Former Georgia High School Players Lead the Way in 2021 NFL Draft

Georgia high school football led the way in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland.

Six former Georgia high school players were picked in the first round, led by the Jacksonville Jaguars' overall No. 1 pick, Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, who attended Cartersville High, was the No. 1 rated high school football quarterback in the Class of 2018.

Florida had five former high school players chosen, followed by California, Louisiana and Texas with three each. Pennsylvania and Utah each produced two first rounders. Alabama, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Washington each had one former high school player selected on Thursday night.

Two children of former NFL players heard their names called in the first round. At No. 8, the Carolina Panthers chose cornerback Jaycee Horn, whose father, Joe, was an NFL wide receiver. Jaycee prepped at Alpharetta High School in Georgia.

The Denver Broncos took cornerback Patrick Surtain II with the No. 9 pick. His father, Patrick Surtain Sr., played in the NFL for 11 years with the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. The younger Surtain played high school football under his dad at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. This past season, Surtain, Sr. was named High School Football America’s National Coach of the Year after leading the school to Florida 5A championship.

2021 NFL Draft - First Round Picks

No. 1 Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB – Cartersville (Georgia)

No. 2 New York Jets – Zach Wilson, QB – Corner Canyon (Utah)

No. 3 San Francisco 49ers – Trey Lance, QB – Marshall (Minnesota)

No. 4 Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Pitts, TE – Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania)

No. 5 Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase, WR – Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana)

No. 6 Miami Dolphins – Jaylen Waddle, WR – Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas)

No. 7 Detroit Lions – Penei Sewell, OT – Desert Hills (Utah)

No. 8 Carolina Panthers – Jaycee Horn, CB – Alpharetta (Georgia)

No. 9 Denver Broncos – Patrick Surtain II, CB – American Heritage (Plantation, Florida)

No. 10 Philadelphia Eagles – DeVonta Smith, WR – Amite (Louisiana)

No. 11 Chicago Bears – Justin Fields, QB – Harrison (Georgia)

No. 12 Dallas Cowboys – Micah Parsons, LB – Harrisburg (Pennsylvania)

No. 13 Los Angeles Chargers – Rashawn Slater, OT – Clements (Sugar Land, Texas)

No. 14 New York Jets – Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG – Bishop O’Dowd (California)

No. 15 New England Patriots – Mac Jones, QB – The Bolles School (Florida)

No. 16 Arizona Cardinals – Zaven Collins, LB – Hominy (Oklahoma)

No. 17 Las Vegas Raiders – Alex Leatherwood, OT – Booker T. Washington (Pensacola, Florida)

No. 18 Miami Dolphins – Jaelan Phillips, DE – Redlands East Valley (California)

No. 19 Washington Football Team – Jamin Davis, LB – Long County (Georgia)

No. 20 New York Giants – Kadarius Toney, WR – Blount (Alabama)

No. 21 Indianapolis Colts – Kwity Paye, DE – Bishop Hendricken (Rhode Island)

No. 22 Tennessee Titans – Caleb Farley, CB – Maiden (North Carolina)

No. 23 Minnesota Vikings – Christian Darrisaw, OT – Riverdale Baptist (Maryland)

No. 24 Pittsburgh Steelers – Najee Harris, RB – Antioch (California)

No. 25 Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Etienne, RB – Jennings (Louisiana)

No. 26 Cleveland Browns – Greg Newsome II, CB – IMG Academy (Florida)

No. 27 Baltimore Ravens – Rashod Bateman, WR – Tift County (Georgia)

No. 28 New Orleans Saints – Payton Turner, DE – Westside (Houston, Texas)

No. 29 Green Bay Packers – Eric Stokes, CB – Eastside (Covington, Georgia)

No. 30 Buffalo Bills – Gregory Rousseau, DE – Champagnat Catholic (Florida)

No. 31 Baltimore Ravens – Jayson Oweh, LB – Blair Academy (New Jersey)

No. 32 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Joe Tryon, LB – Hazen (Washington)

Photo: AP/Logan Bowles