Texas, South Florida High Schools Lead NFL Kickoff Weekend Rosters as Football Growth Surges Nationwide
NEW YORK — Texas produced more NFL players than any other state on 2026 Kickoff Weekend rosters, with 192 players, according to data released Friday by the NFL. Florida followed with 185, California with 159 and Georgia with 148.
Bradenton, Florida, Tops the List of Hometowns
Bradenton, Florida, produced more NFL players than any other city, with 22 on Kickoff Weekend rosters. Miami followed with 21, Atlanta with 17, and Detroit and Las Vegas each with 14. IMG Academy in Bradenton produced more NFL players than any other high school in the country, and South Florida claimed the top three spots among high schools nationwide.
In total, NFL players on 2026 Kickoff Weekend rosters attended high schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia, four countries — Australia, Canada, Nigeria and the United States — and the U.S. territory of American Samoa. The figures are based on 1,735 players across Kickoff Weekend rosters.
Football Participation Climbing at Every Level
Alongside the roster data, the NFL highlighted what it described as record-breaking growth in football participation nationwide, crediting collaboration between the league, its 32 clubs and outside partners.
"It's exciting to see partners across every level of football working together to strengthen and grow the game, from youth and high school programs to the college ranks," said Terry Fontenot, the NFL's vice president of football development.
Youth Football
According to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, youth tackle football participation continued climbing in 2025, with more than 3.47 million youth players nationwide. Growth was especially strong among the sport's most consistent participants — those playing 26 or more times a year — with that group increasing 3.9% to more than 2.2 million youth participants. Teens ages 13 to 17 saw the sharpest rise, with core participation up 7.3% year-over-year to more than 1.46 million.
That momentum has carried into 2026. SFIA's most recent 12-month data, through June 2026, shows overall tackle football participation up 4.1% year-over-year.
"SFIA's latest data shows encouraging growth in tackle football," said Todd Smith, president and CEO of SFIA. He said continued strength in core youth participation, particularly among teens, provides an encouraging foundation for the sport going forward.
High School Football
Eleven-player football remains by far the most popular high school sport for boys or girls, with 1,043,716 participants nationwide. Participation has grown 7.1% since the first postpandemic survey in the 2021-22 school year, reaching its highest mark since the 2016-17 season.
High school football also continues to draw the largest live audiences of any level of the sport, with roughly 7,000 games played on an average Friday night and an estimated 7 million to 10 million fans in attendance weekly.
"This year's sports participation survey conducted by the NFHS indicated yet another increase in the most popular high school sport — 11-player tackle football," said Davis Whitfield, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations. He noted the sport has grown by roughly 70,000 participants since the pandemic and remains a focal point for communities each fall.
College Football
The National Football Foundation's annual report found 778 colleges and universities nationwide now offer football programs, with 17 institutions across NCAA divisions, the NAIA and independent programs launching or announcing plans to launch teams in 2026 or in the years ahead.
"The continued growth of college football is a tremendous testament to the enduring appeal of our game," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. He noted that 10 programs are taking the field this fall, with seven more on the way, creating new opportunities for student-athletes to pursue a college education while continuing to play.
The 2026 season includes 10 institutions fielding new or reinstated programs, the most in a single year since 2013. Since 1978, when the NCAA began tracking attendance data, the number of NCAA football-playing schools has grown from 484 to 678. Including NAIA and independent programs, along with upcoming additions, the total climbs to 778. Over the last decade alone, 62 football programs have been added across the NCAA, NAIA and independent ranks.
By the Numbers: States With the Most NFL Players
Texas — 192
Florida — 185
California — 159
Georgia — 148
North Carolina — 62
Alabama — 60 (tied)
Louisiana — 60 (tied)
Ohio — 59
Illinois — 52
Michigan — 48 (tied)
Pennsylvania — 48 (tied)
Maryland — 47
Virginia — 43
New Jersey — 42
Tennessee — 35
Missouri — 33
Arizona — 31
Mississippi — 30 (tied)
South Carolina — 30 (tied)
Utah — 27 (tied)
Wisconsin — 27 (tied)
Iowa — 26
Hometown Cities With the Most NFL Players
Bradenton, Florida (22); Miami, Florida (21); Atlanta, Georgia (17); Detroit, Michigan (14); Las Vegas, Nevada (14); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (13); Austin, Texas (12); Charlotte, North Carolina (11); Birmingham, Alabama (11); Fort Lauderdale, Florida (11); St. Louis, Missouri (11); Cincinnati, Ohio (10); Indianapolis, Indiana (10); Jacksonville, Florida (10); Salt Lake City, Utah (10); Suwanee, Georgia (10); Tampa, Florida (10); Honolulu, Hawaii (9); Houston, Texas (9).
High Schools With the Most NFL Players
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) — 19 players, including Kaytron Allen (Washington), Tyler Booker (Dallas), J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota) and J.C. Latham (Tennessee).
Saint Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) — 9 players, including Nick Bosa (San Francisco) and Dallas Turner (Minnesota).
American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) — 8 players, including Brian Burns (New York Giants) and Pat Surtain II (Denver).
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) — 7 players, including Rome Odunze (Chicago) and Ronnie Stanley (Baltimore).
Dematha Catholic (Hyattsville, Maryland) — 7 players, including Chase Young (New Orleans).
St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 7 players, including Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona) and Jeremiah Trotter (Philadelphia).
Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Georgia) — 6 players, including Bradley Chubb (Buffalo) and Evan Engram (Denver).
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) — 6 players, including Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit) and Bryce Young (Carolina).
Nine additional high schools each had five players on Kickoff Weekend rosters: Cass Technical (Detroit, Michigan); Saint Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii); Deerfield Beach (Deerfield, Florida); Saguaro (Scottsdale, Arizona); Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Georgia); Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia); Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio); Westlake (Austin, Texas); and Roswell (Roswell, Georgia).
NFL Players Per Capita
Georgia led all states in NFL players per capita, producing one NFL player for every 72,378 residents. Louisiana (one per 77,629) and Alabama (one per 83,738) rounded out the top three. The national average stands at one NFL player per 193,265 U.S. residents.
Top States for NFL Players Per Capita:
Georgia — 1 per 72,378
Louisiana — 1 per 77,629
Alabama — 1 per 83,738
Mississippi — 1 per 98,709
Florida — 1 per 116,432
Utah — 1 per 121,171
Hawaii — 1 per 121,273
Iowa — 1 per 122,707
Maryland — 1 per 131,430
District of Columbia — 1 per 137,909
