College football recruiting isn't an exact science. Whether it's from coaches evaluating prospects or recruiting services ranking and hyping up players based on their potential, sometimes the projections are right and sometimes they're wrong.
We went back to the 2007 class to look at some of the most-hyped prospects for each program in the Way Too Early Top 25. This is not a list of overhyped prospects who didn't pan out; rather, it's a list looking at recruits who received a ton of hype in general, regardless of how their college careers turned out.
1. Clemson Tigers: QB Trevor Lawrence
Class of 2018
ESPN 300 ranking: 2
Lawrence was the No. 2-ranked prospect overall, with Justin Fields and Emory Jones also coming out of Georgia in the same class. Lawrence had the measurables and the stats, and was hyped as someone who could come in and compete right away at Clemson.
Despite having Kelly Bryant on the roster, many thought Lawrence would come in and play early in his career. He obviously lived up to that hype and then some for Clemson. He's a potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft and already has a national championship ring.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes: QB Terrelle Pryor
Class of 2008
ESPN 150 ranking: 4
Pryor was the fourth-ranked prospect overall and was a legitimate basketball recruit as well. He was a dual-threat quarterback, and at 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, he was highly sought-after, to say the least.
Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and West Virginia were all in the mix, and Pryor's recruitment was closely watched down to the wire. He dragged out his decision beyond signing day and into March, when he ultimately chose Ohio State in a much-anticipated announcement. Pryor was hyped as a game-changing quarterback, and some still believe he could've changed Rich Rodriguez's tenure at Michigan had he chosen the Wolverines.
Pryor was 31-4 as a starter for Ohio State and passed for 6,177 yards while rushing for 2,164 yards. He was suspended for the first five games of his final season after accepting improper benefits and decided to forgo that final season to enter the NFL supplemental draft.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide: LB Dylan Moses
Class of 2017
ESPN 300 ranking: 5
Moses is one of the most-hyped recruits in recent memory. He started getting scholarship offers as an eighth-grader from LSU and Alabama, among others. He was featured on ESPN.com and in Sports Illustrated, and still had four years left until college.
Moses was one of the rare prospects to receive a ton of attention as early as eighth grade or freshman year and still pan out. He ended up as the No. 5-ranked recruit in the Class of 2017, and he decommitted from LSU and signed with Alabama. Moses has had an excellent collegiate career as well, living up to the lofty hype thus far.
4. Georgia Bulldogs: RB Isaiah Crowell
Class of 2011
ESPN 150 ranking: 4
Crowell was the No. 4 prospect overall and the No. 1 running back out of Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia. He committed to Georgia in style, holding up a bulldog puppy to announce his commitment.
Crowell rushed for 850 yards and five touchdowns during his first season, but was then dismissed from the program after being arrested on weapons charges. He wound up at Alabama State before going to the NFL.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions: QB Christian Hackenberg
Class of 2013
ESPN 150 ranking: 15
Then-coach Bill O'Brien landed a huge commitment with Hackenberg, who was the No. 15 recruit overall and the top-ranked pocket-passer in the class.
O'Brien had a reputation as a quarterback guru and had worked with Tom Brady during his time with the Patriots. Hackenberg was pegged as someone who could help save Penn State and bring the program up to the next level. Many thought this was a match made in heaven.
Hackenberg started as a freshman for Penn State and was named Big Ten freshman of the year. When O'Brien left for the NFL, Hackenberg's career spiraled. He finished at Penn State with 8,457 yards, 48 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. He was a second-round draft pick in 2017 but never appeared in an NFL game.
6. Oregon Ducks: ATH De'Anthony Thomas
Class of 2011
ESPN 300 ranking: 16
Thomas was a Los Angeles prospect, ranked in the top 20 in his class and seemed all but headed to USC. He was explosive and a big play waiting to happen -- and he was committed to the Trojans.
It shocked a lot of people when Thomas flipped from USC to Oregon. Pulling him away from the Trojans was a huge deal for the Ducks.
Thomas lived up to the hype in college and did a little bit of everything for the Ducks. He was lightning in a bottle and finished his career with 1,890 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns to go along with 1,296 receiving yards and 15 receiving TDs. He also had 1,885 kick return yards and four return touchdowns.
7. Florida Gators: DE/LB Ronald Powell
Class of 2010
ESPN 150 ranking: 1
Powell was a player many thought could make an instant impact on Florida's defense when the Gators landed him. He was ranked first in the 2010 class as an athlete out of California who played on both offense and defense in high school.
He was one of four commits in the class ranked as a five-star prospect and was hyped as a huge recruiting victory for the Gators. But injuries derailed some of his career at Florida before he was picked in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft.
8. LSU Tigers: QB Russell Shepard
Class of 2009
ESPN 150 ranking: 3
Shepard was one of the best pure athletes in the 2009 class. From Houston, he was the third-ranked recruit overall and touted as someone who could come in and impact LSU's offense from the get-go.
