Two high school football players with NFL fathers attended Brophy Prep last season, but the Arizona state title contender has six more before the 2024 season.
Professional football offspring Devin Fitzgerald, Donovan McNabb Jr., Daylen Sharper, Jorden Cunningham and twins Bastian and Case Vanden Bosch have their own NFL dreams.
In addition, senior safety James Pike has connections to higher ranks in the NFL hierarchy, as his uncle Michael Bidwill is the owner of the Arizona Cardinals team.
Fitzgerald’s father Larry is expected to be an instant inductee into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2026, and Daylen Sharper (son of Darren) is the highest-rated recruit of the six (just ahead of Fitzgerald and Bastian Vanden Bosch).
Cunningham, whose father Rick played on the offensive line for four NFL teams, has been building muscle in the offseason and could overtake them all with a strong senior year.
Brophy’s two NFL graduates from last year’s team are Aiden Miller (son of Jamir) and Devan Kennedy (son of Jimmy).
The Broncos will begin their 2024 season on Friday, August 30.
Brophy’s NFL sons in 2024
Jorden Cunningham, sr., OL (6-6, 280)
Cunningham will join Logan Powell, who has committed to Wisconsin, and Anderson Kopp, who has committed to Kansas, as part of one of the state’s best offensive lines. Recent offers include Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona and New Mexico State, but expect Division 1 schools to come forward by November. His father, Rick (a 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive lineman), played three NFL seasons each with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders, as well as brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts.
Devin Fitzgerald, Jr., WR (6-2, 185)
Fitzgerald is a three-star recruit whose offers include Arizona, Washington State and his father’s alma mater, Pitt. He should play a much bigger role on offense as a junior after catching 15 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games as a sophomore. The Larry Legend nickname applies to an Indiana basketball player, but it might as well be Larry Fitzgerald. Considered a surefire candidate for Canton in his first try in 2026, Larry Fitzgerald finished his 17-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals with 1,432 catches for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns.
Donovan McNabb Jr., so., WR (6-0, 170)
Donovan McNabb Jr. is smaller and faster than his dad, but he definitely can’t throw as far. Luckily for the younger McNabb, he’s a wide receiver, so he doesn’t have to. Brophy is loaded with talent as a receiver, so the sophomore will have to stay patient to get playing time. His father makes headlines every year for his bid for the NFL Hall of Fame, but so far he’s had to settle for a 13-season career and six Pro Bowls in which he threw for 37,276 yards and 234 touchdowns for the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins.
Daylen Sharper, Jr., WR (6-4, 200)
Sharper was a two-sport star for Brophy as a sophomore. He caught 36 passes for .478 and four touchdowns in the fall and averaged 8.8 points per basketball game in the winter. The three-star receiver’s previous offers include Arizona, Arizona State, Minnesota and Boston College, and his parents were both elite athletes. His father, Darren, was a five-time NFL Pro Bowler and played safety for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. His mother, Patricia Hall, played college basketball for the University of St. Thomas.
Bastian Vanden Bosch, jr., LB (6-1, 190)
Another three-star junior for Brophy, Bastian Vanden Bosch, had an extremely productive sophomore year, collecting 66 tackles (10 1/2 for loss), along with seven sacks and three forced fumbles. His offers include Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa and Boston College. Father Kyle Vanden Bosch was an NFL defensive end for 12 seasons, playing for the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions and making three Pro Bowl appearances. He finished his NFL career with 58 sacks.
Case Vanden Bosch, Jr., QB (6-2, 170)
Case Vanden Bosch deviated from his father and twin brother by leaning toward the offensive line. He played quarterback for the JV team last season and will try to earn a starting spot on the varsity team this season. He has offers from Iowa and Nebraska.
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— Mike Swanson | [email protected] | @sblivesports
