NFL Draft: 15 players from Georgia High Schools selected
Tennessee safety Eric Berry was the first player from a Georgia High School taken in the NFL draft. Fourteen others followed. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC).
Georgia High Schools had 15 players selected in the 2010 NFL draft.
Only Florida (34), Texas (26) and California (25) turned out more players. Stephenson High School had two players drafted in Jermaine Cunningham and Riley Perry.
Here’s a look at the players and the order in which they were drafted:
1. Eric Berry, Tennessee, Creekside High (Kansas City, 1 first round, 5th overall)
2. Kareem Jackson, Alabama, Macon Westside (Houston 1, 20)
3. Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech, West Laurens (Denver 1, 22)
4. Torell Troup, Central Florida, Salem (Buffalo, 2, 41)
5. Jermaine Cunningham, Florida, Stephenson (New England 2, 53)
6. Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech, North Clayton (Green Bay 3,71)
7. Rennie Curran, Georgia, Brookwood (Tennessee 3, 97)
8. Perry Riley, LSU, Stephenson, (Washington 4, 103)
9. Trevard Lindley, Kentucky, Hiram (Philadelphia 4, 105)
10. Eric Norwood, South Carolina, North Cobb, (Carolina 4, 124)
11. Cameron Sheffield, Troy, Portal (Kansas City 5, 142)
12. Chris Scott, Tennessee, Lovejoy (Pittsburgh 5, 151)
13. Reshad Jones, Georgia, Booker T. Washington (Miami 5, 163)
14. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech, Kell (Pittsburgh, 6, 188)
15. Chris McCoy, Middle Tenneesee, Villa Rica (Miami 7, 212)
Eric Ward was impressive enough at the minicamp to land a contract with the Falcons. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)
I’ve found at least eight other Georgia High School players who signed as undrafted free agents:
• Eric Ward, QB, Richmond (Southwest DeKalb) – Atlanta
• Michael Palmer, TE, Clemson (Parkview) — Atlanta
• Brandon Lang, DE, Troy (Tucker) — Cincinnati
• Pat Paschall, RB, North Dakota State (Chattahoochee) — New England
• Sam Maxwell, LB, Kentucky (Hart County) – New Orleans
• David Pender, CB, Purdue (Charlton County) — Philadelphia
• Malcolm Sheppard, DT, Arkansas (Bainbridge) — Houston
• Lorenzo Washington, DL, Alabama (Grayson) – Dallas
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27 comments Add your comment
Bangkapi Ajarn
May 14th, 2010
10:09 am
Nice recap for offseason pondering, I didn’t realize this. Thanks, DOL, good idea for a blog.
4th highest state to provide NFL potential players, you would think our instate Uni’s would perform better (saying this as a UGA fan/grad from waaaaay back)
Bangkapi Ajarn
May 14th, 2010
10:13 am
3 from Tech, 2 from UGA.
So, 1/3rd of NFL draftees were successfully recruited by the top 2 College programs in the state, none of them came from instate lower tier programs (like Middle Tenneesee and Troy).
Why? Academics? Scouting?
D. Orlando Ledbetter
May 14th, 2010
10:13 am
BA — 15 is pretty strong!!! Huge statement about the quality of football throughout the state.
