For the first time since 2019, Florida led the first round of the NFL Draft with the most former high schoolers selected. The talent-deep state had six players taken in the first round Thursday night in Kansas City, Missouri.
Georgia and Texas had the second most players taken with four each. Maryland had three former high school players taken, followed by California and Illinois with two players each.
The draft opened with two California high school quarterbacks going off the board first.
The Carolina Panthers selected Mater Dei High School’s (Santa Ana, California) Bryce Young No. 1 overall. The Houston Texans then selected Rancho Cucamonga alum CJ Stroud at No. 2.
The Texans followed up the Stroud selection by trading-up to take linebacker Will Anderson, Jr. of Dutchtown High School in Georgia at No. 3.
The first of six Florida players was taken at No. 4 when the Indianapolis Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson of Eastside High in Gainesville.
At No. 5, the Seattle Seahawks selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon of Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Florida. Witherspoon was a Zero-star college football prospect after only playing football during his junior season.
The Buffalo Bills also selected a Zero-star high school prospect at No. 25. The Bills took tight end Dalton Kincaid of Faith Lutheran High School. Kincaid, who was a very good basketball player, only played one year of high school football at the Nevada school.
Overall, the first round saw twelve 5-star recruits picked. Teams selected eight 4-star recruits and nine 3-star recruits.
Florida led the way in the 1st Round of the #NFLDraft with 6 former high schoolers taken. Georgia & Texas had four each.
— High School Football America (@HSFBamerica) April 28, 2023
In all 15 states, plus the District of Columbia were represented.
Click on link -> https://t.co/pkiIo4pCWD to see where all 31 picks played their high school… pic.twitter.com/4cLrdvGRXR
