37 draft picks played high school football in Texas, most of any state
Texas was followed by Florida with 26 drafted players, Georgia with 22, California with 16, Louisiana with 10, Virginia with 10, Alabama with nine, Michigan with nine and South Carolina with nine.
Texas led all states in producing players for the 2025 NFL draft.
Of the 257 players drafted last week, 37 of theme played their high school football in Texas, the most of any state. That included No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and five other first-round picks.
Texas was followed by Florida with 26 drafted players, Georgia with 22, California with 16, Louisiana with 10, Virginia with 10, Alabama with nine, Michigan with nine and South Carolina with nine.
Florida's IMG Academy, which exists to develop professional athletes, was the only high school with three players drafted. Nine high schools had two players drafted: Four from Texas high schools (Carroll Southlake, Klein, Manor and Pleasant Grove), as well as Florida's Miami Palmetto, Michigan's Cass Tech, Georgia's North Gwinnett, Ohio's Pickerington and California's Servite.
Servite accomplished the extraordinary feat of having two of the top eight picks in the draft: Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham (No. 5 overall) and Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8). After the draft, Graham discussed his bond with McMillan and how important high school football is to so many young men.
”T Mac is one of my best friends and it’s exciting to see him and I make our dreams come true and get drafted in the first round,” Graham said in a quote distributed by the NFL. “Servite brought us a tight brotherhood.”
