How Gators Factor Into Number of Draft Picks by State of Recruitment

GAINESVILLE, Fla.- A total of 32 Florida Gators have been drafted in the last six years, with at least one first-rounder in each draft up until 2025.

This includes the likes of Kaiir Elam, Anthony Richardson and Ricky Pearsall. Pearsall was the only Gator drafted in the 2024 draft.

Mock drafts this year didn’t favor the Gators on Day One, and that was reflected in the actual draft.

Similarly to how drafted players travel across the nation to their respective professional teams, the Gators have been able to reel talent from across Florida’s state borders and beyond.

In fact, out of Florida’s 33 commitments in 2025, only 12 of them are from an in-state high school.

On that note, On3 created a chart that shows the number of NFL players drafted in the last five years leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, and what state they played high school football in.

The Sunshine State trails only Texas, which leads the pack with 154 drafts. However, the state is tied with Georgia for the number of five-star recruits drafted.

How do the Gators fare in this realm? The aforementioned 32 Gators may not amass much of the spotlight as far as numbers are concerned, but the diversity of the players’ hometowns might surprise you. Twenty-nine of them come from the top states.

Here is the list of those 29 Gators that came from those top states over the last six years.

Arizona

(WR) Ricky Pearsall - A beloved figure, Ricky Pearsall was rated a three-star recruit out of high school, staying local to play for Arizona State. He then transferred to Florida after three years and immediately impressed, finishing his fifth year just shy of 1,000 receiving yards. The San Francisco 49ers drafted Pearsall with their first-round pick in 2024. His first season in San Francisco was shrouded with adversity following a shooting just prior to their season opener against the New York Jets, but he rebounded, capping off the season with a record-breaking 141-yard reception performance against the Detroit Lions. Corona Del Sol High School (Tempe, Ariz.)

Alabama

(RB) La’Mical Perine- Showing flashes of brilliance in his four seasons in Gainesville, Perine bowed out of college football following an MVP performance in the 2019 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia. He was selected 120th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He was last playing for the Steelers practice squad before his release. Theodore High School (Theodore, Ala.)

(WR) Kadarius Toney- Perhaps one of the biggest what-ifs in recent memory. Karadius Toney lit up the Swamp on just about every big occasion. He was a menace to defend, a route-running genie, and a human joystick all packed up into one explosive package. The current free agent has dropped hints on his social media that his time on the gridiron is done. Let’s hope that’s not the case. Mattie Thomas Blount High School (Eight Mile, Ala.)

(K) Evan McPherson- Money Mac McPherson has implemented himself as one of the coldest kickers in the league, notably kicking the game-winning field goal against the Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship game, sending the Bengals to the Super Bowl. He was 51 of 60 all-time for the Gators and the Bengals knew they had to snatch him up with the 149th pick in 2021.Fort Payne High School (Fort Payne, Ala.)
(LB) Shemar James - One of Billy Napier’s first commits, James truly came into his own during the 2024 season. The Dallas Cowboys took him in the fifth round of the 2025 draft. Faith Academy (Mobile, Ala.)

(CB) Trikweze Bridges - Bridges came to Florida for his final year of college football after four years with the Oregon Ducks. He was taken by the Los Angeles Chargers with the second-to-last pick of the 2025 Draft. Lanett (Lanett, Ala.)

Florida

(C) C.J. Henderson - The second-team All-American cornerback was drafted 9th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He became a journeyman of sorts after just two seasons with the Jags, and now finds himself a free agent without a team. Christopher Columbus High School (Miami, Fla.)

(WR) Freddie Swain - Swain is a local boy, growing up just south of Gainesville in Ocala. He was drafted 214th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2020 NFL Draft. He bounced around six teams before his release from the Chicago Bears practice squad this past season. North Marion High School (Citra, Fla.)

(CB) Marco Wilson- Wilson is a polarizing topic of conversation around Gainesville these days. His notable shoe-throwing incident against LSU in 2020 left him as a bonafide scapegoat, as many believed his actions cost UF a shot at a national championship. His talents on the field were never in question and the Cardinals took notice, drafting him 136th overall in 2021.American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

(S) Shawn Davis - Davis was a highly-touted recruit out of high school and had a decent career with the Gators. He was drafted 165th overall in the 2021 draft by the Indianapolis Colts, lasting just one year before his trade, and subsequent release from Green Bay. Miami Southridge Senior High School (Miami)

(DT) Tedarrell Slaton - In four seasons with the Gators, Slaton managed to record 98 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 173rd overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed a two-year contract with the Bengals. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

(OT) Stone Forsythe - Forsythe lived up to his first name in the trenches for the Gators, appearing in 40 games with 28 starts for the Gators. His services were acquired by the New York Giants when he was selected with the 208th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. West Orange High School (Winter Garden, Fla.)

