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Texas and Florida high school alums dominated the 2025 NFL draft, but Georgia held its own with 22 picks. Former Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter led the pack at No. 2. He was joined in the first round by two other Georgia natives.
Despite coming behind Texas and Florida, Georgia had the best draft among all states in proportion to its population. Let's look at the five most notable selections in the 2025 NFL draft who came from Georgia high schools.
5. Tate Ratledge - Detroit Lions (Round 2, pick 57)
Tate Ratledge played football, basketball and competed in track and field at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia. A four-star prospect out of high school, he was the No. 63 prospect in the 2020 class, according to 247Sports.
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He went on to play for the Georgia Bulldogs, winning the national title twice and earning an all-American selection.
4. Demetrius Knight Jr. - Cincinnati Bengals (Round 2, pick 49)
Demetrius Knight Jr. was a three-star recruit out of high school. He played football for Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Georgia. The No. 73 quarterback in the 2019 class, per the On3 Industry Rankings, played college football at Georgia Tech.
In an eventful collegiate career, he spent four years with the Yellow Jackets before spending a season each at Charlotte and South Carolina.
3. Malaki Starks - Baltimore Ravens (Round 1, pick 27)
Another Georgia Bulldog picked in the draft was Malaki Starks, who was recruited out of Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Georgia. He was rated a five-star and was the No. 12 prospect in the 2022 class, per ESPN.
He earned his spot as a starter in Kirby Smart's lineup in his freshman season. He contributed to the Bulldogs' national championship run and was second in tackles on the team. He entered the draft following his junior season.
2. Mykel Williams - San Francisco 49ers (Round 1, pick 11)
Mykel Williams was a five-star prospect out of Hardaway High School in Columbus, Georgia. He was named the Maxwell Football National High School Defensive Player of the Year following his senior high school season. He was the No. 7 prospect in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports.
He was an important part of the 2022 national championship-winning team, with Smart singling him out for his work ethic.
1. Travis Hunter - Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 1, pick 2)
Before his Heisman Trophy fame, Travis Hunter was a five-star prospect from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia. He was the No. 1 prospect in his class, originally committing to play for the Florida State Seminoles.
However, in probably the most dramatic turn of events in modern college football recruitment, he flipped his commitment to Jackson State. Deion Sanders then took Hunter along with him to Colorado in 2022.
