A trio of states in the SEC footprint led the way in producing 2023 NFL Draft picks. The NFL recently looked at where the 259 draft picks went to high school and shared the numbers on Friday.

The top 3 states by high school alma mater for the 2023 NFL Draft were Florida (36 players drafted), Texas (30) and Georgia (23). California in recent years has been one of the top 3 schools. While the top 2 selections in 2023, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, are from California, the state finished behind Georgia with 21 total picks.

via NFL Communications

via NFL Communications

Florida, Texas and Georgia were also the top 3 states for first-round picks. Florida schools produced 6 first-round picks, followed by 4 each from Georgia and Texas.

The IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida plays a big part in the Sunshine State’s numbers. A transfer destination for top high school talent nationally, IMG is the only school to have multiple players drafted in each of the past 5 years and have produced a first-round selection for the fourth-consecutive draft. Former Georgia standouts Nolan Smith and Evan Neal have kept that streak going the last 2 years.

For Texas, the 2023 NFL Draft marks the fourth-consecutive year that the state has produced at least 30 drafted players (30 in 2023, 32 in 2022, 33 in 2021 and 33 in 2020).

Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana were 3 of the top states in 2023 draftees per capita.

via NFL Communications

via NFL Communications