The 2024 high school football season continues to get underway across the country this weekend.
With Friday nights grabbing the spotlight in late August, On3 is taking a look at the high school juggernauts around the nation that have produced the most talent on the football field.
On3 created an algorithm that factors in recent players drafted from 2017-2024 and number of blue-chip recruits produced from the 2022-2026 cycles, some usual suspects stand out as talent and development hubs at the high school level.
Las Vegas Bishop Gorman has continued to establish itself as an elite programs as it continues to blast through competition in Nevada while competing with the best around the country on a yearly basis. Sin City standouts are easy to find in the NFL and college, too.
Wide receiver Rome Odunze became Gorman’s second top-10 pick in the NFL Draft this year, going No. 9 overall to the Chicago Bears after helping lead Washington to a College Football Playoff National Championship appearance.
The past two drafts have seen six former Gaels hear their name called. In addition to Odunze, his Washington teammate and linebacker Edefuan Olofoshio was also selected in the 2024 draft, as was safety Jaden Hicks . The 2023 draft saw the Cleveland Browns select WR Cedric Tillman and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson , while cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly was taken by the Ravens.
Other recent draft selections out of Gorman include tight end Brevin Jordan , WR Jalen Nailor and TE Alize Mack . College football currently features multiple blue-chip alumni, headlined by USC star wide receiver Zachariah Branch .
The current Bishop Gorman roster is loaded, too. Five top-100 prospects across the 2025 and 2026 cycles are current Gaels, including LSU WR commit Derek Meadows , Tennessee IOL commit Douglas Utu and Miami IOL commit SJ Alofaituli .
Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas may not get the recognition it deserves nationwide like some other Florida programs, but the Raiders can go toe-to-toe with anyone when it comes to producing talent on the football field.
A whopping 36 alumnus have been selected in the NFL Draft, including the No. 17 pick in the 2024 draft, EDGE Dallas Turner out of Alabama. EDGE Joey Bosa was the No. 3 selection out of Ohio State in 2016 and was soon followed by EDGE Nick Bosa , who went No. 2 overall in 2019. Cornerback Damon Arnette also went in the first round in 2020. Other recent picks include CB Asante Samuel Jr. , linebacker Nik Bonitto , WR Josh Palmer and safety Jordan Battle .
College football is scattered with former Raiders. LSU tight end Mason Taylor and Michigan LB Jayden Hood are among the notables, while Aquinas’ current roster is headlined by junior four-star safety Justice Fitzpatrick , a top-50 recruit in the 2026 class.
Over the past decade-plus, Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage has become a breeding ground for some of Florida’s most-wanted high school football recruits.
The Patriots continue to battle with the nation’s best and are now seeing more and more players make the jump to the NFL. Three first-round picks have come from the program right outside Fort Lauderdale since 2018. CB Patrick Surtain II was the No. 9 overall pick in 2021 by the Denver Broncos. EDGE Brian Burns went No. 16 overall to the Carolina Panthers in 2019, one year after RB Sony Michel became the school’s first-ever first-rounder by going No. 31 overall to the New England Patriots.
Other recent draftees include cornerback Tyson Campbell — who went No. 32 overall in 2021 – as well as WR Anthony Schwartz , corner Marco Wilson and defensive lineman Tedarrell Slaton . A number of blue-chippers are currently excelling in the college ranks, too, including the likes of Florida State EDGE Marvin Jones Jr. , Ohio State WR Brandon Inniss and FSU corner Earl Little Jr.
The best could be yet to come for Heritage, however. The Patriots’ 2024 roster is stacked and includes Texas junior QB commit Dia Bell , the No. 17 prospect in the 2026 class. Senior RB Byron Louis , FSU safety commit Gregory Thomas and junior wideout Brandon Bennett also highlight the future coming out of Plantation.
No school is able to pull top talent from around the country onto one roster like Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. Dozens of five-stars and other top recruits have made their way through Bradenton over the years.
The Ascenders have seen six first-round picks since 2020: OT JC Latham , OT Evan Neal , QB J.J. McCarthy , IOL Cesar Ruiz , CB Greg Newsome and LB Nolan Smith . Latham, Neal and McCarthy all went in the top 10, with McCarthy being the latest to do so, going No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year.
Newsome is one the many recent IMG defensive backs to go pro. Safety Grant Delpit , CB DJ Turner II and safety Andre Cisco were each taken in the first three rounds across the past few years. McCarthy is the second former IMG QB to land with the Vikings, following Kellon Mond , who was drafted in 2021.
Multiple five-stars from the 2024 class are now in college and have high expectations. Georgia CB Ellis Robinson IV and Oklahoma DL David Stone were both top-10 prospects last cycle, while Colorado OT Jordan Seaton was a top-20 recruit. The Ascenders roster this fall features more prospects than any other program in the country.
Across the 2025 and 2026 classes, 17 blue-chip prospects — per the On3 Industry Ranking — are in the mix. Alabama IOL commit Michael Carroll , linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Missouri WR commit Donovan Olugbode are all top-100 recruits.
