From high school football to 2025 NFL Draft: The roots of this year’s top-rated prospects

From coast to coast, in big towns and small, and from football powerhouses to lower classification squads, the stars of the 2025 NFL Draft all started their journeys on high school gridirons

Dreams, which took shape on high school football fields, will come true during the 2025 NFL Draft to be held April 24-26 at Green Bay's legendary Lambeau Field. / Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL Draft is upon us.

As the league's next wave of roster hopefuls and future stars get set to hear their names called on draft day, we are taking a closer look at several of their journeys from high school football stars to the NFL.

In the days leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, High School On SI will be releasing a series of feature stories on some of the top prospects expected to hear their name called during the three-day draft April 24-26 at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Bookmark this page and return frequently as we provide links to our feature stories and other interesting draft-related content leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.

---

James Pearce rises from 4-star high school edge rusher to first-round NFL Draft pick

Pearce racked up 14.5 sacks and 14 more tackles for loss his senior season at Chambers High School (N.C.), adding nine pass breakups, forced three fumbles, two safeties and two interceptions. 

---

Shemar Stewart lives up to Florida high school projections, picked 17th overall

The Monsignor Pace of Miami product never rested on his vast natural skills, earning a spot in the middle of the first round in front of more than 200,000 fans at Lambeau Field in Green Bay

---

A former Georgia high school standout, Malaki Starks takes 5-star talent to Baltimore Ravens in NFL Draft

After experiencing homelessness in elementary and middle school, Starks was a top multi-sport athlete at Jefferson High School in Georgia. He was a 5-star prospect and state-champion long jumper before attending the University of Georgia. 

---

From Houston to Minneapolis, Donovan Jackson has been a star since Texas high school football

Jackson was also a star in track and field, and he was a member of the band. He threw the discus an Episcopal record 177-1, and he also had a throw in the shot put of 54 feet, six inches.  

---

From a small Michigan high school to the NFL Draft, Derrick Harmon is now a Pittsburgh Steeler

Harmon was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and he attended Loyola High School, a small Catholic school. He played both offensive and defensive line while in high school, and he was named all-state during his season year by the coaches association, Associated Press, Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. He allowed only one sack on offense that season.

---

Kenneth Grant's high school upside to be realized if selected in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

Bitter late-season defeats at Merrillville High School in Indiana will seem distant memory once the massive defensive lineman gets name announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell

---

Jahdae Barron remembered by high school coach as great teammate, natural leader on eve of NFL Draft

The former Connally Cougars and Texas Longhorns star might be the top cornerback on the board, but Jason Cecil says it's much more than talent that makes Barron so special

---

Underrated in high school, Donovan Ezeiruaku expected to be a first round NFL Draft pick

The pride of Williamstown High in South New Jersey, Donovan Ezeiruaku, was rated as just a 3-star in high school, but is now projected a late first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

---

Omarion Hampton will make the Hall of Fame … so predicts high school coach of one of NFL Draft’s top running backs

Scott Riley knows one thing: Nobody will outwork the former Cleveland Rams (North Carolina) high school All-American.

---

Josh Conerly Jr.'s NFL Draft track changed after growth spurt, position change in high school

Once a running back at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, he moved to offensive line for good as a sophomore — and has been unstoppable ever since

---

Will Campbell began at top of high school food chain, hunts for top 10 selection in NFL Draft

Neville High School product hopes to mimic fellow Louisiana offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth to a long, productive NFL career.

---

Walk-on to 2025 NFL Draft prospect, Carson Schwesinger's story started in high school

Oaks Christian's Carson Schwesinger has one of the best stories coming into the 2025 NFL Draft after going from a walk-on at UCLA to one of college football's best linebackers.

---

Emeka Egbuka's 'deep tool bag' from high school has made him top NFL Draft priority

Five-star WR from Steilacoom High School (Washington) caught 199 passes for nearly 4,000 yards and 61 touchdowns in his three seasons.

---

Josh Simmons overcame high school injury to earn national title at Ohio State, top NFL Draft position

Former San Diego high school offensive tackle, known for his "road grader" blocking and prolific pranks, figures to go in the first round Thursday in Green Bay.

---

Jamon Dumas-Johnson’s NFL Draft journey began at Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy

Baltimore's St. Frances Academy is a high school football factory where players expect to excel at the next level, but the road to the NFL remains a difficult journey. Former Panther star Jamon Dumas-Johnson has worked for his NFL opportunity and is expected to hear his name called at the 2025 NFL Draft this week in Green Bay.

