NBA playoffs winners and losers: Ayo Dosunmu puts the Nuggets on the brink, Jalen Brunson gets some help
NBA playoffs: Ayo Dosunmu's 43 points lead Timberwolves over Nuggets, series at 3-1.
The 2026 NFL Draft featured players from 38 of the 50 states, showcasing the growth of football talent across the country. Alabama led with 10 picks, highlighting its strong high school football programs.
Every year, the NFL draft is arguably one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the country, with fans from all over waiting to see who their favorite team will select.
It's also a showcase for states to hype former high school stars as they look to make their dream of becoming professional football players a reality. This year's draft was a perfect example of how much the sport has grown, with 38 of the 50 states represented.
Based on where each of this year's prospects played their high school ball, here's a look at every state represented in this year's NFL draft.
Number of picks: 10
Highest Pick: Peter Woods, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 1, Pick 29)
Number of picks: 5
Highest Pick: Caleb Lomu, New England Patriots (Round 1, Pick 28)
Number of picks: 1
Highest Pick: Jayden Williams, Arizona Cardinals (Round 7, Pick 217)
Number of picks: 19
Highest Pick: David Bailey, New York Jets (Round 1, Pick 2)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Emmanuel Pregnon, Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 3, Pick 88)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Skyler Bell, Buffalo Bills (Round 4, Pick 125)
Number of picks: 27
Highest Pick: Fernando Mendoza, Oakland Raiders (Round 1, Pick 1)
Number of picks: 22
Highest Pick: Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys (Round 1, Pick 11)
Number of picks: 1
Highest Pick: De’Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers (Round 2, Pick 33)
Number of picks: 1
Highest Pick: Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets (Round 1, Pick 16)
Number of picks: 11
Highest Pick: Keagan Trost, Los Angeles Rams (Round 3, Pick 93)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears (Round 1, Pick 25)
Number of picks: 7
Highest Pick: Kadyn Proctor, Miami Dolphins (Round 1, Pick 12)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Sam Hecht, Carolina Panthers (Round 5, Pick 144)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Malachi Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys (Round 1, Pick 23)
Number of picks: 6
Highest Pick: Bud Clark, Seattle Seahawks (Round 2, Pick 64)
Number of picks: 9
Highest Pick: Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 1, Pick 6)
Number of picks: 5
Highest Pick: Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings (Round 1, Pick 18)
Number of picks: 6
Highest Pick: Bryce Lance, New Orleans Saints (Round 4, Pick 136)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Markel Bell, Philadelphia Eagles (Round 3, Pick 68)
Number of picks: 9
Highest Pick: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals (Round 1, Pick 3)
Number of picks: 1
Highest Pick: Keyshawn James-Newby, Philadelphia Eagles (Round 7, Pick 252)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Nate Boerkircher, Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 2, Pick 56)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Germie Bernard, Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 2, Pick 47)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Chase Bisontis, Arizona Cardinals (Round 2, Pick 34)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders (Round 4, Pick 122)
Number of picks: XXX
Highest Pick: KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns (Round 1, Pick 24)
Number of picks: 11
Highest Pick: Arvell Reese, New York Giants (Round 1, Pick 5)
Number of picks: 3
Highest Pick: Chirs McClellan, Green Bay Packers (Round 3, Pick 77)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Kage Casey, Denver Broncos (Round 4, Pick 111)
Number of picks: 6
Highest Pick: Josiah Trotter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Round 2, Pick 46)
Number of picks: 4
Highest Pick: Monroe Freeling, Carolina Panthers (Round 1, Pick 19)
Number of picks: 8
Highest Pick: Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams (Round 1, Pick 13)
Number of picks: 33
Highest Pick: Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints (Round 1, Pick 8)
Number of picks: 4
Highest Pick: Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns (Round 1, Pick 9)
Number of picks: 9
Highest Pick: Malachi Fields, New York Giants (Round 3, Pick 74)
Number of picks: 2
Highest Pick: Olavivagena Ioane, Baltimore Ravens (Round 1, Pick 14)
Number of picks: 6
Highest Pick: Max Bredeson, Minnesota Vikings (Round 5, Pick 159)
2026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders
2025: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.) - Tennessee Titans
2024: Caleb Williams, QB, USC - Chicago Bears
2023: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama - Carolina Panthers
2022: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia - Jacksonville Jaguars
2021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - Jacksonville Jaguars
2020: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU - Cincinnati Bengals
2019: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma - Arizona Cardinals
2018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma - Cleveland Browns
2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M - Cleveland Browns
2016: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - Los Angeles Rams
2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina - Houston Texans
