They say things are bigger in Texas—especially football. It’s always a neck-and-neck race as to which state will produce the most football players during the three-day draft, but this year Texas took the cake with a whopping 32 draftees.
Debates rage every year predicting which state will shell out the most football talent. The states to watch are usually Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia. In 2015, Florida finished the draft with 37 prospects selected. Texas and California tied with 27 draftees apiece, and Georgia ended with 30. This year, things were a bit hard to call, considering every state had their moment. But a lot of eyes were on Texas, after all; Texas is home to the perennial powerhouses of Katy, Lake Travis, and Allen High Schools.
While Texas won big overall, Florida still brought the heat with 30 draftees. The Sunshine State still had the most first round draft picks, with seven compared to Texas’ four. Florida also had the most draft picks through the first three rounds with 15 compared to Texas’ 10. California proved to be consistent this year. The state wasn’t far behind with 25 prospects, only one less than last year. And then there’s Georgia, who took the biggest dip of the year. The state cut their number of prospects in half compared to last year, only having 15 draftees. The results were a bit of a surprise considering the way Georgia continues to be minded by college programs nationally.
Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia may always be the ones to watch, but they may need to watch their backs. The Midwest seems to be making a come-up every year. Ohio came in right behind Georgia with 14 prospects, and Illinois came in the fifth spot with 10 draftees. Now, that may not seem like a lot, but fifth out of fifty isn’t bad, and those Midwestern states get more and more attention every year. Maybe things will change in next year’s draft. If Georgia doesn’t get it together, they may lose that fourth spot to a state in the Midwest. Florida has a great chance of getting their number-one spot back, but Texas seems unlikely to give it up without a fight. California’s consistency may win them the top spot if the other states remain inconsistent. Only time will how tell things will end, but this season is sure to be nothing short of interesting with all things considered.
ITG Web Content 2016
NFL Draft
Where the Big Boys Play By Njeri Mathis
