What have been the greatest and most productive states for recruiting in Notre Dame's football history? Our countdown from 50 to 1 is based on these criteria:

• Quantity from the state who have seen game action at Notre Dame.

• Quality and depth of athletes from the state throughout history.

• Impact made on the program in the past, present and how it's on the rise or decline in the future.

With our final 20, we have now reached a point where at least 10 major contributors, record setters or luminary-like figures can be counted from each state. Eventually, the top states will have an all-time team at every position — and more than one full team, too.

At No. 18 is Maryland/Washington D.C..

Players Who Have Seen Action At Notre Dame: 42 (eight from the District of Columbia)

First To Play: Durant Church (Washington D.C.) was a reserve left halback on the 5-3 team in 1904.

Most Recent To Sign Scholarship: Cornerback Ashton White (Clinton) inked with Notre Dame this February, marking the third straight season the Fighting Irish landed a prospect from that state. Center/guard Sam Mustipher (Olney) signed with the Irish last February, and in 2013 junior cornerback Devin Butler (Washington D.C.) came from Gonzaga.

Notable: Reeling in Butler in 2013, Mustipher last year and White this winter has regenerated action in that area — not long after Notre Dame played its 2011 Shamrock Series game just outside of Washington D.C, versus the University of Maryland. That was a primary purpose of playing the Shamrock Series throughout the country.

1. Bob Williams (Baltimore, 1948-50) — Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, Williams was at the throttle for the 10-0 national champs in 1949 when he set the single season pass efficiency record that stood 60 years before Jimmy Clausen eclipsed it by an eyelash in 2009. Three years later, Everett Golson matched Williams' standard of winning his first 10 starts, although Golson needed more help. Williams was the No. 2 pick in the 1951 NFL Draft.

2. Thom Gatewood (Baltimore, 1969-71) — A 2015 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, the two-time All-American and Academic All-American's 157 career receptions (not including eight catches for 155 yards and two scores in two Cotton Bowls versus No. 1 Texas) stood for 36 years. He also became the school's first African-American football captain.

3. Victor Abiamiri (Randallstown, 2003-06) — Started 30 games and was named Notre Dame's Lineman of the Year his last two seasons when the team was 19-6 and had back-to-back BCS bids. Forty of his 128 career tackles were for lost yardage, including 20.5 sacks, leading him to become a second-round pick.

4. Malcolm Johnson (Washington D.C. 1995-98) — Huge target at 6-5, Johnson finished with 110 catches that averaged 15.8 yards and included 10 scores. He was only 16 years old the first day he practiced at Notre Dame but would go on to play three years in the NFL.

5. Mike Brennan (Severna Park, 1986-89) — One of the great walk-on stories in school history, Brennan began his career in lacrosse, tried out at tight end in football, and worked his way up to start at guard twice for the 1988 national champs (including No. 1 Miami) and all 13 at left tackle for the 12-1 outfit in 1989. The fourth-round pick played three years in the NFL.

6. Mike Creaney (Towson, 1970-72) — Three-year starting tight end was good enough that College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Dave Casper was used at offensive tackle in 1971-72, where he was more needed. Including bowls, Creaney's 48 career receptions averaged 19.1 yards, a remarkable figure for anyone, but especially a tight end.

7. Joe Howard (Clinton, 1981-84) — Nicknamed "Small Wonder," the 5-9, 167-pound Howard burst onto the scene as a freshman with 17 catches, including a record 96-yard touchdown catch. As a senior he also started at point guard for Digger Phelps' basketball team. His 85 career catches averaged 19.6 yards and he enjoyed a six-year NFL career despite not getting drafted.

8. Andre Jones (Hyattsville, 1987-90) — The father of 2010-13 Irish receiver TJ Jones passed away suddenly in 2011 from a brain aneuyrism. During his career at outside linebacker, the elder Jones recorded 147 career tackles, with his 58 as a senior the second most on the team. Jones had brief stints in the NFL and CFL.

9. Troy Wilson (Frederick, 1983-86) — As a freshman, his pass breakup of a Doug Flutie pass on fourth down preserved a 19-18 Liberty Bowl victory versus 9-2 Boston College. He started the next three years at corner prior to playing one year in the NFL and joining the Secret Service.

10. John Owens (Bowie, 1998-2001) — Owens didn't start his first three seasons from 1998-2000 while yo-yoing between defensive end and tight end. As a senior he started at tight end on a 5-6 team and caught only five passes …yet the fifth-round pick went on to play nine years in the NFL. Tight ends seem to have a Midas touch at Notre Dame.

Among our honorable mentions, running back Gerry Gray (Baltimore) led the 1959 team in rushing, Randy Payne (Palmer Park) started at corner for Ara Parseghian's top-ranked defense in 1974, Ricky Gray (Mt. Ranier) complemented Mark Bavaro well at tight end in 1984, Jeremy Akers (Washington D.C.) started at guard much of his three seasons from 1994-96, Abiamiri's teammate at Baltimore Gilman, Ambrose Wooden, started at corner for the 2005 team that finished No. 9 in the AP poll, and defensive end Justin Brown (Clinton) was a starter in 2007-08.

If this were men's basketball, the Washington D.C. area would rank No. 1 over the last 50 years, from Bob Whitmore to Hall-of-Famers Austin Carr and Adrian Dantley to the recent starting backcourt of Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant, the latter a first-round NBA Draft pick this week. Football hasn't had similar star power, but the numbers have been pretty good even though it would seem Notre Dame would have more presence with the Catholic powers such as DeMatha, Gonzaga, St. Albans, Bishop McNamara (White), Archbishop Carroll, Good Counsel (Mustipher), etc.

This should continue to be a region that features several players on a Notre Dame roster fairly consistently. Potomac senior quarterback Dwayne Haskins was atop the Irish board before he gave his verbal to the in-state Terrapins. Two prime targets remaining in this cycle are Haskins' teammate at The Bullis School, four-star outside linebacker Cameron Brown (Potomac), and fellow OLB Aaron Hansford, who plays at St. John's College High in Washington D.C.

Next: No. 17