IMG Academy Alumni and NFL Combine Trainees Selected in the 2020 Draft

The 2020 NFL Draft took place virtually this year, but it was an eventful three days for IMG Academy alumni and Pre-Combine/Draft trainees. Alumnus Cesar Ruiz made Academy history by becoming the first first-round selection from the varsity football program when the New Orleans Saints selected the Michigan offensive lineman with the 24th overall pick. Ruiz was joined by a trio of IMG Pre-Combine/Draft trainees in the first round as OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 20, Jacksonville ), WR Justin Jefferson (No. 22, Minnesota Vikings) and LB Patrick Queen (No. 28, Baltimore Ravens). 

In total, 11 IMG Academy alumni and trainees were selected in the Draft, and nine more signed rookie free agent deals through the weekend. 

IMG Academy NFL Draft picks and rookie free agent (RFA) signings: 

• K’Lavon Chaisson – OLB, LSU – Rd. 1, No. 20 (20th ovr.) – Jacksonville Jaguars
• Justin Jefferson – WR, LSU – Rd. 1, No. 22 (22nd ovr.) – Minnesota Vikings 
• Cesar Ruiz* - OL, Michigan – Rd. 1, No. 24 (24th ovr.) – New Orleans Saints
• Patrick Queen – LB, LSU – Rd. 1, No. 28 (28th ovr.) – Baltimore Ravens 
• D’Andre Swift – RB, Georgia – Rd. 2, No. 3 (35th ovr.) – Detroit Lions 
• Grant Delpit* – S, LSU – Rd. 2, No. 12 (44th ovr.) – Cleveland Browns
• KJ Hamler* - WR, Penn State – Rd. 2, No. 14 (46th ovr.) – Denver Broncos 
• Kristian Fulton – CB, LSU – Rd. 2, No. 29 (61st ovr.) – Tennessee Titans 
• Cam Dantzler – CB, Mississippi State – Rd. 3, No. 25 (89th ovr.) – Minnesota Vikings 
• Akeem Davis-Gaither – OLB, Appalachian State – Rd. 4, No. 1 (107th ovr.) – Cincinnati Bengals 
• K.J. Osborn* – WR, Miami – Rd. 5, No. 31 (176th ovr.) – Minnesota Vikings 
• Mikey Daniel* - FB, South Dakota State – RFA – Atlanta Falcons
• Michael Divinity Jr. – LB, LSU – RFA – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
• A.J. Green – CB, Oklahoma State – RFA – Cleveland Browns 
• Stephen Guidry – WR, Mississippi State – RFA – Dallas Cowboys 
• Lavert Hill – CB, Michigan – RFA – Kansas City Chiefs 
• Tony Jones Jr.* - RB, Notre Dame – RFA – New Orleans Saints
• Tyler Mabry* - TE, Maryland – RFA – Seattle Seahawks
• Michael Warren II – RB, Cincinnati – RFA – Philadelphia Eagles
• Cody White – WR, Michigan State – RFA – Kansas City Chiefs 

* - denotes IMG Academy high school alumnus 

Ruiz had the distinction of becoming the first first-rounder in IMGA history, but he was joined by three other Ascenders alumni. On Day Two of the Draft, Grant Delpit, also the 2019 Jim Thorpe Award recipient, was selected in the second round by the Cleveland Browns. Penn State star wideout K.J. Hamler was selected in the following round by the Denver Broncos. Ruiz, Delpit and Hamler were all members of the 2016 IMG Academy squad that went 11-0 on the year and finished as the consensus No. 2 team in the nation. Rounding out alumni in the Draft, class of 2015 grad KJ Osborn, who initially signed with Buffalo before taking a graduate transfer to Miami, was selected in the fifth round. 

Since 2018, IMG has seen seven alumni elected in the NFL Draft, the most of any high school in America, and nearly double any other program. IMG tied the record for selections from the same high school with four, matching Miami Northwestern (FL) in 2012 and St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) in 2014. 

The IMG Academy Pre-Combine/Draft program has been held annually for more than 20 years. During that time, many top players in the game have trained at IMG to prepare for the world’s toughest job interview. Past participants include the likes of New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins, Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, New York Jets LB C.J. Mosley and Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill.