American Heritage Football: Top NFL Draft pick alumni
Over the past decade-plus, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage has become a breeding ground for some of Florida’s most-wanted high school football recruits.
The Patriots have won five state championships since 2013, including four of five between 2013 and 2017. The program has produced Division I talent at an impressive clip, including three NFL first-rounders over the past decade.
Below are the top alumni and NFL Draft picks to come through American Heritage in the recruiting media era:
1) CB Patrick Surtain II
Draft Position: 2021 Round 1, Pick 9 (Denver Broncos)
College: Alabama
As a true freshman at Alabama in 2018, Patrick Surtain II started 12 games and recorded 37 tackles and an interception. He followed that with a strong sophomore season before returning to the Crimson Tide in 2020. That season, he was unanimous All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-SEC before going top-10 overall to Denver. In the Mile High City, he’s twice been named a Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro honors in 2022.
2) EDGE Brian Burns
Draft Position: 2019 Round 1, Pick 16 (Carolina Panthers)
College: Florida State
As a freshman at Florida State in 2016, Brian Burns played in all 13 games and led all freshman in the country with 8.5 sacks. Over the next two seasons, he started 25 games, amassing 100 tackles and 14.5 sacks before entering the NFL Draft early. He’s since been a two-time All-Pro during his time with the Carolina Panthers before being traded in March 2024 to the New York Giants.
3) RB Sony Michel
Draft Position: 2018 Round 1, Pick 31 (New England Patriots)
College: Georgia
In four seasons at Georgia, Sony Michel totaled more than 3,600 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns while earning Rose Bowl Offensive MVP honors in 2017 during the Bulldogs’ first College Football Playoff appearance. He played five seasons with the Patriots, Rams and Chargers — winning two Super Bowls — before retiring from the game in 2023 at the age of 28.
4) CB Tyson Campbell
Draft Position: 2021 Round 2, Pick 33 (Jacksonville Jaguars)
College: Georgia
Tyson Campbell started 11 of 14 games during his first year at Georgia, recording 45 tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He only played in three games as a sophomore due to injury, but notched 29 tackles and an interception as a junior before departing for the NFL Draft. Through three seasons in Jacksonville, he has totaled 203 tackles along with six interceptions and signed a four-year, $76.5 million extension in July 2024.
5) WR Anthony Schwartz
Draft Position: 2024 Round 3, Pick 91 (Cleveland Browns)
College: Auburn
A world-class sprinter, Anthony Schwartz also played three seasons for Auburn from 2018-2020. During that time, he totaled 117 catches for more than 1,400 yards and six touchdowns. With a promising skill set and elite speed, he was taken with the 91st overall pick by Cleveland in 2021. His career has been hampered by injuries though, limiting him to just 25 games.
6) CB Marco Wilson
Draft Position: 2021 Round 4, Pick 136 (Arizona Cardinals)
College: Florida
Marco Wilson started as a true freshman and recorded 34 tackles and 10 passes broken up. He was named preseason third-team All-SEC going into his sophomore year but tore his ACL in the second game of the season and was forced to redshirt. As a redshirt sophomore, he recorded 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 3 interceptions and 2 passes broken up. During his final year in Gainesville, he totaled 33 tackles before being taken in the fourth round by Arizona.
7) WR Isaiah McKenzie
Draft Position: 2017 Round 5, Pick 172 (Denver Broncos)
College: Georgia
Isaiah McKenzie played primarily as a return specialist in his first two years at Georgia before earning a more prominent role in the passing game as a junior. He caught 44 receptions for 633 yards and 7 touchdowns in his third year, becoming the Bulldogs’ top receiver. After three seasons in Athens, he left early for the NFL where he was taken in the fifth round by Denver.
8) DL Tedarrell Slaton
Draft Position: 2021 Round 5, Pick 173 (Green Bay Packers)
College: Florida
In four seasons with the Gators, Tedarrell Slaton played in 45 games with 14 starts, recording 98 tackles (34 solo, 10 for loss), 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. After his senior season, he was selected in the fifth round by Green Bay, where he became a full-time starter in 2023, notching 50 total tackles.
9) LB James Houston
Draft Position: 2022 Round 6, Pick 217 (Detroit Lions)
College: Florida/Jackson State
As a redshirt freshman, James Houston played in all 13 of the Gators’ games as a reserve linebacker and made 28 tackles with two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and one blocked punt. He played two more seasons in Gainesville before transferring to Jackson State for his final year of eligibility. In one year with the Tigers, he recorded 70 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and an interception and was named first-team All-SWAC.
10) RB Khalil Herbert
Draft Position: 2021 Round 6, Pick 217 (Chicago Bears)
College: Kansas/Virginia Tech
Khalil Herbert signed with Kansas out of high school, playing in eight games with three starts and rushing for 189 yards on 44 carries with three touchdowns in his freshman season. Over the next three seasons, he totaled more than 1,500 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, but left the Jayhawks program midway through the 2019 season. For his final year of eligibility, he transferred to play at Virginia Tech. With the Hokies, he broke out in a huge way, amassing 1,183 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 10 receptions for 179 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in 11 games.