Where top picks in 2020 NFL Draft played high school football

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The 2020 NFL Draft will be like none other. Instead of being in Las Vegas for its annual made-for-TV event, NFL team officials will be in their homes conducting a “virtual” draft due to the coronavirus.

However, nothing has changed for High School Football America. For the sixth straight year, we will be celebrating the NFL Draft with a round-by-round look at where the players went to high school. We will also keep tabs on which state sends the most players into the pro ranks.

Since 2015, the State of Florida has led the way in former high schoolers being picked. The Sunshine State led the way in the last two drafts with 34 former players taken in last year’s seven rounds and 35 players taken in 2018.

Top States for High School Taken in NFL Drafts since 2015

Florida – 2019 (35 players), 2018 (34), 2015 (39)

Texas – 2016 (32 players)

Georgia – 2017 (29 players)

To get you ready for Thursday’s first round, which will still be aired on ESPN, we’ll use Peter King’s Mock 1st Round.

Where Peter King’s Mock Draft 1st Round played High School Football

No. 1 Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB – Athens (Ohio)

No. 2 Washington Redskins – Chase Young, DE – DeMatha (Maryland)

No. 3 Miami Dolphins (trade with Detroit Lions) – Justin Herbert, QB – Sheldon (Oregon)

No. 4 New York Giants – Tristan Wirfs, OT – Mount Vernon (Iowa)

No. 5 Detroit Lions (trade with Miami Dolphins) – Jeff Okudah, CB – South Grand Prairie (Texas)

No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers – Andrew Thomas, OT – Pace Academy (Georgia)

No. 7 Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown, DT – Lanier (Georgia)

No. 8 Arizona Cardinals – Isaiah Simmons, CB – Olathe North (Kansas)

No. 9 Jacksonville Jaguars – C.J. Henderson, CB – Miami Columbus (Florida)

No. 10 Cleveland Browns – Jedrick Wills, OT – Lafayette (Kentucky)

No. 11 New York Jets – Mekhi Becton, OT – Highland Springs (Virginia)

No. 12 Las Vegas Raiders – CeeDee Lamb, WR – Foster (Texas)

No. 13 New England Patriots (trade with San Francisco 49ers) – Tua Tagovailoa, QB – Saint Louis (Hawaii)

No. 14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Javon Kinlaw, DT – Goose Creek (South Carolina)

No. 15 Denver Broncos – Jerry Jeudy, WR – Deerfield Beach (Florida)

No. 16 Atlanta Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge rusher – North Shore (Texas)

No. 17 Dallas Cowboys – Xavier McKinney, S – Roswell (Georgia)

No. 18 Miami Dolphins – A.J. Epenesa, Edge rusher – Edwardsville (Illinois)

No. 19 Las Vegas Raiders – Kristian Fulton, CB – Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana)

No. 20 Jacksonville Jaguars – Justin Jefferson, WR – Destrehan (Louisiana)

No. 21 Philadelphia Eagles – Henry Ruggs III, WR – Robert E. Lee (Montgomery, Alabama)

No. 22 Minnesota Vikings – Trevon Diggs, CB – Avalon (Maryland)

No. 23 San Francisco 49ers (trade with New England Patriots) – Josh Jones, OT – George Bush (Texas)

No. 24 New Orleans Saints – A.J. Terrell, CB – Westlake (Georgia)

No. 25 Minnesota Vikings – Tee Higgins, WR – Oak Ridge (Tennessee)

No. 26 Miami Dolphins – Austin Jackson, OT – North Canyon (Arizona)

No. 27 Seattle Seahawks – Yetur Gross-Matos, DE – Chancellor (Virginia)

No. 28 Baltimore Ravens – Kenneth Murray, LB – Fort Bend Elkins (Texas)

No. 29 Tennessee Titans – Isaiah Wilson, OT – Poly Prep (Brooklyn, New York)

No. 30 Green Bay Packers – Michael Pittman, Jr., WR – Oaks Christian (California)

No. 31 Dallas Cowboys (trade with San Francisco 49ers) – Cesar Ruiz, C – IMG Academy (Florida)

No. 32 Kansas City Chiefs – Jeff Gladney, CB – New Boston (Texas)

Make sure to follow us on Twitter Thursday to see the pick-by-pick action.

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About the Author

Jeff Fisher
Jeff is an award-winning journalist and expert in the field of high school sports, underscored with his appearance on CNBC in 2010 to talk about the big business of high school football in America.Jeff turned to his passion for high school football into an entrepreneurial venture called High School Football America, a digital media company focused on producing original high school sports content for radio, television and the internet.Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, a partner with NFL Play Football.