(CB) Kaiir Elam - Elam was ranked the fourth best high school football prospect of his class by ESPN ahead of his arrival in the swamp. He enjoyed a stellar career for the Gators before declaring for the draft in 2022, where he was swooped up by the Buffalo Bills in the first round. The Benjamin School (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)

(DT) Zachary Carter - Carter was a four-star recruit out of Tampa and was a leader on the Gators defensive line. He stayed all four years for the Gators before being drafted by the Giants 95th overall in 2022. Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Fla.)

(QB) Anthony Richardson - The athletic freak of nature that is Anthony Richardson is discussed in Gainesville with a hint of frustration. The genetically blessed quarterback grew up just outside of the swamp, and while he had brilliant moments, he was consistent in the passing game. Nonetheless, the Colts decided to take a chance on AR, drafting him 4th overall in 2023. Time will truly tell if it’ll pay off. Eastside High School (Gainesville, Fla.)

(DT) Gervon Dexter - Dexter was an impressive force on Florida’s line, racking up a total of 131 tackles. His talents were sought after by the Chicago Bears, who drafted him 53rd overall in 2023. Lake Wales High School (Lake Wales, Fla.)

(LB) Ventrell Miller - The six-year Gator servant was a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing Florida Gators' defense during his tenure. He was selected 121st overall by the Jaguars in 2023. Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.

(LB) Amari Burney - Four-year player Amari Burney mustered 224 total tackles during his Gator career. His services were sought after by the Las Vegas Raiders, who selected him 203rd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

(CB) Jason Marshall Jr. - One of the last recruits from the Dan Mullen era, Marshall earned himself a fifth-round selection from his hometown NFL team, the Miami Dolphins. Miami Palmetto (Pinecrest, Fla.)

Georgia

(DE) Jabari Zuniga - A powerhouse when healthy, Zuniga spent five years on the Gators roster before being drafted by the New York Jets in 2020. He retired from football following the 2023 season. Sprayberry High School (Marietta, Ga.)

(LB) Jonathan Greenard - Greenard spent a bevy of his collegiate career in Louisville before transferring to Florida for his senior season, where he enjoyed a stellar season, finishing with 52 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss. He was drafted 90th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and now finds himself coming off of a Pro Bowl season with the Vikings.Hiram High School (Hiram, Ga,)

(RB) Dameon Pierce- An absolute boulder of a human, Dameon Pierce was a four-star recruit out of Georgia and ran with a purpose on almost every snap. His iconic helmet-less run against FSU is pinned up as a symbol of resilience and grit, and the Texans took notice, drafting him with the 107th overall pick in 2022. Bainbridge High School (Bainbridge, Ga.)

Louisiana

(G) O’Cyrus Torrence - Originally a part of Louisiana-Lafayette, Torrence made his move over to north central Florida alongside Billy Napier. The three-star recruit made a name for himself in the swamp, attracting the attention of the Buffalo Bills, who selected him 59th overall in 2023. St. Helena Central (Greensburg, La.)

(DT) Cam Jackson - The defensive tackle started his career at Memphis before transferring over the Florida for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The Carolina Panthers took him in the fifth round of the 2025 Draft. Haynesville (Haynesville, La.)

New Jersey

(TE) Justin Shorter - The 6-foot-4 Justin Shorter was another supernatural athletic presence. He transferred south to the Gators following a two-year spell with Penn State, where he impressed the Las Vegas Raiders, who drafted him 150th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. South Brunswick High School (South Brunswick, N.J.)

Pennsylvania

(TE) Kyle Pitts - The promised second coming of Tony Gonzalez to the whole lot of Falcons supporters. Superstar Kyle Pitts was the first rookie TE to win a ticket to the Pro Bowl in two decades after being drafted 4th overall in 2021. Let’s hope he can get some help in the quarterbacking department in 2025. Archbishop Wood Catholic High School (Warminster, Pa.)

Tennessee

(WR) Van Jefferson - Jefferson transferred to the Swamp following Ole Miss’ sanction by the NCAA following the 2017 season. He enjoyed a successful couple of years for the orange and blue and was drafted 57th overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. Ravenwood High School (Brentwood, Tenn.)

Texas

(WR) Tyrie Cleveland - Cleveland is perhaps best known for his iconic 98-year touchdown reception in 2016 which clinched the SEC East for the Gators. The wide receiver found himself in Denver after being drafted with the 252nd pick in 2020. He was released by the Colts this past season. Westfield High School (Houston)

(QB) Kyle Trask- Trask was a trustworthy servant during his time under center with the Gators. The man jumped into action following a brutal injury to Feleipe Franks against Kentucky in 2019 and never looked back. He broke Danny Wuerffel’s single-season passing touchdown record with 43 touchdowns in a YEAR before he was selected 64th overall in 2021 by Tampa Bay. Manvel High School (Manvel, Texas)