---

Top NFL Draft prospect Abdul Carter has been terrorizing QBs since Philadelphia high school days

A Philadelphia native, Carter slid into La Salle College High School’s starting lineup as a freshman at outside linebacker. He helped lead the Explorers to the Philadelphia Catholic League title as a senior and was a two-time all-state selection. 

---

Former Wauwatosa East High School standout lineman has sights set on NFL Draft

A bone crushing blocker and a fierce protector of his quarterbacks, since his days as a high school football player at Wisconsin's Wauwatosa East, Marcus Mbow is projected to be selected in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft after a standout college career at Purdue.

---

Matthew Golden goes from high school hero to surefire first-round NFL Draft pick

It didn’t take long for those around Klein Cain High School in Houston (Texas) to know that Matthew Golden would live up to his name. In his first varsity football game, a 56-27 win over Cypress Park, the then 6-foot, 180-pound receiver had seven catches for 166 yards and a school-record four touchdown grabs. 

---

Luther Burden III path to NFL Draft included playing at high schools in Missouri, Illinois

Aside from a year stay at East St. Louis High School, across the river in Illinois, Luther Burden III has been a name well known dating back to his time at Cardinal Ritter College Prep in Missouri. 

---

Cam Ward: From 0 recruiting stars out of high school to No. 1 NFL Draft pick?

Cam Ward might be the first No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft to have no recruiting stars out of high school. Instead, at the last minute, he got a ride to Incarnate Word, an FCS school out of San Antonio, Texas. He moved on to Washington State and then Miami, and now he's the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

---

Mykel Williams goes from 5-star high school recruit to likely NFL first-round draft pick

Coming out of Hardaway (Georgia) in the class of 2022, Mykel Williams signed with the Georgia Bulldogs as one of the most celebrated high school football players in recent history. The five-star recruit was rated the nation's No. 4 overall prospect, behind only Travis Hunter, Walter Nolen and Luther Burden III.

---

Former Texas high school football star Ashton Jeanty enters NFL Draft amid running back revolution

The running back revolution is underway in the NFL, and former Texas high school football standout Ashton Jeanty is set to take advantage of the groundwork laid by Saquon Barkley and others. 

---

NFL Draft bridges champion TreVeyon Henderson’s journey from high school hero to game's highest level

Once a high school football sensation in Virginia, Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson now stands on the edge of NFL stardom as one of the top running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft

---

Wise beyond his years in high school, JT Tuimoloau is a top DE prospect in 2025 NFL Draft

Out of Eastside Catholic (Washington), Tuimoloau signed with Ohio State in 2021 as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country.

---

Idaho high school product Colston Loveland's 'knack for getting the football' made him top NFL Draft target

Record-setting tight end from Gooding High School had 235 catches, 3,141 yards and 39 total touchdowns in his four seasons.

---

Shedeur Sanders' road to NFL Draft started with dad Deion Sanders, Texas high school football

Gridiron connection between Hall of Fame father and now-famous son began at Trinity Christian in Cedar Hill (Texas), where the Tigers won three state TAPPS titles.

---

From Friday nights to NFL Draft night, Jalon Walker’s rise from high school is just the beginning

Born in South Carolina, Walker starred at Salisbury High School in North Carolina, where he became one of the most dominant defenders in the state. He played both sides of the ball as a linebacker and tight end, ran track, and even played basketball. But it was on the football field where he built his legacy.

---

From high school QB, all-region punter to NFL Draft's top tight end, Tyler Warren can do it all

While still at Atlee High School in Virginia, Tyler Warren originally committed to play quarterback at Virginia Tech, but later decommitted and chose the Nittany Lions, who, like Michigan and other top programs, wanted him top play tight end.

---

NFL Draft OL prospect, high school tennis player Armand Membou ready to serve defenders in pros

Some people were born to be elite football players. Others transform into elite football players. Armand Membou transformed into an elite football player. Growing up in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Membou sampled just about every sport he could – football, basketball, wrestling, even soccer and, yes, tennis. Of course, that was several inches and more than 100 pounds before the now 6-foot-3, 325-pound Mizzou offensive tackle began serving SEC defenders with forehands.

