NFL Top 100: High School Players Ranked 1-20
Football season is right around the corner and NFL.com, as always, releases its Top 100 list for the coming season. All of these players were ranked and went through the recruiting process a few years ago. Let’s review how these things happen. Here are the top 20:
20.CJ Stroud
Ohio State didn’t make an offer until late, but once the Buckeyes got involved, they became the front-runner, especially since Stroud mimics Justin Fields’ style of play in so many ways. Ironically, Georgia (where Fields played before transferring to Ohio State) is the other top contender for Stroud’s recruitment, along with Michigan State, Oregon State and USC. He is the second-ranked quarterback in California behind Bryce Young. Stroud had two monster seasons at Ohio State, throwing for 85 touchdowns and becoming the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft (behind Young). Stroud was one of the best rookies ever last season.
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19.Roquan Smith
Smith, ranked No. 77 overall and No. 6 among outside linebackers, committed to UCLA on signing day but did not submit paperwork as then-D.C. Jeff Ubrich Heading to the NFL. A few days later, Smith transferred to Georgia. He was ultimately selected eighth overall in the 2018 draft and finished well with 851 tackles and 20 sacks.
Share your thoughts with Georgia fans at UGASPORTS.COM
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18. Justin Jefferson
Due to academic issues, Jefferson didn’t commit to LSU until months after signing day, and his only other offer came from Nicholls State, so the Destrehan, L.I., rookie was assigned two Star ranking. He had two phenomenal seasons in Baton Rouge, compiling 165 catches for 2,415 yards and 24 touchdowns before becoming the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He has caught nearly 400 passes for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns with the Minnesota Vikings.
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17. Micah Parsons
The five-star linebacker out of Harrisburg, Penn., originally committed to Penn State but later backed away from that commitment. Ohio State looks set to sign Parsons, but prepares to pose with Parsons after being cleared to attend ESPN College GameDay Kirk HerbstreitThe former Ohio State player was considered a violation of NCAA rules and the Buckeyes were eliminated. He eventually signed with the Nittany Lions, where he racked up 191 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Parsons, the 12th overall pick, has been a star player for the Dallas Cowboys.
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16. Dak Prescott
After earning an offer from Mississippi State in summer camp, the three-star star from Houghton, La., quickly accepted offers from Memphis, North Texas and other states. Prescott led the Bulldogs to their first No. 1 ranking in school history, finishing with 9,376 yards passing, 70 touchdowns, 23 touchdowns, and rushing for 2,521 yards and 41 scores. Prescott, a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, was the team’s Rookie of the Year and remains a starter. He now has nearly 30,000 yards passing and more than 200 touchdowns.
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15. Jaylen is injured
Alabama, Florida State, Mississippi State and Texas A&M were the four programs Hurts focused on before recruiting the Crimson Tide. Hurts had a stellar career at Alabama but ultimately lost the starting job to Tua Tagovailoa. He then transferred to Oklahoma State, where he threw for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns and scored 20 more scores for the Sooners. He was a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles and is now one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The former four-star prospect has 67 passing touchdowns and 41 rushing touchdowns.
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14. George Kittle
Kittle chose Iowa State over Air Force, his only other option. Kittle is a legend because his father, Bruce, who played for the Hawkeyes, was a coach because Kittle was a low-three-star prospect out of Norman, Oklahoma. Terl didn’t really make a huge impact at Iowa State. In more than five seasons, he totaled just 48 catches for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns before becoming a fifth-round draft pick. Everything flourished for him during his career, where he was a five-time Pro Bowler and scored 37 touchdowns.
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13. Sidi Mutton
Foster, a four-star receiver from Richmond, Texas, initially committed to Oklahoma State, but later backed out of that commitment and then again chose Oklahoma over Texas Texas A&M University and Ole Miss University. ) was selected with the 17th overall pick in 2020. Lamb has over 5,000 receiving yards and 36 career touchdowns.
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12. Josh Allen
Allen tried unsuccessfully to get a scholarship to Fresno State and was then offered a walk-on position at San Diego State, which Allen declined. He transferred to junior college and then to Wyoming, where he passed for 5,015 yards and 44 touchdowns his final two seasons. The two-star prospect was the seventh overall pick in the 2018 draft. A two-time Pro Bowler, Allen has thrown for 167 touchdowns and rushed for 53 times.
