Assuming LeBron James stays with the Los Angeles Lakers this year, he and Bronny James will become the first father-son duo to ever share an NBA court after the latter’s recent draft-day selection. Basketball doesn’t have a monopoly on legendary bloodlines, however, with the NFL boasting more than a dozen active big names whose fathers also excelled on the gridiron.
Which familiar names could be next? Here are 16 future NFL prospects with direct ties to former greats:
Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
Position: QB | Father: Deion Sanders
The Jackson State transfer has recently been one of college football’s most accomplished signal-callers, and his father, now Colorado’s coach, was one of the NFL’s premier playmakers during his heyday, an eight-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Fame inductee as a cornerback and return specialist.
E.J. Warner (Rice)
Cole Pennington (Marshall)
Position: QB | Father: Chad Pennington
Pennington started three games for Marshall in 2023, coming off the bench as an injury replacement. His father played 12 years with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, winning Comeback Player of the Year.
Henry Hasselbeck (UCLA)
Position: QB | Father: Matt Hasselbeck
Hasselbeck committed to UCLA last winter after initial plans to attend Michigan State. His father was a three-time Pro Bowler best known for leading the Seattle Seahawks from 2001-2010.
Eden James (Howard)
Position: RB | Father: Edgerrin James
James has averaged more than 5 yards per carry in each of his first two college seasons. His father joined the Hall of Fame in 2020 and ranks just outside the NFL’s all-time top-10 rushing list following a dominant 10-year stretch split between the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals.
E.J. Smith (Texas A&M)
Position: RB | Father: Emmitt Smith
The Stanford transfer is the son of the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Emmitt played 13 of his 15 pro seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, racking up three Super Bowl titles and eight Pro Bowl nods.
Antonio Gates Jr. (Michigan State)
Position: WR | Father: Antonio Gates
Gates made his college debut as a redshirt freshman in 2023. His father is one of the most accomplished tight ends of all time, totaling 116 touchdown catches as a longtime staple of the Chargers.
Cristian Driver (Minnesota)
Position: WR | Father: Donald Driver
Originally a defensive back with Penn State, Driver has since converted to the same position his father played over a 14-year career with the Green Bay Packers, during which Donald went to four Pro Bowls.
Mason Taylor (LSU)
Position: TE | Father: Jason Taylor
Taylor had at least 35 catches in each of his first two college seasons. His father was a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee after a 15-year pass-rushing career that included three stints with the Miami Dolphins, six Pro Bowl selections and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Willis McGahee IV (Nebraska)
Position: EDGE | Father: Willis McGahee III
A top-ranked outside linebacker prospect coming out of high school, McGahee is looking to make it on defense after his father played 11 seasons at running back, most notably for the Buffalo Bills.
Devan Kennedy (Iowa)
Position: EDGE | Father: Jimmy Kennedy
New to the college football scene, Kennedy follows in the footsteps of a father who went No. 12 overall in the 2003 draft, playing nine NFL seasons, most notably as a St. Louis Rams starter.
Position: DL | Father: Bryant Young
Not to be confused with Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, this one is a four-star recruit in the trenches. His father played 14 years with the San Francisco 49ers, winning one Super Bowl and earning four Pro Bowl nods as a staple of the club’s 1990s-era defensive line.
Christian Harrison (Tennessee)
Position: DB | Father: Rodney Harrison
A special teamer early in his college career, Harrison roams the back end of the secondary like his father, who won two Super Bowls during a 15-year career split between the Chargers and Patriots.
Shilo Sanders (Colorado)
Position: DB | Father: Deion Sanders
Another big name in the Sanders clan, Shilo aligns more closely with his father in terms of position, transferring from Jackson State as an experienced safety prospect.
Kennedy Urlacher (Notre Dame)
Position: S | Father: Brian Urlacher
A Chandler High School star, Urlacher is looking to establish himself on defense, where his father — a 2018 Hall of Fame inductee — was an eight-time Pro Bowler as the heart of the Chicago Bears.
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. (Alabama)
Position: S | Father: Dre Kirkpatrick
A highly regarded defensive back and return specialist, Kirkpatrick only saw his father close his NFL career in 2021. The elder Kirkpatrick played 10 seasons as a former first-round pick, primarily with the Bengals.
