Iowa is One of the Best States in America for Producing NFL Players

How do you rise to the ranks of the NFL.  Hard work?  Sure.  Dedication to the sport?  Of course? Being born in a specific state?  Couldn't hurt!

Most people are quick to attribute success to hard work, dedication, or having the right connections. But there seems to be a geographical reason involved in how these individuals got where they are today. 

According to Sidelines.io Mississippi ranks number 1 at 26.6 NFL players per capita.

Illinois comes in at a measly 5.1 NFL players per capita (Thanks Chicago) even including Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings), who was born in the prairie state and is the 2nd highest paid player in the league.  Also Jimmy Garopppolo (San Francisco 49ers) who was born in Illinois and is alumni of Eastern Illinois University.

However, Iowa comes in at #6 with 16.5 NFL players per capita!  Not too shabby!  Although I'm hard pressed to find one that has a name you may recognize.

There are many possible factors that could affect a player’s football success, including previous playing experience, physical size, mental toughness and more. But one thing I hadn’t considered was where they were born.

Can success be preordained by location? Some evidence suggests it may. Consider Silicon Valley, for example. What could explain why so many successful tech companies—companies like Google, Intel, Yahoo, and eBay—were born in one small section of Northern California? The hotbed theory posits that certain areas are highly conducive to fostering greatness—the sports equivalent of a cheat code that skips years of laborious practice.

Or it could have NOTHING to do with it.  That's also a possiblity.