For the third time in four years, Florida had the most former high school football players selected in the NFL Draft. The Sunshine State had 37 players taken over seven rounds this year, while also grabbing the most in 2018 and 2019.
The Florida total was aided by record-breaking numbers from American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) and IMG Academy (Bradenton,
Fla.), both of which shattered the old mark of four players taken in one draft.
The Ascenders set the bar at seven selections while the Patriots finished with six.
Texas had 33 players selected, the same number as in 2020, which it led the draft for most picks.
Georgia (21), California (19), Louisiana (13) and
North Carolina (10) were the only other states that had at least 10
players selected.
In total, 37 states had at least one player selected along with one from the District of Columbia and two from Canada.
In addition to American Heritage and IMG Academy, there were 14 other schools that had multiple selections.
The three from St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) gives the Raiders 26 alumni being selected in the draft since 2001, the most by any high school during that span.
Allen (Texas), Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.), Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas), Lawrence Central (Indianapolis), Lincoln (Gahanna, Ohio), Northwestern (Miami), Parkway (Bossier City, La.), Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas), Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.), Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Westlake (Austin, Texas) all had two selections.
Arizona — 1
Arkansas — 1
California — 19
Alijah Vera-Tucker — Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland)
Thomas Graham Jr. — Rancho Cucamonga
Connecticut — 2
District of Columbia - 1
Florida - 37
Khalil Herbert — American Heritage (Plantation)
Anthony Schwartz — American Heritage (Plantation)
Tedarrel Slaton — American Heritage (Plantation)
Pat Surtain II — American Heritage (Plantation)
Marco Wilson — American Heritage (Plantation)
Thomas Fletcher — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Robert Hainsey — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Joshua Kaindoh — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Tre' McKitty — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Kellen Mond — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Greg Newsome II — IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Rachad Wildgoose — Northwestern (Miami)
Josh Palmer — St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)
Asante Samuel Jr. — St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)
Georgia — 21
Idaho — 1
Illinois — 3
Indiana — 6
Cameron McGrone — Lawrence Central (Indianapolis)
Iowa — 1
Kansas — 3
Louisiana — 13
Israel Mukuamu — Parkway (Bossier City)
Maryland — 6
Zech McPhearson — Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro)
Massachusetts — 5
Michigan — 8
Minnesota — 4
Mississippi — 4
Missouri — 4
Nevada — 3
New Jersey — 4
New York — 2
North Carolina — 10
Ohio — 9
Jonathon Cooper — Lincoln (Gahanna)
Oklahoma — 3
Oregon - 6
Pennsylvania — 8
Mark Webb — Archbishop Wood (Warminster)
Rhode Island — 1
South Carolina — 3
South Dakota — 1
Tennessee — 5
Texas — 33
William Sherman — Allen
Jaylen Waddle — Episcopal (Bellaire)
Grant Stuard — Oak Ridge (Conroe)
Kylen Granson — Westlake (Austin)
Utah — 7
Jay Tufele — Bingham (South Jordan)
Virginia — 6
Washington — 1
Wisconsin — 4
Canada - 2
Chuba Hubbard — Bev Facey (Alberta)
Benjamin St-Juste — Cegep du Vieux Montreal (Quebec)
Marco Wilson (1) was one of six NFL Draft picks from American Heritage.
File photo by Ivan Sebborn