2009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Detroit Lions
2008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Miami Dolphins
2007: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - Oakland Raiders
2004: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss - San Diego Chargers (traded to New York Giants)
2003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC - Cincinnati Bengals
2002: David Carr, QB, Fresno State - Houston Texans
2001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech - Atlanta Falcons
2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State - Cleveland Browns
1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky - Cleveland Browns
1998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee - Indianapolis Colts
1997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State - St. Louis Rams
1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC - New York Jets
1995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals
1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State - Cincinnati Bengals
1992: Steve Emtman, DT, Washington - Indianapolis Colts
1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami - Dallas Cowboys
1990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois - Indianapolis Colts
1989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA - Dallas Cowboys
1988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn - Atlanta Falcons
1987: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1986: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (did not sign, later joined Los Angeles Raiders)
1985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills
1984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska - New England Patriots
1983: John Elway, QB, Stanford - Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos)
1 / 37
2026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders
1 / 37
2026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders
2 / 37
2025: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.) - Tennessee Titans
3 / 37
2024: Caleb Williams, QB, USC - Chicago Bears
4 / 37
2023: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama - Carolina Panthers
5 / 37
2022: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia - Jacksonville Jaguars
6 / 37
2021: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - Jacksonville Jaguars
7 / 37
2020: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU - Cincinnati Bengals
8 / 37
2019: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma - Arizona Cardinals
9 / 37
2018: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma - Cleveland Browns
10 / 37
2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M - Cleveland Browns
11 / 37
2016: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - Los Angeles Rams
12 / 37
2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13 / 37
2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina - Houston Texans
14 / 37
2009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Detroit Lions
15 / 37
2008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Miami Dolphins
16 / 37
2007: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - Oakland Raiders
17 / 37
2004: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss - San Diego Chargers (traded to New York Giants)
18 / 37
2003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC - Cincinnati Bengals
19 / 37
2002: David Carr, QB, Fresno State - Houston Texans
20 / 37
2001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech - Atlanta Falcons
21 / 37
2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State - Cleveland Browns
22 / 37
1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky - Cleveland Browns
23 / 37
1998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee - Indianapolis Colts
24 / 37
1997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State - St. Louis Rams
25 / 37
1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC - New York Jets
26 / 37
1995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals
27 / 37
1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State - Cincinnati Bengals
28 / 37
1992: Steve Emtman, DT, Washington - Indianapolis Colts
29 / 37
1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami - Dallas Cowboys
30 / 37
1990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois - Indianapolis Colts
31 / 37
1989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA - Dallas Cowboys
32 / 37
1988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn - Atlanta Falcons
33 / 37
1987: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
34 / 37
1986: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (did not sign, later joined Los Angeles Raiders)
35 / 37
1985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills
36 / 37
1984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska - New England Patriots
37 / 37
1983: John Elway, QB, Stanford - Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Super 25 powerhouse areas headline states with most NFL draft picks
Alabama produced the most NFL Draft picks in 2026, with a total of 10 selections.
A total of 38 states were represented in the 2026 NFL Draft.
High school football serves as a crucial foundation for players aspiring to enter the NFL, showcasing their talent and potential.
The NFL Draft reflects the growth of football in the U.S. by highlighting the increasing number of states producing professional-level talent.
NBA playoffs: Ayo Dosunmu's 43 points lead Timberwolves over Nuggets, series at 3-1.

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