NFL wide receivers who played other positions in high school

There could be many reasons for this lack of transition from the prep level to the pros, but one reason could be that the NFL's greatest wide receivers don't always start out at that position in high school. In fact a number of high school All-American quarterbacks and running backs end up playing at wide receiver in the NFL, with some ending up in the pro football Hall of Fame.

Players are listed in order of career NFL receiving yardage.

NFL wide receivers who didn't play receiver in high school
1. James Lofton, George Washington Prep (Los Angeles), 1973
As a prep: Lofton was an All-Southern League selection as a quarterback and he also played safety.
As a pro: The Hall of Fame selection caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards and 75 touchdowns in his 16-year career.

2. Anquan Boldin, Pahokee (Fla.), 1998
As a prep: As a quarterback, Boldin was a USA Today and Parade All-American. He was the state Player of the Year while rushing and passing for a combined 11,433 yards. He threw for 36 touchdowns and ran for 20 more as a senior.
As a pro: Caught 1,076 passes for 13,779 yards and 82 touchdowns, ranking him No. 9 in NFL history for receptions and No. 14 in yardage.

3. Hines Ward, Forest Park (Ga.), 1993
As a prep: Accounted for 2,686 yards passing and running as a quarterback and was named Clayton County Offensive Player of the Year.
As a pro: The former Super Bowl MVP caught exactly 1,000 passes in his career for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns.

4. Antonio Brown, Norland (Miami), 2005
As a prep: Listed as the team's quarterback, Brown led Norland to a 7-3 record. He played at a prep school after high school before attending Central Michigan.
As a pro: In 10 seasons, Brown has been All-Pro four times while catching 841 passes for 11,263 yards and 75 touchdowns.

5. Lance Alworth, Brookhaven (Miss.), 1957
As a prep: An All-American running back, Alworth was one of the leading scorers in Mississippi with 127 points.
As a pro: A Hall of Famer and a six-time All-Pro, Alworth caught 542 passes for 10,266 yards and 85 touchdowns.

6. Stanley Morgan, Easley (S.C.), 1972
As a prep: An all-state player, Morgan ran for 1,627 yards and 24 touchdowns and led team to a 13-0 season.
As a pro: The four-time Pro Bowl player caught 557 passes for 10,716 yards and 72 touchdowns.

7. Fred Biletnikoff, Central Tech (Erie, Pa.), 1960
As a prep: Earned third-team all-state honors as a running back.
As a pro: The Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XI MVP caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns.

8. Wes Chandler, New Smyrna Beach (Fla.), 1973
As a prep: Named as one of the top players in the 100 years of Florida high school football, Chandler rushed for 1,052 yards as a senior halfback in a wishbone offense and New Smyrna Beach. 
As a pro: The four-time Pro Bowl pick caught 559 passes for 8,966 yards and 56 touchdowns in his 12-year career.

9. Paul Warfield, Harding (Warren, Ohio), 1959
As a prep: Warfield was first team all-state as a defensive back. He scored 93 points on the season as a running back.
As a pro: Made the Pro Bowl eight times and is in the Hall of Fame. He caught 427 passes for 8,565 yards and 85 touchdowns.

10. Tommy McDonald, Highland (Albuquerque, N.M.), 1952
As a prep: As a running back, McDonald set the state scoring record with 157 points.
As a pro: A six-time Pro Bowl player and a member of the Hall of Fame, McDonald caught 495 passes for 8,410 yards and 84 touchdowns.

11. Curtis Conway, Hawthorne (Calif.), 1988
As a prep: An All-American quarterback, Conway ran for passed for 62 touchdowns his final two season.
As a pro: Played 12 seasons and caught 594 passes for 8,230 yards and 52 touchdowns.

12. Haven Moses, Lasuen (San Pedro, Calif.), 1963
As a prep: A junior on Lasuen's Southern Section championship team in 1962, Moses was a starting running back on the 1963 team. Lasuen has since closed.
As a pro: The two-time Pro Bowl player caught 448 passes for 8,091 yards and 56 touchdowns.

13. Bobby Mitchell, Langston (Ark.), 1952
As a prep: A four-sport star at the all-black Langston, Mitchell is considered one of the greatest running backs to come out of Arkansas. Langston has since closed.
As a pro: A Hall of Fame running back and receiver, Mitchell caught 521 passes for 7,954 yards and 65 touchdowns.

14. Drew Pearson, South River (N.J.), 1968
As a prep: Replacing Joe Theismann as the quarterback at South River, Pearson ran and threw for 2,100 yards his senior year and was named first-team all-state.
As a pro: The three-time All-Pro caught 489 passes for 7,822 yards and 48 touchdowns.

15. Bob Hayes, Gilbert (Jacksonville), 1958
As a prep: Played as a backup running back on the segregated Gilbert team that went 12-0 in 1958.
As a pro: The Hall of Fame receiver and Olympic 100-meter champion caught 371 passes for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns in 11 seasons.

16. Boyd Dowler, Central (Cheyenne, Wyo.), 1954
As a prep: A second-team all-state running back, Dowler was third in the state in scoring with 74 points.
As a pro: A five-time NFL champion with the Packers, Dowler caught 474 passes for 7,270 yards and 40 touchdowns.

