Alums list continues growing
From Heisman Trophy hopefuls to 2026 NFL Draft picks and Super Bowl winning coaches, DeKalb’s high school football alums continue to make names for themselves at the college and pro levels.
The lists below highlight some of the top alums to keep an eye on as the 2026 college football and NFL seasons get underway.
College
- Columbia alum Jaden Baugh returns to Florida after a breakout sophomore season that saw him tie records set by Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. Now it’s Baugh’s turn to grace the Heisman hopeful lists, coming off a 1,170-yard season that saw him earn All-SEC honors.
- Tucker alum CJ Jackson is set to play his first snaps for the Vanderbilt Commodores this season, following the defensive lineman spending his first two college seasons at LSU.
- Marist alum Luke Harpring will join Baugh on the Florida Gators’ offense as the Georgia Tech transfer crossed state lines to find an SEC-home. Harpring averaged 12.2 yards per catch as a redshirt freshman at Georgia Tech.
- Cedar Grove alum Kayin Lee will suit up for the Tennessee Volunteers after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Auburn. Lee did not allow a single touchdown as a junior.
NFL
- Martin Luther King Jr. High School alum Kevin Byard is now on the New England Patriots’ roster, following an NFL First-Team and Pro Bowl season that saw the DeKalb alum lead the NFL in interceptions for the second time in his career.
- Stephenson High School alum Montez Sweat plays for the Chicago Bears. Sweat had 10 sacks last season and is the only player in NFL history to lead two teams in sacks during the same season, dating back to his 2023 Pro Bowl campaign.
- Stephenson High School alum Preston Smith and Marist alum John Fitzpatrick play for the Green Bay Packers.
- Marist alum Sean McVay is a Super Bowl winning head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. His team has the best odds to win the upcoming Super Bowl.
- Tucker High School alums Neiko Thorpe and Thomas Brown faced off in the previous Super Bowl, with Thorpe coaching the Seattle Seahawks defensive backs and Brown coordinating the New England Patriots’ passing game. Both coaches return to their teams for the 2026-27 campaign.
- Cedar Grove alum Christen Miller was selected in the 2026 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, following a successful college career at UGA. The rookie will suit up for his first NFL games this coming season.
Other DeKalb alums in the NFL include Southwest DeKalb High School alum Rock Ya-Sin (Detroit Lions), Stephenson High School alum DJ Wonnum (Detroit Lions), Arabia Mountain High School alum Jakobi Myers (Jacksonville Jaguars), Lithonia High School alum Broderick Jones (Pittsburgh Steelers), and Marist High School alum Kyle Hamilton (Baltimore Ravens).
