Many Southern California high school football programs have distinguished roll calls when it comes to alumni who have made it to the NFL, but one of those schools achieved something remarkable Thursday night.
Servite became the first school in California history to have two players selected in the top 10 of the same NFL draft, according to CalHi Sports and HSFA data. Defensive tackle Mason Graham was drafted at No. 5 by the Cleveland Browns and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers.
Servite edged Oceanside El Camino’s 1997 draft feat when Bryant Westbrook and Michael Booker went No. 5 and No. 11, respectively.
Although the accomplishment is rare, there are a growing number of high schools with multiple former players taken in a single draft. Like Servite, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) also had two alumni selected in the first round last year with JC Latham (No. 7) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10). IMG Academy and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) each had three players selected in the 2024 draft.
The last Southern Section school to have former teammates selected in the first round? Long Beach Poly in 1990 and 1991, with Mark Carrier (No. 6 in 1990) and Leonard Russell (No. 14 in 1991). Long Beach Poly is the only school in California to achieve the feat twice with teammates but never in the same draft year, according to CalHi Sports.
Graham and McMillan graduated from Servite in 2022 and were part of a 2021 Friars team that defeated St. John Bosco in the semifinals and reached the Southern Section Division 1 championship game against Mater Dei, finishing 10-3 on the season.
Graham, The Times’ high school player of the year in 2021, was an All-American at Michigan. McMillan was a star at Arizona.
Eric Sondheimer contributed to this report.