17. Isaac Curtis, Santa Ana (Calif.), 1968
As a prep: Curtis was a two-time All-Southern Section second team pick as a running back at Santa Ana.
As a pro: The four-time Pro Bowler caught 416 passes for 7,101 yards and 53 touchdowns in a 12-year career with the Bengals.

18. Elroy Hirsch, Wausau East (Wausau, Wis.), 1940
As a prep: Hirsch led the state in scoring and was the state MVP while leading Wausau (now Wasau East) to a championship season.
As a pro: A Hall of Fame member, Hirsch was twice All-Pro and caught 387 passes for 7,029 yards and 60 touchdowns in 12 NFL seasons.

19. Bob Moore (Ahmad Rashad), Mount Tahoma (Tacoma, Wash.), 1967
As a prep: Known as Bob Moore while earning two-time all-state honors in Washington, Moore later changed his name to Ahmad Rashad while at Oregon.
As a pro: A four-time Pro Bowl player, Rashad caught 495 passes for 6,831 yards and 44 touchdowns.

20. Chris Collinsworth, Astronaut (Titusville, Fla.), 1976
As a prep: An All-American quarterback, Collinsworth threw for 1,013 yards and ran for 783 yards.
As a pro: Played eight seasons in the NFL and caught 417 passes for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns.

21. Mel Gray, Montgomery (Santa Rosa, Calif.), 1966
As a prep: Named to the All-NorCal Team by the San Francisco Chronicle, Gray scored 13 touchdowns as a running back at Montgomery.
As a pro: The four-time Pro Bowl selection caught 351 passes for 6,644 yards and 45 touchdowns in 12 seasons with the Cardinals.

22. Max McGee, White Oak (Texas), 1949
As a prep: Rushed for 3,048 yards and is believed to be the first high school player to rush for over 3,000 yards in a season.
As a pro: A five-time NFL champion and one of the stars of Super Bowl I, McGee caught 345 passes for 6,346 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career.

23. Freddie Solomon, Sumter (S.C.), 1970
As a prep: An All-Southern selection and considered one of the greatest high school players in South Carolina history, Solomon threw for 1,949 yards and scored 154 points as a senior.
As a pro: In an 11-year career, including two Super Bowl seasons with the 49ers, Solomon caught 371 passes for 5,846 yards and 48 touchdowns.

24. Julian Edelman, Woodside (Calif.), 2004
As a prep: Led Woodside to a 13-0 record while throwing for 2,237 yards and rushing for 964 yards in his career.
As a pro: In 10 seasons with the Patriots, Edelman has caught 520 passes for 5,616 yards and 31 touchdowns.

25. Lynn Swann, Serra (San Mateo, Calif.), 1969
As a prep: The All-NorCal Player of the year, Swann switched from receiver to quarterback as a senior while leading Serra to a WCAL championship.
As a pro: The Hall of Famer and Super Bowl X MVP had 336 receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns.

26. Willie Anderson, Paulsboro (N.J.), 1982
As a prep: A Parade All-American, Anderson rushed for 1,345 yards and threw for 813 yards at Paulsboro.
As a pro: In an eight-year career, Anderson caught 267 passes for 5,357 yards and 28 touchdowns.

27. Antwaan Randle-El, Thornton (Harvey, Ill.), 1996
As a prep: Rushed for 1,442 yards and passed for 1,069 yards while making the All-Area team by the Southtown Star for the third year in a row.
As a pro: Played nine seasons and caught 370 passes for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns.

28. Marlin Briscoe, Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.), 1962
As a prep: A quarterback and running back in high school, Briscoe was all-state honorable mention.
As a pro: A quarterback as a rookie, Briscoe moved to receiver and caught 224 passes for 3,537 yards and 30 touchdowns.

29. Peter Warrick, Southeast (Bradenton, Fla.), 1994
As a prep: A wide receiver as a junior, Warrick moved to quarterback as a senior and led the team to a state championship while earning Parade All-American honors.
As a pro: Played six seasons and caught 275 passes for 2,991 yards and 18 touchdowns.

30. Desmond Howard, St. Joseph (Cleveland), 1987
As a prep: Earned All-Ohio Division 1 first team honors as a running back.
As a pro: The Heisman Trophy winner was used mostly as a return specialist in the pros. He still caught 244 passes for 2,895 yards in 11 seasons.

31. Tyler Boyd, Clairton (Pa.), 2012
As a prep: The state player of the year and a MaxPreps Small School All-American after rushing for 2,584 yards and 43 touchdowns as a senior.
As a pro: In his fourth season with the Bengals, Boyd has caught 179 passes for 2,139 yards and 10 touchdowns.

32. Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.), 2007
As a prep: The MaxPreps National Football Player of the Year, Pryor ran and threw for over 4,000 yards in his career.
As a pro: A quarterback and receiver in the NFL, Pryor caught 115 passes for 1,563 yards and seven touchdowns.

33. Jalen Hurd, Beech (Hendersonville, Tenn.), 2013
As a prep: Set the Tennessee state record with 3,357 yards rushing as a junior. He sat out most of his senior year with a shoulder injury.
As a pro: Currently in rookie year with 49ers, but he has not played due to injury.