NFL Top 100: Nos. 21-40 as high school recruits
The football season is around the corner and as always, NFL.com releases its top 100 list for the upcoming season. Years ago, all these players were ranked and went through the recruiting process. We take a look back on how those things played out.
NFL TOP 100 AS RECRUITS: Nos. 41 - 60 | Nos. 61 - 80 | Nos. 81-100
MORE GORNEY: Who won recruiting in July? | Recruiting is fun again in the state of Alabama | Recruiting Rumor Mill | July's biggest flips
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40. Davante Adams
Adams was a two-star prospect who picked Fresno State over San Diego State, his only other offer, despite catching 64 passes for more than 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns and leading his team to a state title in his senior season.
Adams caught 233 passes for 3,031 yards and 38 TDs in two seasons and then he became a second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers. In his career, Adams has more than 10,000 receiving yards and is coming up on 100 TDs.
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39. Joe Burrow
A mid-level three-star prospect, Burrow signed with Ohio State and was a backup to JT Barrett, but then lost out on the starting job to Dwayne Haskins, so he transferred to LSU. Whether testing him in practice or being blunt, then-Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Burrow was a “D-II quarterback” and “throws like a girl.”
The former three-star was incredible at LSU especially in 2019 when he threw for 5,671 yards with 60 touchdowns and only six picks, won the Heisman and a national title. Burrow was the top pick in the 2020 draft and is one of the best QBs in the league.
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38. Sauce Gardner
Kentucky, Iowa State, Indiana and others were involved with Gardner throughout his recruitment but the three-star from Detroit (Mich.) Martin Luther King had the best relationship with Cincinnati assistant coach Mike Mickens, who’s now at Notre Dame, and so the Bearcats landed his commitment.
After picking off nine passes with the Bearcats, Gardner was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft and was the NFL defensive rookie of the year.
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37. Quinnen Williams
The Birmingham (Ala.) Wenonah standout flipped from Auburn to Alabama in the summer prior to his senior season and then he finished as a mid-level four-star. Williams totaled 91 tackles (26 for loss) and 10 sacks in two seasons with the Crimson Tide before being picked third overall in the 2019 draft.
Already a two-time Pro Bowler, Williams has 253 tackles and 33 sacks so far with the New York Jets.
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36. Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa wanted to go to Oregon and follow in Marcus Mariota’s footsteps and then USC emerged as the favorite. But Alabama got involved, even when Jake Fromm was still committed, and after tons of coaching upheaval across the country, the Crimson Tide landed him.
Tagovailoa was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft and is the Miami Dolphins starter, just recently signing a four-year, $212 million contract.
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35. Josh Hines-Allen
Allen committed to Kentucky during his official visit to Lexington in January as the Wildcats were his only listed offer. Rated as a three-star outside linebacker, Allen grew into an edge rusher at Kentucky and he put up huge numbers with 220 tackles and 31.5 sacks in his career, 17 of them coming in his final season.
The seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft, Allen has been a two-time Pro Bowler with 251 tackles and 45 sacks.
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34. Jordan Love
Love committed to Utah State in the summer before his senior season over Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Sacramento State and Northern Colorado, his only other offers.
The former two-star from Bakersfield (Calif.) Liberty was a late first-round pick even after a struggling final season at Utah State and he became the Green Bay Packers’ starter in 2023. He just signed his four-year, $220 million contract.
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33. Puka Nacua
The four-star receiver from Orem, Utah, did not sign with USC on National Signing Day and then flipped to Washington but his college career didn’t really take off until he transferred to BYU, where he caught 91 passes for 1,430 yards with 11 TDs over two seasons.
Nacua was a fifth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams and was a major surprise in his rookie season with 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six TDs a year ago.
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32. Quincy Williams
Williams did not even have a Rivals profile because the Birmingham (Ala.) Wenonah signed with Murray State. He had a successful career playing different positions there and then was a third-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now with the New York Jets, Williams has 414 tackles and 17 pass deflections in his career.
