The Inside Zone

The Inside Zone

Slices of Tuna: Let’s hear it for the high schools

Which prep powerhouses fared the best in the draft? Plus, the Notre Dame hype train rolls on. And what can college football learn from the recent shakeup in the golf world?

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Matt Fortuna
May 01, 2026
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Photo: Getty

Happy Friday. Happy Justin Timberlake Meme Day.

Three thoughts to get you through another weekend without college football …

1. Developed (W)Here

We covered draft development thoroughly earlier this week, but here are a few more nuggets to chew on:

Nine different states had 10 or more of its high school players selected in last week’s NFL Draft. Some may surprise you. Some may not:

  • Texas: 33

  • Florida: 27 (includes 7 boarding state-based boarding school draftees)

  • Georgia: 22

  • California: 19

  • Ohio: 11

  • Virginia: 11

  • Alabama: 10

  • Illinois: 10

  • Maryland: 10

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IMG Academy led all prep schools with five total draft picks.

Keeping it to traditional four-year high schools, however, just three different high schools had three or more players drafted:

  • Saint Frances Academy (Baltimore): 4

  • Mater Dei (Chula Vista, Calif.): 3

  • Marist (Chicago): 3

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