Olney (Md.) Good Counsel may not reside in one of the nation’s most known football states, but Maryland continues to churn out top talent.
EDGE Josh Paschal became the highest-drafted former Falcon in 2022 when he was chosen No. 46 overall by the Detroit Lions. Back in 2018, linebacker Dorian O’Daniel was taken No. 100 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. In this year’s draft, cornerback Cam Hart was taken in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Chargers.
The recent crop of Good Counsel graduates feature some of the highest-ranked prospects in recent memory. Florida LB Aaron Chiles , Wisconsin RB Dilin Jones , Clemson EDGE Darien Mayo and Florida State WR Elijah Moore were all top-200 recruits in the 2024 class. Another elite talent is on the way next season in Ohio State safety commit Faheem Delane , the No. 3 safety in the senior cycle.
Not be outdone in Maryland, Baltimore St. Frances Academy has continued to rise in the national spotlight, scheduling games against top programs around the nation while building impressive rosters to boot.
The last two drafts have seen three former Panthers come off the board. Offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan was a top-200 selection in the 2023 draft by the Tennessee Titans. This year, former five-star linebacker Chris Braswell was a second-round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Michigan star running back Blake Corum went in the third round to the Los Angeles Rams.
Michigan EDGE Derrick Moore could be one of the next to join that list of draftees. LSU EDGE Dashawn Womack , Oregon CB Ify Obidegwu , Michigan LB Jaishawn Barham and Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren are among those also currently in college. Two elite junior prospects are currently on the St. Frances roster in five-star EDGE Zion Elee and four-star safety Jireh Edwards .
One of the most recognizable programs in high school football, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco continues to produce top talent in the Golden State.
Quarterback Josh Rosen was selected No. 10 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2018 draft. Current Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei could be the next former Brave under center to hear his name called. The 2022 draft saw the Chiefs select cornerback Trent McDuffie with the No. 21 pick. In 2021, former five-star offensive lineman Wyatt Davis was taken in the third round.
Plenty of top blue-chippers have come by way of Bellflower, including Notre Dame LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and USC CB Marcelles Williams , both of whom graduated last year. Oregon DL Matayo Uiagalelei , Georgia OL Earnest Greene and Notre Dame WR Beaux Collins will all be impact players this fall. The current Bosco roster features two junior four-stars in WR Daniel Odom and ATH Madden Williams .
The No. 1 team in the nation entering the 2024 season, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei is synonymous with high school football. Numerous elite quarterbacks highlight the Monarchs’ stacked alumni list.
Now Rice QB JT Daniels graduated from Mater Dei in 2018 as a five-star recruit. Bryce Young was also a five-star and was drafted No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers in 2023. Detroit Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was drafted in 2021.
Tennessee WR Bru McCoy and Arizona State WR Releek Brown highlight some of the other top pass-catchers to come out of Santa Ana. Alabama CB Domani Jackson was the No. 5 prospect overall in the 2022 class. The 2024 class witnessed multiple blue-chippers sign with top programs, including Alabama CB Zabien Brown , Texas OT Brandon Baker and Georgia RB Nate Frazier .
Mater Dei’s 2024 roster is loaded. Ohio State junior WR commit Chris Henry Jr. is the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 cycle. Ten four-stars are also on the team, including Alabama CB commit Chuck McDonald and a trio of Oregon commits in OT Kodi Greene , RB Jordon Davison and LB Nasir Wyatt .
You’ll find talent anywhere you go in the state of Texas, but Houston North Shore has proven to be one of the Lone Star hubs on the gridiron.
EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson became the Mustangs’ first first-round NFL draft pick in 2020 when he was selected No. 20 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The most recent North Shore draft pick came in 2023, as former five-star RB Zach Evans was taken by the Rams.
Plenty of other former Mustangs have gone on to high-profile college programs, including Alabama OL Jaeden Roberts and Texas DL Kristopher Ross . Now UTSA CB Denver Harris was a five-star prospect in the 2022 cycle.
Current senior CB and Ohio State pledge Devin Sanchez is on pace to become the highest-ranked prospect to ever come out of North Shore, as he’s currently the No. 5 prospect in the 2025 cycle. The North Shore roster this fall also features LSU LB commit Charles Ross and Colorado WR commit Quanell Farrakhan Jr .
Utah high school football runs through Draper, as Corner Canyon continues to cement its status as not only the Beehive State’s top dog, but also an elite program nationally.
Quarterback Zach Wilson made history for the Chargers by going No. 2 overall to the New York Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft. This year, OL Jackson Powers-Johnson went No. 44 overall in the second round.
Since Wilson left high school, three blue-chip QBs have taken snaps under center: Ole Miss star Jaxson Dart , Ohio State’s Devin Brown and Utah freshman Isaac Wilson , the younger brother of Zach. Other former Chargers currently playing college football in their home state include Utah EDGE Van Fillinger , BYU linebacker Harrison Taggart , Utah OL Isaiah Garcia and BYU WR Cody Hagen .
Current junior QB Helaman Casuga is also a four-star recruit, while senior WR Jerome Myles is a top-50 prospect and top-10 wideout in the 2025 class.
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