Alvin Harper is one of the most successful professional athletes in Polk County history.  Known primarily for his success in the National Football League (NFL), Harper was also a standout in football, basketball, and track at Frostproof High School before going on to excel in football and track at the University of Tennessee. 

At Frostproof High School, Harper was a standout football player, earning USA Today High School All-American honors as a senior in 1986.  He also excelled in track and field, where he at one time held the FHSAA High Jump record, as well as basketball where he averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game.  He went onto the University of Tennessee, where he concentrated on football and track and field. 

At Tennessee, Harper continued to excel in football, where he earned All-Southeastern Conference Freshman First Team honors in 1987, and All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors in 1990.  He was also the MVP of the 1991 Hula Bowl, and finished his NCAA football career with 103 receptions for 1,547 yards and 16 touchdowns.  He also continued to excel in track and field, where he captured the 1989 SEC Indoor High Jump Championship. 

Coming out of Tennessee, the Dallas Cowboys made Harper the 12th overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.  Harper would go on to become a significant contributor for the Cowboys, helping them win two Super Bowl Championships in the 1992 and 1993 seasons.  He went onto to play eight total seasons in the NFL, for the Cowboys as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins, finishing his career with 191 receptions for 3,473 yards and 21 touchdowns.  Harper has since continued his career in football as a coach, serving as wide receivers coach for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe in 2005 and is now currently the wide receivers coach at Howard University.