Two former Southern Nevada high school football standouts heard their names called Saturday as the 2026 NFL draft concluded in Pittsburgh. Keionte Scott, a cornerback from Miami, and Fernando Carmona, an offensive lineman from Arkansas, were both selected on the draft’s final day.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Scott in the fourth round with the 116th overall pick. Scott, who spent his sophomore year at Liberty High and junior year at Democracy Prep before finishing at a San Diego school, started his college career at Snow College in Utah. He later transferred to Auburn for three seasons before moving to Miami for the 2025 campaign.
“I pride myself on being a defensive back and I have this chip building up on my shoulder that was already there and it’s much bigger,” Scott told reporters. “Wherever it’s going to be for the team, whatever I can do for the city of Tampa Bay and get that place rocking, it’s something I’m willing to do.”
The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Scott earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2025 and helped Miami reach the College Football Playoff national championship game. He was named Cotton Bowl defensive MVP after the Hurricanes beat Ohio State 24-14 in the CFP quarterfinals.
“I’m learning lessons and different things, but ultimately, I feel like I’ve handled adversity well,” Scott said. “Even situations I’m in now, it’s time to answer that call again. I feel like I’m super confident in my ability to handle adverse situations.”
The Tennessee Titans selected Carmona in the fifth round, 142nd overall. A 2021 graduate of Las Vegas High School, Carmona played tennis and basketball before joining the football team in 2019 as a tight end. He lost his senior season to COVID-19 and committed to San Jose State, where he redshirted in 2021 and started every game the next two years.
Carmona transferred to Arkansas and became a third-team All-SEC pick in 2024 and second-team All-SEC in 2025. The 6-foot-4, 316-pound guard said his tight end background gives him a unique perspective.
“You gain respect for those tight ends that go out there and block,” Carmona said. “You have to learn both the offensive line side and the wide receiver side. Having that perspective in high school and shifting over to the offensive line, you gain a lot of respect for those guys.”
“Being the facility (on a pre-draft visit), and all the people in the building are incredible,” Carmona added. “I really enjoyed my time there and all the energy. There’s a lot of good players on this team and I’m excited to go to work with them.”
