Texas Leads Nation In NFL Players On 2026 Kickoff Weekend Rosters

NEW YORK, New York (TXAN 24) — Texas continues to stand out as a major pipeline for professional football talent, producing more NFL players on 2026 Kickoff Weekend rosters than any other state.

According to the NFL, 192 players from Texas high schools were represented on Kickoff Weekend rosters, ahead of Florida with 185, California with 159 and Georgia with 148.

The numbers highlight the depth of football talent developing across the Lone Star State. Austin was listed among the cities with the most NFL players, with 12, while Houston had nine.

Westlake High School in Austin was also among nine schools nationwide with five players on NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters. The school joined programs including Cass Technical in Detroit, Saint Louis in Honolulu, Deerfield Beach in Florida and Roswell in Georgia.

The NFL reported that players on the 2026 Kickoff Weekend rosters represented high schools in 45 states, the District of Columbia, four countries and American Samoa.

The league also highlighted continued growth throughout the sport. More than 3.47 million youth participated in tackle football in 2025, while 11-player high school football reached 1,043,716 participants.

At the college level, 778 colleges and universities now offer football programs when NCAA, NAIA and independent institutions are included.

For Texas, the NFL’s latest numbers provide another snapshot of the state’s longstanding connection to football—from youth programs and Friday night high school stadiums to the professional level.