---

Elijah Arroyo looks to make history at NFL Draft by being 1st pick from his high school

Arroyo was an all-district pick for the Knights in 2019 and 2020. He had 48 catches for 648 yards and 5 touchdowns as a junior — helping Frisco Independence (Texas) High School reach the third round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs for the first time in school history. The next year, Arroyo had a line of 31/690/13 touchdowns — an average of 22.3 yards per catch.

---

Texas high school football star Kelvin Banks Jr. will hear name early at NFL Draft

Playing at Humble Summer Creek in Texas, Kelvin Banks Jr.'s trajectory in college was easy to see. How good was he for the Bulldogs? The offensive lineman was the District 21-6A offensive MVP in 2021 — an award that is almost always given to a quarterback, running back or wide receiver.

---

Tet McMillan's high school highlights caught on early, drew NFL Draft attention at Arizona

Tetairoa McMillan, better known as T-Mac, was a matchup nightmare in high school. His 6-foot-4 athletic frame, combined with his lean, long limbs gave him the foundation to be a human highlight reel anytime the ball was cast in the air. His quarterback in high school was also his quarterback at Arizona, Noah Fifita. When Fifita and McMillan were seniors at Servite, they anchored one of the program's best seasons in recent memory under coach Troy Thomas.

---

Mason Graham's disruptive game forged in high school makes him top NFL Draft prospect

Mason Graham didn't tower over his peers at Servite High School in Southern California. He wasn't bigger than everyone. He certainly wasn't faster than most, either. "He was 6-feet, maybe 210 pounds as a (high school) freshman. He just kept working in the weightroom. He also wrestled, which I think helped him become tougher and stronger," then-Servite coach Troy Thomas said. Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, Graham is now listed at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds and will likely be the second defensive lineman selected.

Top defensive lineman prospect Mason Graham started out relatively small at Servite and got big at Michigan. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

---

Now an NFL Draft prospect on offense, Harold Fannin Jr. starred on defense in high school

Before Fannin was receiving every accolade in America for his play at tight end for Bowling Green in 2024, the Canton McKinley grad was not only catching passes in high school, but leveling those who did so against the Bulldogs. In his senior year for the Bulldogs, he had over 600 yards on 36 catches on offense. On defense, he was next-level, amassing 106 tackles, two interceptions, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and he found the end zone twice on defense.

Canton McKinley's Harold Fannin Jr. levels St. Edward's Danny Enovitch during the 2021 Ohio high school football playoffs. / Scott Heckel/Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK

---

Where did the 2025 NFL Draft's top prospects play high school football

NFL players come in all shapes and sizes and they hail from every corner of the country. So, where did the top players expected to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft play their high school football? Here are the answers as break down the high school origins of well over 60 players, most projected to go in the first two rounds of this year's draft.

Jesus Baca

---

Travis Hunter had NFL Draft experts buzzing by his junior year of high school

After a junior season at Collins Hill (Georgia) in which Hunter caught 137 passes for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns, plus eight interceptions on defense, NFL scouts were already drooling. He entered his senior season in 2021 as either the No. 1 or No. 2 prospect in the country, depending on the recruiting service. Whichever NFL team drafts Hunter will be getting "a springy, twitchy, beat-you-at-all-costs competitor," as High School On SI's Todd Milles described Hunter after watching him live in his high school finale in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series in Las Vegas.

Travis Hunter makes an incredible catch for Collins Hill High School (Georgia) against Graham-Kapowsin (Washington). / Jann Hendry

---

Walter Nolen lives up to high school hype as projected NFL first-round draft pick

Nolen has been the total package since his early teens. Coming out of Powell High School (Tennessee) in the class of 2022, the 6-foot-4, 325-pound defensive tackle was ESPN's No. 1 overall prospect and sat at No. 2 in the 247Sports rankings. Nolen eventually committed to the Texas A&M Aggies, becoming the headliner of arguably the greatest recruiting class ever assembled (on paper).

Powell's Walter Nolen (1) before the TSSAA Class 5A BlueCross Bowl football game between Powell and Page in 2021. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

---

Jaxson Dart's path to the NFL Draft started taking shape in high school

Even as a high school kid at Corner Canyon in Draper, Utah (population 51,000), Jaxson Dart always knew where he wanted those feet to go — to the biggest stage. His magical senior season of 4,691 passing yards while completing 70 percent of his passes (240 of 345) for 67 touchdowns (just four interceptions) while rushing for 1,195 yards and 12 more scores vaulted him into the national spotlight. 

Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart competes during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

---

More news from High School On SI:

feed