
Opting to play college ball at national power Notre Dame, Smith was a part-time QB who focused mainly on punting. He ranks third for the Fighting Irish with 174 total punts and second in career yardage, averaging 41.2 yards per punt. He was also a high jumper on the Notre Dame track team.
The Indianapolis Colts would select Smith in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He punted for the Colts from 1999-2008, earning NFL All-Rookie Team selection. Smith also was the holder on placements. Three times he was a Pro Bowl alternate. Smith earned a Super Bowl ring when Indianapolis beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
Moving to play for Washington in 2009, that season he made NFL history. In the season opener against the New York Giants, Smith ran for an eight-yard touchdown. Later in the season, he threw a 35-yard TD pass to Mike Sellers. That made Smith the first special teams player in NFL history to throw for a TD and run for a TD in the same season.
Chris Rockins
Sherman-born and also a Sherman High School product, safety Rockins would play his college football at Oklahoma State.
Selected 48th overall by the Cleveland Browns, Rockins would play with the team for four NFL seasons. During the 1986 season, he would start all 16 games for Cleveland at free safety. Rockins finished his NFL career with six interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Charlie Johnson
Like Smith. Sherman’s Johnson was drafted by the Colts, in 2006. He would win a Super Bowl as Smith’s teammate. And like Pickins, Johnson played college football at Oklahoma State.
Playing for Colts (2006-10) and Minnesota Vikings (2011-14) Johnson started 115 of his 134 NFL games as both a left guard and left tackle. He caught one pass during his career and recovered two fumbles.
Monte Jackson
Sherman-born Jackson was a cornerback who played college ball at San Diego State. He played with the Rams and Raiders from 1975-83. Of his 112 NFL games, Jackson made 75 starts.
In 1976 with the Rams, Jackson would lead the NFL in interceptions (10) and pick sixes (three). That earned him Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors. He was a second-team All-Pro in 1977. Jackson finished his NFL career with 23 interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
Jimmy Turner
Born in Sherman, Turner attended Sherman High School prior to playing his college football at UCLA. He was a third-round draft pick of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals in 1983. He would play for the Bengals from 1983-85, and then with the Atlanta Falcons from 1986-87.
Turner intercepted two passes and recovered one fumble during his time with the Bengals. He would play 64 games during his NFL career, including eight starts. At UCLA in 1980, Turner was third in the Pac-10 with five interceptions.
Joe Watson
A center/linebacker from Sherman who played college ball at Rice, Watson was the highest NFL Draft pick to come out of Sherman when the Detroit Lions tabbed him with the fifth overall selection of the 1950 draft.
However, that early draft status didn’t transfer into a long NFL career. Watson played just one season with the Lions. A leg injury suffered late in the 1950 season scuttled his rookie season.
Watson started seven of eight games at center for the Lions in 1950. On defense, he had an interception and a fumble recovery. A contract impasse prior to the 1951 season led to an end to Watson’s playing days.
Ray Wehba
Wehba launched his NFL career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943. An end, he started four of nine games. Moving to the Green Bay Packers for the 1944 NFL season, Wehba would start just one of 10 games. Helping the Packers win the NFL Championship, Wehba caught six passes for a 11.2 yards per catch average. Over two seasons he caught 10 passes for an 11.0 yards per catch average.
Born in Sherman, Wehba played college ball at USC. As an actor, he had an uncredited role as a football player in the 1936 film Rose Bowl, starring Buster Crabbe and William Frawley.
Ted Wright
A halfback/quarterback with Boston and Brooklyn from 1934-35, Wright was the first player from Sherman to make the NFL grade. In November of 1935, the Dodgers purchased the contract of Wright from Boston to be the backup QB to Ralph Kercheval. Wright started three games during his two-season NFL career and scored one touchdown.
Born in Savoy, Wright attended Sherman High School. He played his college ball at North Texas State. Not only was he the first player from Sherman to make the NFL, he was the first player from North Texas State to be an NFLer.