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11. Fred Warner
The four-star linebacker committed to BYU in the spring before his senior season, and though USC, Nebraska and Washington continued to pursue him, Warner stuck with the Cougars. Warner totaled 264 tackles, seven interceptions and 6.5 sacks in four seasons at BYU before being drafted in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers. The San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills standout is one of the best linebackers in the league with 766 career tackles.
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10. Max Crosby
Crosby was a two-star recruit out of Colleyville (Texas) Heritage, whose only offer came from Eastern Michigan. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. Crosby is one of the best defensive linemen in the league, racking up 52 sacks in five seasons and seemingly continuing to improve.
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9. Travis Kelce
Kelce, a two-star athlete in the 2008 class, is the third quarterback in Cincinnati’s class to serve as then-coach Brian Kelly Tell the prospect in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, that he’ll get an opportunity there, and if not, he’ll be moved elsewhere. Kelce eventually moved to tight end and had just 59 catches for 875 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. Kelce, a third-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, is now the best TE in the league, has three Super Bowl rings, and is Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.
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8.TJ Watt
Minnesota and Northern Illinois were his only other offers besides Wisconsin, which Watt selected as a three-star tight end. After redshirting and missing a season due to injury, Watt turned to defense and it wasn’t until 2016 that his career took off with 11.5 sacks. He was ultimately selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 draft and has spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he has racked up over 400 tackles and 96.5 sacks to date.
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7. Trent Williams
As a high three-star prospect, Oklahoma beat out Arkansas, LSU, Oklahoma State and others as Texas never offered Texas Long Excellent performance from View. Williams ended up being the No. 4 pick in the 2010 draft, and he was arguably the most reliable offensive lineman in the NFL for more than a decade.
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6. Chris Jones
The Houston, Mississippi, standout committed to Mississippi State before summer camp. Jones had 102 tackles but only 8.5 sacks in three seasons before becoming an early second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. He is now arguably the best back in the league with 75.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles and three Super Bowl rings.
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5. Myles Garrett
A five-star recruit from Arlington (Texas) Martin, Texas A&M defeated Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and more. Garrett was dominant for the Aggies, racking up 145 tackles and 32.5 sacks in three seasons before becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft. The second-ranked rookie in his class, Garrett is also an elite player in the NFL, with 88.5 career sacks.
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4. Patrick Mahomes
Houston and Rice were the other offers for Mahomes, but when DJ Gillings retired from Texas Tech, the three-star quarterback from Whitehouse, Texas, became the then- Red Raiders coaches’ top choice Kliff Kingsbury. Mahomes’ physical attributes later developed, and he went on to rack up 11,252 yards and 93 touchdowns in three seasons at Texas Tech. The 10th overall pick (and the second quarterback taken after Mitch Trubisky), Mahomes is arguably the best player in the league as he won 3 Super Bowls , and won the Super Bowl MVP three times.
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3. Christian McCaffrey
The 77th pick is too low because McCaffrey was the 8th overall pick in the 2017 draft. McCaffrey is a legend at Stanford who chose the Cardinals over Oregon State, Michigan State and many others, where he had a great career where he rushed the ball in three seasons 3,922 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 touchdowns. He is now the best running back in the NFL, and he was the league’s rushing yardage leader last season.
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2. Lamar Jackson
The four-star prospect committed to Louisville the summer before his senior season after many showed interest but didn’t pull the trigger. Florida State tried to flip him later — he walked into the signing day ceremony wearing a Gators backpack — but the lowly four-star prospect stayed with the Cardinals. He won the Heisman Trophy at Louisville before being selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2018 draft. He is a two-time NFL MVP and one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
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1. Mount Tyrik
Hill, a mid-major four-star prospect from Garden City, Kan., chose Oklahoma State over USC, Alabama and Florida State, but due to legal issues, he only attended Oklahoma State. Tillwater played one season before ending his college career at West Alabama. He was a fifth-round draft pick but has been one of the best receivers in the league with 717 catches, over 10,000 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns.