Unfortunately for LSU, he didn't pan out at quarterback and switched positions to running back and wide receiver. He finished his career without the eye-popping stats or game-changing plays that so many people thought he would deliver.
9. Oklahoma Sooners: WR Trey Metoyer
Class of 2011
ESPN 150 ranking: 51
Quarterback Rhett Bomar would fit the bill here, but that's going back to the Class of 2004. Metoyer was the No. 51 recruit overall in his class and was considered one of the top receivers out of Texas.
Some regarded him as one of the best prospects nationally, but he then had to go to prep school before joining Oklahoma. He was highly sought-after and had a ton of promise after his high school career.
He caught 17 passes for 148 yards in his first season and followed that with two receptions for 18 yards in 2013. He was then dismissed from the team after being charged with indecent exposure and never played college football again.
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: QB Jimmy Clausen
Class of 2007
ESPN 150 ranking: 8
Clausen has to take the cake for how his recruitment wound up. It all started when Clausen exited a limo at the College Football Hall of Fame to announce his commitment to Notre Dame. He flashed his high school state championship rings and had hair styled so perfect for the 2000s, Justin Timberlake would have been proud.
Clausen was the No. 8-ranked recruit overall in that class and was, at the time, a tremendous commitment for Notre Dame and its future offense. He was supposed to be a lock for a first-round draft pick, but the Irish went 3-9 in 2007, 7-6 in 2008 and 6-6 in 2009.
Granted, Notre Dame had its share of issues during that time, so it's tough to pin everything on Clausen. But he didn't live up to his expectations at South Bend.
11. Texas A&M Aggies: WR Speedy Noil
Class of 2014
ESPN 300 ranking: 7
Noil did not lack confidence in high school. He was a five-star recruit and a wide receiver with the nickname Speedy. What else do you need?
Noil had so much confidence, he once wore a gold watch while practicing at the Under Armour All-America Game. He made an impressive one-handed catch with the watch on, so he justified his ability to wear it.
That didn't translate at Texas A&M. He had a promising first season in 2014 with 583 receiving yards and five touchdowns, but never delivered more than that in a season. He left Texas A&M after three seasons and went undrafted without finding a team in the NFL as a free agent.
12. Oklahoma State Cowboys: RB Herschel Sims
Class of 2011
ESPN 150 ranking: 124
Sims was the No. 10 running back in his class. Many analysts thought he would be a great back who would excel at Oklahoma State despite his 5-8, 190-pound size.
He ran for only 242 yards and two touchdowns in his first season before being dismissed from the team after being charged with forgery.
13. Wisconsin Badgers: QB Graham Mertz
Class of 2019
ESPN ranking: 21
This one is a bit more recent, but Wisconsin doesn't necessarily have many hyped recruits given the way the program recruits. Mertz was the No. 1-ranked pocket-passing quarterback in the 2019 class and was ranked 21st overall.
Throughout his recruitment, there were many people who thought Mertz would have a chance to play as a freshman and could be the best quarterback recruit the Badgers have landed in some time. He threw for 73 yards during his freshman season, playing behind Jack Coan.
14. Auburn Tigers: DE Byron Cowart
Class of 2015
ESPN 300 ranking: 1
Cowart was the top-ranked prospect in his class, a 6-4, 258-pound defensive end out of Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida. He initially was headed to Florida to play for Will Muschamp.
Muschamp became the defensive coordinator at Auburn after Florida fired him, and Cowart followed. Cowart struggled to see significant time with the Tigers; he made 15 tackles in three seasons and transferred to Maryland to finish his career.
Cowart had 38 total tackles in that final season, and the New England Patriots selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft.
15. Michigan Wolverines: RB Sam McGuffie
Class of 2008
ESPN ranking: No. 30 running back
McGuffie was an internet sensation. There were viral videos of him hurdling players and even flipping over a fellow recruit. He was supposed to be the perfect fit for Rich Rodriguez's offense at Michigan and was going to help bring the offense up to speed.
McGuffie ran for 486 yards and three touchdowns and had 175 receiving yards with a TD during his first year at Michigan. He suffered multiple concussions, though, and ended up transferring to Rice. He had 883 rushing yards and six touchdowns his first season at Rice, but injuries plagued him and eventually moved to wide receiver for his final season.
He eventually signed as a free agent with a few NFL teams before landing as a member of the 2018 United States Olympic men's bobsled team in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
16. Minnesota Golden Gophers: RB Jeff Jones
Class of 2014
ESPN 300 ranking: 137
Jones was Minnesota's only ESPN 300 prospect in the 2014 class. He was the 12th-ranked running back, and he was from Minneapolis; it felt significant that the Gophers kept such a high-profile recruit at home, especially with offers from Wisconsin and Michigan State, among others.
