Texas high schools lead the way when it comes to producing No. 1
overall picks in the NFL Draft with 14. After a dry spell from 1982 until 2008,
the Lone Star State had five in an 11-year span with Matthew Stafford (2009), Andrew
Luck (2012), Myles Garrett (2017), Baker Mayfield (2018) and Kyler
Murray (2019).
If Cam Ward hears his name
called with the first overall pick later tonight he will be the 15th
player from Texas. He graduated from
Columbia (West Columbia, Texas) in 2020 as an unrated recruit with his only offer coming from Incarnate Word.
Ward would be the first unrated recruit to be selected first overall since 247Sports started publishing prospect rankings in 2000.
California checks in with the second-most No. 1 selections with 13. Some notable players include O.J. Simpson, Jim Plunkett, John Elway, Keyshawn Johnson, Carson Palmer, Alex Smith, Jared Goff and Bryce Young.
Ohio has the third-most with six. Joe Burrow broke a 23-year drought after the Cincinnati Bengals selected him first overall in 2020. Orlando Pace (1997), Ki-Jana Carter (1995), Dan Wilkinson (1994), Tom Cousineau (1979) and Frank Sinkwich (1943) are the other five.
Alabama and Louisiana are tied with the fourth-most at five.
Bo Jackson and Jameis Winston headline the names from Alabama while Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning lead the way of players from Louisiana.
Georgia, New York and Oklahoma are tied for the sixth spot with four selections. Georgia is the last state to have back-to-back No. 1 picks as Jacksonville selected Travon Walker of
Upson-Lee (Thomaston) in 2022 and Trevor Lawrence of
Cartersville in 2021.
Florida has dominated the NFL Draft in general but its only No. 1 overall pick came in 1965 when the New York Giants selected Tucker Frederickson.
In total, 27 states along with the District of Columbia have had at least one player selected first overall since the NFL Draft started in 1936.
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming are still waiting for their first overall selection.
1. Texas — 141939: Ki Aldrich,
Temple1951: Kyle Rote,
Jefferson (San Antonio)1958: King Hill,
Brazosport (Freeport)1964: Dave Parks,
Abilene1966: Tommy Nobis, Jefferson (San Antonio)
1967: Bubba Smith, Charlton-Pollard (Beaumont)
1978: Earl Campbell,
Tyler1980: Billy Sims,
Hooks1982: Kenneth Sims,
Groesbeck2009: Matthew Stafford,
Highland Park (Dallas)2012: Andrew Luck,
Stratford (Houston)2017: Myles Garrett,
Martin (Arlington)2018: Baker Mayfield,
Lake Travis (Austin)2019: Kyler Murray,
Allen2. California — 131954: Bobby Garrett,
South Pasadena1968: Ron Yary,
Bellflower1969: O.J. Simpson,
Galileo (San Francisco)1971: Jim Plunkett,
James Lick (San Jose)1975: Steve Bartkowski, Buchser (Santa Clara)
1977: Ricky Bell,
Fremont (Los Angeles)1983: John Elway,
Granada Hills Charter (Granada Hills)1996: Keyshawn Johnson,
Dorsey (Los Angeles)2002: David Carr,
Stockdale (Bakersfield)2003: Carson Palmer,
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)2005: Alex Smith,
Helix (La Mesa)2016: Jared Goff,
Marin Catholic (Kentfield)2023: Bryce Young,
Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
3. Ohio — 61943: Frank Sinkwich,
Chaney (Youngstown)1979: Tom Cousineau,
St. Edward (Lakewood)1994: Dan Wilkinson,
Dunbar1995: Ki-Jana Carter,
Westerville South (Westerville)1997: Orlando Pace,
Sandusky2020: Joe Burrow,
Athens (The Plains)T4. Alabama — 51948: Harry Gilmer,
Woodlawn (Birmingham)1986: Bo Jackson,
McAdory (McCalla)1988: Aundray Bruce,
Carver Montgomery (Montgomery)2007: JaMarcus Russell,
Williamson (Mobile)2015: Jameis Winston,
HueytownT4. Louisiana — 51960: Billy Cannon,
Istrouma (Baton Rouge)1961: Tommy Mason, Lake Charles
1970: Terry Bradshaw,
Woodlawn (Shreveport)1998: Peyton Manning,
Newman (New Orleans)2004: Eli Manning, Newman (New Orleans)
T6. Georgia — 41981: George Rogers,
Duluth2011: Cam Newton,
Westlake (Atlanta)2021: Trevor Lawrence,
Cartersville2022: Travon Walker,
Upson-Lee (Thomaston)
T6. New York — 41953: Harry Babcock,
Pearl River1962: Ernie Davis, Elmira Free Academy (Elmira)
1972: Walt Patulski,
Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)1987: Vinny Testaverde,
Sewanhaka (Floral Park)T6. Oklahoma — 41947: Bob Fenimore,
Woodward1976: Lee Roy Selmon,
Eufaula1989: Troy Aikman,
Henryetta2010: Sam Bradford,
Putnam City North (Oklahoma City)
T9. Indiana — 31938: Corbett Davis,
Lowell1941: Tom Harmon,
Mann (Gary)1990: Jeff George,
Warren Central (Indianapolis)T9. Pennsylvania — 31945: Charley Trippi,
Pittston1949: Chuck Bednarik,
Liberty (Bethlehem)1950: Leon Hart, Turtle Creek
T9. Virginia — 31942: Bill Dudley,
Graham (Bluefield)1985: Bruce Smith,
Booker T. Washington (Norfolk)2001: Michael Vick,
Warwick (Newport News)
T12. Iowa — 21936: Jay Berwanger,
Dubuque Senior (Dubuque)1959: Randy Duncan,
Roosevelt (Des Moines)T12. Kentucky — 21957: Paul Hornung, Flaget (Louisville)
1999: Tim Couch,
Leslie County (Hyden)T12. Massachusetts — 21944: Angelo Bertelli, Cathedral (Springfield)
1946: Frank Dancewicz,
Lynn Classical (Lynn)T12. Michigan — 22008: Jake Long,
Lapeer East (Lapeer)2013: Eric Fisher,
Stoney Creek (Rochester Hills)
T12. Oregon — 21955: George Shaw,
Grant (Portland)1963: Terry Baker,
Jefferson (Portland)
T12. South Carolina — 22000: Courtney Brown, Macedonia (Alvin)
2014: Jadeveon Clowney,
South Pointe (Rock Hill)T12. Tennessee — 21952: Bill Wade,
Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville)1974: Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Merry (Jackson)
T12. Washington — 21992: Steve Emtman,
Cheney1993: Drew Bledsoe,
Walla WallaT20. Colorado — 11956: Gary Glick, Cache la Poudre (Fort Collins)
T20. District of Columbia — 1
