NFL Draft set to begin with these football players from Manatee County on the board

Manatee County has a rich football history, from the high school ranks to college and the pros.

That history could be add another chapter when the 2024 NFL Draft gets underway in Detroit on Thursday.

According to NFL.com’s latest mock draft, two players who played at IMG Academy are projected first-round draft picks.

They are Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham and Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy.

ESPN’s longtime draft analyst and expert, Mel Kiper Jr., projects Latham to go 11th overall to the Minnesota Vikings and for the Indianapolis Colts to pick McCarthy with the 15th overall pick.

“Latham is a mountain of an offensive tackle who is light on his feet,” Kiper wrote in his April 23 rankings about Latham.

The NFL Draft is over three days with the first round held Thursday, Rounds 2-3 on Friday and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday.

Former Braden River star Deshaun Fenwick is likely a later-round pick if he gets drafted. Kiper ranks Fenwick, who played running back at Oregon State, as the 34th-best running back in this year’s draft class.

Fenwick averaged 5.36 yards per carry in 2023. He scored five times on the ground while adding two receiving touchdowns. Fenwick finished 2023 with 515 rushing yards and 76 receiving yards in 13 games.

The NFL Draft airs on ESPN and ABC with Thursday’s first round beginning at 8 p.m., Friday’s coverage starting at 7 p.m. and Saturday airing at 12 p.m.