But Jones' college career never got off the ground at Minnesota. He appeared in only three games for the Gophers before transferring to Iowa Western Community College.
17. Cincinnati Bearcats: QB Bennie Coney
Class of 2012
ESPN ranking: No. 32 quarterback
Coney was a talented quarterback prospect out of Plant City, Florida, with quite a few offers. He wound up at Cincinnati but appeared in only three games for the Bearcats.
He transferred to Eastern Kentucky, where he finished his career on a high note. He had a good career there; it just didn't work out at Cincinnati.
18. Iowa State Cyclones: RB DeVondrick Nealy
Class of 2011
ESPN ranking: No. 37 running back
Iowa State doesn't typically have much hype around its recruits. Nealy was the highest-ranked commit in the 2011 class, though, and played three seasons for the Cyclones.
He finished his career with 512 total rushing yards and three touchdowns over those three seasons. Nealy then left the team before the 2015 season and enrolled at Florida A&M.
19. Boise State Broncos: S Dylan Sumner-Gardner
Class of 2014
ESPN 300 ranking: 92
Boise State doesn't land many ESPN 300 recruits, so when a top prospect does sign, it's going to stick out if he doesn't pan out. That's the case with Sumner-Gardner, the No. 92 prospect overall and the No. 6 safety in his class. He had originally committed to Texas A&M but flipped to Boise State, which drew even more attention to his commitment.
Sumner-Gardner started as a true freshman, but then dealt with injuries in his second season. He also was charged with misdemeanor drug possession in 2015. He was academically ineligible for the first four games of his third season and ultimately was dismissed from the team.
20. Iowa Hawkeyes: RB Greg Garmon
Class of 2012
ESPN ranking: No. 23 running back
Garmon was a four-star recruit out of Erie, Pennsylvania, in 2012. He had a long offer list from big-time schools and chose Iowa as his destination.
He played only one season as a Hawkeye, finishing with 38 carries and 122 yards before transferring to Butte College of California. He did not end up playing for Butte, however, ending his collegiate career.
21. USC Trojans: QB Matt Barkley
Class of 2009
ESPN 150 ranking: 1
Running back Dillon Baxter would have fit here, as his recruitment was an interesting one and filled with hype. But Barkley was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2009 class, and people were talking about him being a star as early as his freshman season in high school.
Before he even arrived on campus, there was talk about Barkley being a first-round draft pick and the next great quarterback at USC. It's tough to think of many other quarterbacks who had such high expectations placed on their shoulders at such a high-profile place and dealt with the circumstances the way he did.
Barkley played four seasons at USC. He threw for 2,735 yards and 15 touchdowns his freshman season to go along with 14 interceptions. He finished his career with 12,327 yards, 116 touchdowns and 48 interceptions. He held a ton of USC's major records and was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
22. North Carolina Tar Heels: RB Elijah Hood
Class of 2014
ESPN 300 ranking: 80
Hood was a top-100 prospect out of Charlotte Catholic High School in North Carolina. He initially committed to Notre Dame, decommitted and eventually signed with North Carolina.
The Tar Heels' landing the ninth-ranked running back in the class was a big win. Hood had 147 career touchdowns in high school and ran for 3,000 yards as a junior and senior. He was a game-changing back with a great combination of size and speed that many thought would translate to college.
He didn't have the impact many thought he would at North Carolina, despite a 1,463-yard season in 2015. He eventually was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Raiders.
23. Texas Longhorns: QB Garrett Gilbert
Class of 2009
ESPN 150 ranking: 11
Gilbert came out of Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, which has produced a lot of great quarterbacks. He was the No. 11 recruit overall in the 2009 class and the No. 2 quarterback.
He threw an incredible 138 touchdown passes in high school with 12,540 passing yards. That success didn't translate over to Texas, though, as he went 5-7 as the starter in his second season, throwing for 10 touchdowns with 17 interceptions. He eventually transferred to SMU.
Gilbert threw for 3,528 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior at SMU, finishing his career on a high note before moving on to the NFL.
24. Appalachian State Mountaineers: S Treyon Garnett
Class of 2013
Unranked
None of App State's recruits are overhyped, of course. But Garnett was one of the higher-ranked signees in the 2013 class. He competed in nine games and made 12 tackles in his first season.
He stayed for three seasons and eventually transferred to Alabama State, where he finished his career.
25. Baylor Bears: WR Robbie Rhodes
Class of 2013
ESPN 300 ranking: 35
Rhodes was the No. 3 wide receiver in his class. He attended Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Texas, and signed with Baylor out of high school.
He caught 10 passes for 157 yards in 10 games in his first season at Baylor. Rhodes was dismissed from the team and transferred to Bowling Green, where he competed in seven games before being dismissed from that program as well.