Twenty-three former Georgia high school players went in this year’s NFL draft. That was the third most among states and more than Georgia’s 21.3 average for the past 10 years.
Georgia finished second among states if counting homegrown players. Three of Florida’s 26 players came from elsewhere to finish their careers at boarding school IMG Academy. One of those was former Savannah Christian and Georgia defensive lineman Warren Brinson, the Packers’ sixth-round pick.
Georgia players selected in the first round were Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter, Hardaway’s Mykel Williams and Jefferson’s Malaki Starks, all former AJC Super 11 players.
The three first-round picks are the most for Georgia since four were taken in 2022. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado, was Georgia’s highest player selected, at No. 2 overall to the Jaguars, since Upson-Lee’s Travon Walker went No. 1 in 2022.
Three other former AJC Super 11 players were drafted. They were Darlington’s Tate Ratledge in the second round to the Lions, North Gwinnett’s Barrett Carter in the fourth round to the Bengals and Paulding County’s Smael Mondon in the fifth round to the Eagles.
Hillgrove’s Jalen Royals, Cedartown’s Zah Frazier, Parkview’s Julian Ashby and North Hall’s Dan Jackson were hardly recruited at all out of high school. Jackson, a safety, was a walk on player at Georgia. Each was taken in the final four rounds.
Jackson is one of four draftees who were the first players from their high schools to go in an NFL draft. The others are Demetrius Knight Jr. of Strong Rock Christian, Dylan Fairchild of West Forsyth and Kyle Kennard of Riverwood.
Seven of Georgia’s 23 played high school football in Gwinnett County. They are Hunter, Ashby, former North Gwinnett teammates Carter and Jordan Hancock, Greater Atlanta Christian’s Myles Hinton, Grayson’s Phil Mafah and Dacula’s Konata Mumpfield. Gwinnett had nine in 2023, which was more than 42 states.
Georgia’s 23 this draft is similar to recent years (there also were 23 in 2023) but twice the rate from the 1990s, when the average was 11.6.
This year’s draft was held Thursday through Saturday in Green Bay, Wisc.
Former Georgia high school players in the draft with college, high school and NFL team:
Round 1
2. CB Travis Hunter / Colorado / Collins Hill / Jaguars
11. EDGE Mykel Williams / Georgia / Hardaway / 49ers
27. S Malaki Starks / Georgia / Jefferson / Ravens
Round 2
49. LB Demetrius Knight Jr. / South Carolina / Strong Rock Christian / Bengals
57. G Tate Ratledge / Georgia / Darlington / Lions
Round 3
81. G Dylan Fairchild / Georgia / West Forsyth / Bengals
Round 4
116. RB Woody Marks / USC / Carver-Atlanta / Texans
119. LB Barrett Carter / Clemson / North Gwinnett / Bengals
125. DE Kyle Kennard / South Carolina / Riverwood / Chargers
133. WR Jalen Royals / Utah State / Hillgrove / Chiefs
Round 5
146. EDGE Bradyn Swinson / LSU / Chapel Hill / Patriots
161. LB Smael Mondon Jr. / Georgia / Paulding County / Eagles
169. CB Zah Frazier / Texas-San Antonio / Cedartown / Bears
170. CB Jordan Hancock / Ohio State / North Gwinnett / Bills
172. LB Chris Paul Jr. / Mississippi / Crisp County / Rams
Round 6
191. OT Myles Hinton / Michigan / Greater Atlanta Christian / Eagles
198. DT Warren Brinson / Georgia / Savannah Christian / Packers
Round 7
230. S Dan Jackson / Georgia / North Hall / Panthers
237. DB Micah Robinson / Tulane / Westlake / Packers
238. WR Ricky White III / Nevada-Las Vegas / Marietta / Seahawks
239. RB Phil Mafah / Clemson / Grayson / Cowboys
242. WR Konata Mumpfield / Pittsburgh / Dacula / Rams
251. LS Julian Ashby / Vanderbilt / Parkview / Patriots
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