Where Every No. 1 Pick in 2026 NFL Draft Played High School Football

For the third straight year, IMG Academy (Florida) has proven why it's considered a premier football destination, landing two former players in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The night started strong for the Ascenders when wide receiver Carnell Tate heard his name called fourth overall by the Tennessee Titans. The excitement continued when offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa was selected 10th by the New York Giants, capping off another impressive showing for the Florida powerhouse during Thursday night's festivities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This latest success brings IMG's total to 26 former players drafted over the past decade—a testament to the program's continued excellence in developing NFL-caliber talent.

Tate and Mauigoa were part of a strong Florida contingent that dominated the opening night. Five former Sunshine State high schoolers in total heard their names called during the first round, more than any other state as the draft unfolded in the Steel City.

The state-by-state breakdown tells the story of where elite talent is being developed. California followed Florida with four first-round picks, while Ohio contributed three players to the opening round. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Texas each saw two of their former high school stars selected, with Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington each contributing one player to the first-round festivities.

Below is a pick-by-pick look at where every first rounder played in high school.

Pick	Player, Team	Position	High School, State
1	Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders	QB	Miami Columbus, FL
2	David Bailey, New York Jets	EDGE	Mater Dei, CA
3	Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals	RB	CBC, MO
4	Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans	WR	IMG Academy, FL
5	Arvell Reese, New York Giants	LB	Glenville, OH
6	Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs	CB	Archbishop Splading, MD
7	Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders	LB	Pickerington Central, OH
8	Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints	WR	Allen, TX
9	Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns	OT	Timpview, UT
10	Francis Mauigoa, New York Giants	OT	IMG Academy, FL
11	Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys	S	Mill Creek, GA
12	Kadyn Proctor, Miami Dolphins	OT	Southeast Polk, IA
13	Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams	QB	Westview, TN
14	Olaivavega Ioane, Baltimore Ravens	OG	Graham-Kapowsin, WA
15	Rueben Bain Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers	EDGE	Miami Central, FL
16	Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets	TE	Skyline, ID
17	Blake Miller, Detroit Lions	OT	Strongsville, OH
18	Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings	DT	Southfield, MI
19	Monroe Freeling, Carolina Panthers	OT	Oceanside Collegiate, SC
20	Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles	WR	Los Alamitos, CA
21	Max Iheanachor, Pittsburgh Steelers	OT	DNP High School Football at King/Drew, CA
22	Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles Chargers	EDGE	Clearwater Academy International, FL
23	Malachi Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys	EDGE	Manual, KY
24	KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns	WR	Chambers, NC
25	Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears	S	Westfield, IN
26	Keylan Rutledge, Houston Texans	OG	Franklin County, GA
27	Chris Johnson, Miami Dolphins	CB	Roosevelt (Eastvale), CA
28	Caleb Lomu, New England Patriots	OT	Highland, AZ
29	Peter Woods, Kansas City Chiefs	DT	Thompson, AL
30	Omar Cooper Jr, New York Jets	WR	Lawrence North, IN
31	Keldric Faulk, Tennessee Titans	EDGE	Highland Home, AL
32	Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks	RB	Denison, TX

Where Every No. 1 Pick in 2026 NFL Draft Played High School Football

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