Will Jaguars Consider 2 Prospects From Same HS At No. 5?

Servite advanced to 2021 state title game with Mason Graham, Tetairoa McMIllan leading way.

Nov 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

James Gladstone's first selection as Jacksonville general manager might come from his old backyard. From Orange County to Duval County, the Jaguars may have started a pipeline.

At some point following a future NFL game, Mason Graham and Tetairoa McMillan will pose for postgame photos after exchanging jerseys. First, though, the former high-school teammates need to find their NFL teams.

They might not need to wait long. Most mock drafts have the Jaguars taking Graham fifth overall. Some even have Jacksonville taking McMillan with that selection. Either way, their former head coach at Servite High School, Troy Thomas, will be more than proud.

Thomas mentored both at the powerhouse Southern California program, which competed in what most consider the nation’s toughest high school football conference, the Trinity League. Graham and McMillan helped Servite rebound from a pandemic-delayed 2020 season for a berth in the state title game.

Prior to their 2021 senior season, Thomas said he saw noticeable growth in McMillan.

“T-Mac is leading now," Thomas said in August 2021. "He’s been a quiet kid and now I really like what he's doing leadership-wise. I feel really good about that. It’s going to make a big difference with our program and on our team."

He sure did. McMillan led the Friars’ offense to a 10-3 record that year and their first berth in the CIF Southern Section championship since 2011. Graham anchored the defense, with an assist from his future NFL teammate.

McMillan that year was the Travis Hunter of the CIF, earning player of the year honors while playing wide receiver and posting eight interceptions as a defensive back.

Now, after a stellar three-year career at Arizona, the 6-5, 210-pound McMillan is regarded by most as the draft’s best wide receiver. He registered 3,423 receiving yards at Arizona, most in the country from 2022-24, and led the nation with 35 receptions of 20-or-more air yards over his three years with the Wildcats.

In addition to the draft’s best wide receiver, Servite is also likely to lay claim to the draft’s best defensive tackle in Graham. And that’s an important distinction, considering the depth of defensive linemen in 2025 draft class.

Like McMillan, Graham also started on both sides of the ball at Servite, playing offensive tackle in the same huddle. As a senior, Graham posted 22 tackles for loss and 14 sacks.

More impressively, though, was Graham’s Trinity League success in another sport, wrestling. Graham on two occasions captured the conference’s heavyweight championship and helped the Friars win the league his junior season. That wrestling background has alleviated any concerns most NFL scouts have about Graham’s smaller size and ability to battle double-teams in the trenches on Sundays.

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