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NFL Draft takeaways
AP sports writer Corey Long breaks down what's ahead with the new 2024 NFL draft class. More than 250 players had their dreams become a reality over the draft weekend.
Sure, we all know where the top NFL draft picks went to college, but where did they go to high school? Chances are, they went to a school somewhere in Florida.
The Sunshine State took the top spot for high schools attended by players chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft, thanks in part to IMG Academy, an athletics prep school in Bradenton on the state’s Gulf Coast that saw three of its players drafted, tied for the most out of any school nationwide.
With 30 local players drafted, Florida produced the most players this year, as it has in five of the past seven NFL drafts.
Florida also led all states with six first-round selections, including top-10 choices JC Latham (IMG Academy), Michael Penix (Tampa Bay Tech), and J.J. McCarthy (IMG Academy).
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Florida's IMG Academy has a new owner
The powerhouse sports school’s now former owner, Endeavor Group Holdings, sold the school to Hong Kong-based BPEA Equity in an all-cash deal for $1.25 billion in 2023. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports.
But it wasn’t all Floridians up on stage with the commissioner. Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas also had three players taken, and 21 schools around the country had two players drafted, including Gonzaga in the District of Columbia, where overall top pick Caleb Williams played ball.
In all, a total of 232 high schools from 29 states and DC contributed to the 257 players selected in the seven rounds of last month’s draft.
Map: 2024 NFL draftees by high school
List: High schools with multiple players drafted
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.): 3
- Rome Odunze (Chicago/1)
- Jaden Hicks (Kansas City/4)
- Edefuan Ulofoshio (Buffalo/5)
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.): 3
- JC Latham (Tennessee/1)
- J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota/1)
- Xavier Thomas (Arizona/5)
Avon (Ind.): 2
- Blake Fisher (Houston/2)
- Isaac Guerendo (San Francisco/4)
Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.): 2
- Ray Davis (Buffalo/4)
- Sanoussi Kane (Baltimore/7)
Calabasas (Calif.): 2
- Jermaine Burton (Cincinnati/3)
- Johnny Wilson (Philadelphia/6)
Deerfield Beach (Fla.): 2
- Brandon Dorlus (Atlanta/4)
- Michael Pratt (Green Bay/7)
Denton (Texas): 2
- Brandon Coleman (Washington/3)
- Ja’Tavion Sanders (Carolina/4)
Godby (Tallahassee, Fla.): 2
- Javon Solomon (Buffalo/5)
- Jaylen Key (New York Jets/7)
Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.): 2
- Caleb Williams (Chicago/1)
- Olu Fashanu (New York Jets/1)
Good Counsel (Olney, Md.): 2
- Kris Jenkins (Cincinnati/2)
- Cam Hart (Los Angeles Chargers/5)
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.): 2
- Jawhar Jordan (Houston/6)
- Brenden Rice (Los Angeles Chargers/7)
Lone Star (Frisco, Texas): 2
- Jaylan Ford (New Orleans/5)
- Trey Taylor (Las Vegas/7)
Pinson Valley (Pinson, Ala.): 2
- Bo Nix (Denver/1)
- Kool-Aid McKinstry (New Orleans/2)
Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tenn.): 2
- Graham Barton (Tampa Bay/1)
- Junior Colson (Los Angeles Chargers/3)
River Rouge (Mich.): 2
- Ruke Orhorhoro (Atlanta/2)
- Kamal Hadden (Kansas City/6)
Saint Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.): 2
- Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona/1)
- Jeremiah Trotter (Philadelphia/5)
Saint Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.): 2
- Dallas Turner (Minnesota/1)
- Jaden Davis (Arizona/7)
Spanish Fort (Ala.): 2
- Kris Abrams-Draine (Denver/5)
- D.J. James (Seattle/6)
St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.): 2
- Chris Braswell (Tampa Bay/2)
- Blake Corum (Los Angeles Rams/3)
Timber Creek (Sicklerville, N.J.): 2
- Tarheeb Still (Los Angeles Chargers/5)
- Devin Leary (Baltimore/6)
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.): 2
- Roger Rosengarten (Baltimore/2)
- Luke McCaffrey (Washington/3)
Weddington (Matthews, N.C.): 2
- Malik Mustapha (San Francisco/4)
- Will Shipley (Philadelphia/4)
Wekiva (Apopka, Fla.): 2
- Renardo Green (San Francisco/2)
- Tyler Davis (Los Angeles Rams/6)
Source: NFL data
This story was reported from Tampa, Fla.