(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)
In Super Bowl LV, the Kansas City Chiefs will clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is fighting to defend his 2020 title while Tom Brady remains a prime signal-caller in his 11th Super Bowl appearance.
Both rosters contain players who spent their formative years in California, either playing high school or collegiate football here.
Buccaneers running back, Kenjon Barner, is a native of Lynwood and attended Notre Dame High School in Riverside, CA. There, he became the 38th top running back in the country and took his talents to the University of Oregon. As a senior with the Ducks, he was third in the nation in rushing.
Barner played for four other NFL teams, including the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers, before being signed with Tampa Bay earlier this season.
Running back Ronald Jones II was a standout as a USC Trojan, playing 40 games in his college career. His 3,619 rushing yards puts him fifth in school history. Jones II was drafted to the Buccaneers in the second round in 2018. Since then, he has made 387 runs for 1,746 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.
During this season, Jones II accumulated over 100 rushing yards on four different occasions and made a total of seven touchdowns.
Los Angeles native Jaydon Mickens played football and ran track for Dorsey High School. Under the tutelage of veteran coach Paul Knox, Mickens played at the quarterback, wide receiver, and running back positions. He became an All-City First Team running back in 2011 and then played for the Washington Huskies.
With Washington, Mickens is second all-time in career receptions with 203 and fifth in reception yards with 2,187. He played in 10 games this season as a kickoff and punt returner for Tampa Bay with 99 punt return yards and 340 kickoff return yards.
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)
Quinton Bell is from Long Beach; he competed in football, basketball, and track at Costa Mesa High School. He played as a wide receiver and defensive end during his time at Prairie View A&M University. He made 7.5 career sacks for a loss of 38 yards and 46 total tackles. He was signed on to the Buccaneers practice squad in November 2019.
Chiefs running back and San Diego native Damien Williams attended El Cajon Valley and Mira Mesa high schools. He went on to play for the Oklahoma Sooners, racking up 946 rushing yards and 11 touchdown runs as a freshman. The six-year veteran made runs and catches to help the Chiefs secure their Super Bowl LIV victory, but is currently out with a rib injury.
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)
Kansas City defensive end Frank Clark is from Bakersfield. He made 78 total tackles—38 being solo tackles—during his three seasons at Michigan. Clark gave the Chiefs 37 total tackles, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles during the 2019 season.
On Kansas City’s playoff run in 2019, Clark made five sacks and nine total tackles.
Super Bowl LV will air on CBS on February 7 at 3:30 P.M.
