Brian Dawkins, Harold Carmichael highlight Raines NFL alums
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BVM) 鈥� The state of Florida is known for its ability to produce some of the best football players in the country. With cities like Miami and Tampa being full of football talent, one would be forgiven for not realizing the impressive history of NFL players produced in Jacksonville, specifically at William M. Raines High School in the city.
Raines has produced over 20 future NFL players and is tied for the 12th-most league alumni by a high school in the country. With Hall of Famers, All-Pros and contributors, Raines has plenty of great NFL alumni to choose from, but here are the five best.
Honorable mention: Jabar Gaffney, WR, 2002-12
Gaffney is part of a family tree that will have another member in the top five, but he had a stellar career for himself. Gaffney starred for Raines as a wide receiver. As a senior in 1998, Gaffney recorded 28 catches for 486 yards and 10 touchdowns which helped him earn a top 20 ranking as a wideout by National Blue Chips and be named to Prep Stars All-SEC Regional team.
The wideout went to the University of Florida where he also became a star, eventually being selected with the top pick of the second round, No. 33 overall, in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. The wideout went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, four with Houston, three with the New England Patriots, two with the Denver Broncos and one each with the Miami Dolphins and Washington. Gaffney played in 158 games with 103 starts catching 447 passes for 5,690 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career.
5. Lito Sheppard, CB, 2002-11
The cousin of Gaffney, Sheppard was able to step out of his relative鈥檚 shadow and make a strong name of his own. After registering 18 interceptions in 29 total games over the course of junior and senior seasons, Sheppard was named first-team all-state both seasons and Jacksonville’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.
The star corner was named a Parade All-American and went to star at the University of Florida. Sheppard was drafted with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and went on to play 10 total seasons, seven with the Eagles. He played in 126 games with 79 starts over his career, recording 19 career interceptions and being named a Pro Bowler twice and a first–team All-Pro once.
4. Shawn Jefferson, WR, 1991-2003
Jefferson is another player who has strong family ties in the league. While he didn鈥檛 play organized football until his senior year at Raines, Jefferson quickly became a hot recruit and signed with the University of Central Florida. In three seasons at UCF, the wideout finished with 67 receptions for 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Due to his lack of football experience and play at a smaller school, Jefferson wasn鈥檛 selected until the ninth round, pick No. 240 overall, by the Houston Oilers though never played with the team. He went to sign with the San Diego Chargers where he spent the next five seasons. He would also play four years in New England, three with the Atlanta Falcons and one with the Detroit Lions while also playing in two Super Bowls.
By the end of his 13-year NFL career, Jefferson totaled 470 catches for 7,023 yards and 29 touchdowns. The former receiver is an associate head coach and wide receiver coach for the Arizona Cardinals and his son, Van, plays for NFC West foe Los Angeles Rams.
3. Ken Burrough, WR, 1970-81
The first-ever Raines graduate to play in the NFL, Burrough was also the first signal-caller for Raines when it opened. As the quarterback, Burroguh led the team to an 8-1-1 record and a Big Nine North Conference championship during its first campaign.
Burrough would go to Texas Southern where he would switch to wide receiver and rewrite the record books. Given his prowess, Burrough was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
The receiver only lasted one year in New Orleans before being moved to the Houston Oilers where he became a star, playing 11 seasons, being named to the Pro Bowl twice and earning second–team All-Pro once. In his 12 NFL seasons, Burrough played in 156 games with 124 starts compiling 421 receptions for 7,102 yards and 49 touchdown catches in his illustrious career.
2. Harold Carmichael, WR, 1971-1984
Known as the tallest wide receiver in NFL history, measuring 6-foot-8, Carmichael started his career at Raines as both a quarterback and safety. Unlike other players on this list, Carmichael wasn鈥檛 hotly recruited and instead walked on at Southern University where he was a three-sport athlete playing football, basketball and participating track and field. As a senior, Carmichael earned all-conference honors with the Jaguars.
Given his large frame, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Carmichael in the seventh round, No. 161 overall, in the 1971 NFL Draft. After playing tight end his first season, Carmichael was moved back to his natural position out wide and by his third year led the league in receptions and receiving yards.聽
Carmichael played 13 seasons in Philadelphia and one with the Dallas Cowboys, playing in 182 games with 160 starts recording 590 catches for 8,985 yards and 79 receiving touchdowns. He became the second Raines player ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was selected as a member of the 2020 class.
1. Brian Dawkins, S, 1996-2011
Dawkins, whose stellar career spanned three decades and 16 NFL seasons, is easily the best football player to come out of Raines. The safety was named all-city, all-conference, all-district and all-state as a senior after he helped the Tigers team to 30 consecutive regular season wins. After his time at Raines, Dawkins took his talents to Clemson University where he went on to have a Hall of Fame career as a collegian.
The hard-hitting safety was selected in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft, No. 61 overall, by the Philadelphia Eagles. Dawkins quickly became an Eagles legend as he played 13 years in Philadelphia becoming a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro in the team鈥檚 backend before spending his final three seasons with Denver where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro.
Over the course of his career, Dawkins played in 224 games with 221 starts recording 1,147 tackles, 37 interceptions, 36 forced fumbles and 26 sacks. He became the first Raines graduate ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was selected to join the illustrious group in 2018.
