California High School Leads the Way with Three 2011 NFL Draftees

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Colton High School isn't known as a football factory, but maybe it will be from now on.

The town of 50,000 about an hour outside of Los Angeles had three players selected in the 2011 NFL, according to USA Football. Former Yellow Jackets drafted in April were Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was taken in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens; USC running back Allen Bradford went to Tampa Bay in the sixth round; and USC safety Shareece Wright was selected in the third round by San Diego.

“Our staff is very proud” said Colton head coach Rick Bray. “It is great for the school, the city of Colton, and our program. We are happy for their chance to keep playing a sport that all three young men have played since childhood. This starts a new tradition for Colton football, one that others will try to carry on.”

In the past six years, only De La Salle (Concord, CA) and Long Beach Poly (California) in 2006, and St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) in 2010 have had three players selected in one NFL draft.

In all, 243 schools in 40 states, the District of Columbia and Canada were represented in the 2011 draft. Ten schools had at least two players selected.  Seven of those schools produced at least one first-round pick.

California was the leading state with 42 players selected. Florida was second with 36 and Texas was third with 29 players.

Here are the schools with multiple players drafted...

Colton (Colton, CA) - Allen Bradford (Tampa Bay), Jimmy Smith (Baltimore), Shareece Wright (San Diego)
Aliquippa (Aliquippa, PA) - Jonathan Baldwin (Kansas City), Tommie Campbell (Tennessee)
Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, FL) - Patrick Peterson (Arizona), J.T. Thomas (Chicago
East Ridge (Clermont, FL) - Chimdi Checkwa (Oakland), Greg Lloyd (Philadelphia)
Fort Dorchester (Charleston, SC) - Byron Maxwell (Seattle), Robert Quinn (St. Louis)
Gwynn Park (Brandywine, MD) - Rashad Carmichael (Houston), Phil Taylor (Cleveland)
John Leonard (Greenacres, FL) - Kenrick Ellis (NY Jets), Markus White (Washington)
Kaiser (Fontana, CA) - Chris Carter (Pittsburgh), David Carter (Arizona)
Lakeland (Lakeland, FL) - Ahmad Black (Tampa Bay), Mike Pouncey (Miami)
Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley, CA) - D'Aundre Reed (Minnesota), Tyron Smith (Dallas)
St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) - Marcus Gilbert (Pittsburgh), Leonard Handerson (Washington)

For more information, click here to read the news release from USA Football

Bray was a recent guest on the NHSCA Sports Hour, the nation's premiere high school sports radio show on the internet.  You can listen to my interview with Coach Bray by clicking here.