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31. DaRon Bland
The Modesto (Calif.) Central Catholic standout started as a wide receiver and then went to Sacramento State before flipping to cornerback. Bland then transferred to Fresno State before becoming a fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys.
The unranked prospect was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and has 123 tackles and 14 interceptions so far with the Cowboys.
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30. Deebo Samuel
Samuel had a strong showing at South Carolina’s summer camp and then had a big senior season along with a qualifying test score, the Gamecocks offered and he committed in December. Vanderbilt and North Carolina were also involved.
When Samuel wasn’t injured in Columbia he put up big stats and parlayed that into being a second-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers. In five seasons, Samuel has 283 catches for 4,122 yards and 19 TDs.
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29. Khalil Mack
A two-star inside linebacker from Fort Pierce (Fla.) Westwood, Mack signed with Buffalo (his only offer) and after redshirting he totaled 327 tackles (75 for loss) with 28.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hurries during his time with the Bulls.
The fifth pick in the 2014 draft, Mack has been a Pro Bowler eight times and has totaled 591 tackles and 101.5 sacks in his career.
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28. Brock Purdy
A final two of Iowa State and Texas A&M emerged after Alabama, Boise State and UCF also tried with the three-star quarterback from Gilbert (Ariz.) Perry, who threw for 4,405 yards with 57 touchdowns and nine picks in his senior year. He also rushed for 1,017 yards and nine scores.
In Ames, Purdy threw for more than 12,000 yards with 81 TDs over four years and then was the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Purdy has now emerged as one of the best young QBs in the league.
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27. Nick Bosa
A five-star prospect who ranked No. 21 overall and second at strong-side defensive end behind only Jeffery Simmons, Bosa always had Ohio State as his frontrunner. In 29 games with the Buckeyes, Bosa tallied 77 tackles and 17.5 sacks before being the second overall pick in the 2019 draft.
He’s been the NFL rookie and NFL defensive player of the year and has 53.5 career sacks.
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26. Mike Evans
Evans didn’t start playing football until his senior season at Galveston (Texas) Ball and he picked Texas A&M over Colorado State and Tulane, his only other offers. He was a college star and in two seasons he caught 151 passes for 2,499 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The low three-star was the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his entire career there, Evans has more than 11,000 receiving yards and 94 TDs along with a Super Bowl ring.
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25. Jalen Ramsey
An early commitment to USC, Ramsey flipped to Florida State and finished as a five-star prospect, the third-best corner and No. 10 in the 2013 class. Ramsey had 181 tackles, five sacks, three interceptions and 22 pass deflections in three seasons with the Seminoles before being the fifth overall pick in 2016.
He’s a Super Bowl champ, a seven-time Pro Bowler and has 22 career INTs.
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24. Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence committed to Clemson over NC State, Alabama, Florida and North Carolina in December of his senior year. In three seasons, Lawrence totaled 131 tackles and 10 sacks (his freshman numbers were by far the best) and then was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
One of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, Lawrence has 266 tackles and 21 sacks in his career.
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23. Amon-Ra St. Brown
The five-star receiver from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei chose USC over Stanford and Notre Dame (where his older brothers played) at the Army All-American Bowl. With the Trojans, he finished with 178 catches for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns before being a fourth-round pick in 2021.
St. Brown has been one of the best young receivers in the league and he’s had 3,588 yards in three seasons with the Detroit Lions.
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22. Penei Sewell
Even up to decision time, no coaching staff was fully confident in landing Sewell, who had Oregon, Utah, Alabama and USC as his favorites. The Ducks won out and while he was a crucial player on Oregon’s offensive line, the 2019 season was his only full one as he missed much of 2018 with an injury and then opted out of the 2020 COVID season.
He ended up as the seventh overall pick by the Detroit Lions and is one of the best OL in the league.
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21. A.J. Brown
A high four-star receiver from Starkville, Brown picked Ole Miss over Mississippi State, Alabama, Cal and others. In 36 games in Oxford, Brown caught 189 passes for 2,984 yards and 19 touchdowns before being a second-round draft pick.
He’s already been a three-time Pro Bowler who has nearly 6,000 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns in the league.