sidewalk74
May 14th, 2010
10:32 am
GA is #2 when you compare # of players drafted to population #’s per state.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
May 14th, 2010
10:35 am
15 is huge were there many undrafted players from the state that signed free agent contracts
Tweets that mention NFL Draft: 15 players from Georgia High Schools selected | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
May 14th, 2010
11:11 am
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jimmy
May 14th, 2010
11:18 am
no wonder every recurits georgia
D. Orlando Ledbetter
May 14th, 2010
12:04 pm
I’ve found at least eight other Georgia High School players who signed as undrafted free agents:
• Eric Ward, QB, Richmond (Southwest DeKalb) – Atlanta
• Michael Palmer, TE, Clemson (Parkview) — Atlanta
• Brandon Lang, DE, Troy (Tucker High School) — Cincinnati
• Pat Paschall, RB, North Dakota State (Chattahoochee High) — New England
• Sam Maxwell, LB, Kentucky (Hart County High School) – New Orleans
• David Pender, CB, Purdue (Charlton County High School) — Philadelphia
• Malcolm Sheppard, DT, Arkansas (Bainbridge High School) — Houston
• Lorenzo Washington, DL, Alabama (Grayson High School) – Dallas
torgo
May 14th, 2010
12:23 pm
D-Led: A.J. Cooley, RB, Shorter College (Bowdon High School) signed with the Jaguars.
Blue Fender
May 14th, 2010
12:53 pm
Is Shorter DivIII?
Alphare
May 14th, 2010
1:21 pm
Among the 15,
3 are out of Tech, 2 out of TN, 2 out of UGA
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
May 14th, 2010
1:34 pm
great stuff here D-led football all the time great info
THANKS!!!!!
torgo
May 14th, 2010
1:46 pm
Shorter is NAIA. They’re in the same division with Cumberland (TN), which might ring a bell for Tech fans.
Cooley was the only NAIA player invited to participate in the Texas Vs. The Nation all star game. He did surprisingly well – looked better than a few BCS school RBs in that one.
Rick Beach
May 14th, 2010
4:46 pm
Slow day, huh?
ernisTbass
May 14th, 2010
5:10 pm
Wouldn’t Florida, Texas, and California also lead the nation in high school students that weren’t drafted?
Tommy
May 14th, 2010
6:32 pm
Josh Gordy DB Central Michigan ( Washington Co Sandersville ) signed with Jacksonville
TNFalcon
May 15th, 2010
12:12 am
ErnisT: I think that was sorta the point DLed was makin, ie per capita GA has some wicked good talent. Secondary point: UGA is missin on too many top tier in-state players
Tweets that mention NFL Draft: 15 players from Georgia High Schools selected | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
May 15th, 2010
1:29 am
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Tweets that mention NFL Draft: 15 players from Georgia High Schools selected | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
May 15th, 2010
1:47 am
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Tweets that mention NFL Draft: 15 players from Georgia High Schools selected | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
May 15th, 2010
1:55 am
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Jborodawg
May 15th, 2010
11:53 am
All I can say is, “ppffffttt” to all you Reshad Jones haters the last couple years. You know which Dawgs “fans” you are.
South ga boy in the atl
May 15th, 2010
3:30 pm
Jborodawg- I hear ya. As a lifelong Dawg fan I too critisized R Jones. He’s great, in the lobby, wt room, measurables, and as far as just plain meat on the hoof. But he lacks in just one area. He doesn’t make plays, plain and simple. When he makes a play in the NFL, it will be his first. I was glad he left early and the NFL will sniff him out in a couple of yrs, unless he starts playing better than he looks in an underarmour shirt Not hatin just sayin
Very Sad Day
May 15th, 2010
5:25 pm
BIGGEST NEWS IN SPORTS: J. MICHAEL MOORE IS LEAVING THE ATLANTA FALCONS!!!! THAT’S RIGHT, HE WILL NO LONGER BLOG FOR THE FALCONS! HOW WILL WE SURVIVE
Sid
May 16th, 2010
8:26 am
Excellent info. Your staying up late D. Orlando Ledbetter.
Bangkapi Ajarn
May 16th, 2010
10:06 am
DOL -
Will you be reporting from the rookie minicamp? Hoping YESSSSS!!
raider guy
May 18th, 2010
7:12 am
how about Paul Duncan from good ole’ East Paulding? wasn’t he signed as an unrestricted free agent?
SOUTHSIDE
May 18th, 2010
2:22 pm
Richard Raglin form Southside HS now Maynard H. Jackson HS went to the University Of Louisville and signed with the Cincinatti Bengals