Daily Dive: Georgia high school football tallies 118 draft picks over past five years

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place April 24-26 at Lambeau Field and the state of Georgia will be on full display as many of its former prep stars get selected. Over the years, Georgia has been the top state in the nation when it comes to NFL draft picks per population. In fact, over the last five years, Georgia (118) trails only Texas (154) and Florida (141) in total draft picks and the Peach States population (~11 million) is half of Floridas (~22.6 million) and nearly one third of Texas (~30.5 million).

Florida finished with the most players selected in the NFL draft with 30 last year for the second-straight year. It was the fifth time over the last seven drafts that Florida has led the way and some of the notable selections were guys like Terrion Arnold, JC Latham, J.J. McCarthy, Quinyon Mitchell, Michael Penix Jr. and Dallas Turner. Texas had the second most selections with 24 and Georgia ended up with 23. For context, 23 picks in the 257-pick draft means that approximately 1 out of every 11 picks last year was a former Georgia high school football player. The 2024 draftees included stars like Javon Baker, Cole Bishop, Javon Bullard, Ladd McConkey, Amarius Mims, Trevin Wallace and Nate Wiggins.

Georgia has produced as many as 30 draft picks as recently as the 2022 draft. That year, Texas led with 32 total picks and Georgia was second with 30surpassing California (22) and Florida (21). More importantly, the 2022 draft also saw former Upson-Lee defensive end Trayvon Walker go No. 1 overall and four former Peach State Players go in the first round with Kyle Hamilton, Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt. In 2023, Georgia had five players drafted in the first roundmeaning one out of every six picks in the first round was a former Georgia high school football player.

This year, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (Collins Hill), Mykell Williams (Hardaway) and Malaki Starks (Jefferson) are expected to be first round selections that will headline the 2025 group of former Peach State stars.