240 High Schools Had Players Selected in the 2026 NFL Draft

With the 2026 NFL Draft now complete, this year’s class of rookies is set to begin the next stage of its football journey.

A total of 240 high schools were represented among the 257 players selected over the seven rounds of the April 23-25 draft.

“The Draft reflects the full journey of the game, from high school to college to the National Football League, and the values that define it: resilience, teamwork, character, leadership, and a commitment to academics,” said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL executive vice president of football operations. “It also speaks to the impact of high school coaches, who help shape and guide these young men at a critical stage. Each opportunity presented to these athletes allows them to pursue and realize their dream.”

IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, led all high schools with four players selected each. Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California, followed with three.

Eight schools had two players drafted:

• Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Maryland)
• Clearwater Academy International (Florida)
• Marist (Chicago, Illinois)
• McClymonds (Oakland, California)
• Pickerington Central (Ohio)
• St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia)
• Westlake (Austin, Texas)

A total of 39 states had at least one player selected. Texas led the nation with 33 players drafted, followed by Florida (26), Georgia (22), California (19) and Ohio (11).

Over the past nine NFL drafts, from 2018 through 2026, high schools in Florida (268 players) and Texas (266) have produced the most draft picks.

Florida also led all states with five first-round selections in 2026, including Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, and Carnell Tate, who went No. 4 overall.

IMG Academy remains the only school to have multiple players drafted in each of the past eight years. The program has also produced at least one first-round selection in seven consecutive drafts:

• 2026 — Francis Mauigoa, Carnell Tate
• 2025 — Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell
• 2024 — J.C. Latham, J.J. McCarthy
• 2023 — Nolan Smith
• 2022 — Evan Neal
• 2021 — Greg Newsome II
• 2020 — Cesar Ruiz

For just the third time since 1970, a high school had multiple top-10 selections in the same draft:

• IMG Academy in 2026 — Mauigoa and Tate
• IMG Academy in 2024 — Latham and McCarthy
• Servite in 2025 — Mason Graham and Tetairoa McMillan

For the 20th time in the past 21 seasons, at least one player who attended high school outside the United States was selected in the NFL Draft. That happened again in 2026 when the Philadelphia Eagles chose defensive tackle Uar Bernard, who is from Nigeria and came through the International Pathway Program, in the seventh round.

High schools with multiple players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft

States with the most NFL players drafted per capita in 2026

Based on 2020 U.S. Census data.

State breakdown by high school

Most players drafted by state

• Texas — 33
• Florida — 26
• Georgia — 22
• California — 19
• Ohio — 11
• Alabama — 10
• Illinois — 10
• Maryland — 10
• Missouri — 9
• Virginia — 9

Total selected: 257