Star rankings are a fan-friendly measurement of a college football prospect's ability and potential, but they aren't always an accurate portrayal, which is why accompanying grades and evaluations should always be considered.
Among the star rankings, none is more sought after than the five-star, which indicates the premier prospects in a respective class. The bar to receive that ranking for the ESPN 300 is high, and since 2010, 134 total prospects have received a fifth star.
A five-star prospect should not only have excellent ability and be able to make an instant impact, but they also must demonstrate the willingness and intangibles to maximize their great potential once arriving in college. Some of them met and exceeded those standards at the NFL level as well. Others fell short for various reasons.
Only once has a single recruiting class featured more than 15 five-star prospects. In 2016, there were only nine. We rank which recruiting class had the best group of five-star prospects.
1. Class of 2014
Five-star prospects: 15
NFL draft picks: 12
No. 1 prospect: RB Leonard Fournette
The 2014 class had a tremendous hit rate with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, multiple first-round selections, multiple college football award winners and NFL Pro Bowlers.
Myles Garrett (No. 4), a pass-rushing machine at Texas A&M, was taken first overall in the 2017 NFL draft and has become a Pro Bowl-level player. Three players won college football's most prestigious awards at their position. Safety Jabrill Peppers (No. 2) took home the Lott Trophy, OT Cam Robinson (No. 3) the Outland Trophy and CB Adoree' Jackson (No. 9) the Jim Thorpe Award in 2016.
First-round NFL draft selections include Fournette, Peppers, Garrett, Jackson and Pro Bowl CB Marlon Humphrey (No. 15). Second-round picks were Robinson, two-time All-SEC CB Teez Tabor (No. 11) and LB Raekwon McMillan (No. 13). Alabama had the No. 1-ranked class in 2014, which included a handful of five-stars with Robinson, Humphrey, DE Da'Shawn Hand (No. 6) and RB Bo Scarbrough (No. 12) all being drafted.
2. Class of 2013
Five-star prospects: 11
NFL draft picks: 10
No. 1 prospect: DE Robert Nkemdiche
This class saw 10 of 11 five-star prospects drafted to the NFL and was composed of multiple All-Americans, multiple Pro Bowl players at the highest level and a Heisman Trophy winner.
Derrick Henry (No. 9) took home the 2015 Heisman Trophy at Alabama and has gone on to be a productive running back in the NFL. Nkemdiche and OT Laremy Tunsil (No. 5) were part of a top-five class for Ole Miss and both linemen went on to be first-round draft picks. Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III (No. 3) was a three-time All-SEC player and was selected in the first round. Eli Apple (No. 11) was another cornerback who went in the first-round.
Second-round NFL draft selections were Henry, Pro Bowl LB Jaylon Smith (No. 7) and CB Mackensie Alexander (No. 4). Explosive DE Carl Lawson (No. 2) battled injury in the NFL but ended up a fourth-round selection after All-American and All-SEC honors at Auburn. The lone player from the class of five-stars not drafted was Florida State LB Matthew Thomas (No. 6).
3. Class of 2016
Five-star prospects: 9
NFL draft picks: 7
No. 1 prospect: LB Rashan Gary
While the class was made up of only nine five-stars, five players went in the first round of the NFL draft. Gary was not statistically as dominant as expected at Michigan, but still a powerful and athletic big man, he was a handful and ended up a two-time All-Big Ten selection who went in the first round of the draft.
Nick Bosa (No. 3) entered college a quick and polished pass-rusher and was dominant at Ohio State, eventually going No. 2 overall in the draft to the San Francisco 49ers and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019.
Three defensive tackles went in the first round in Ed Oliver (No. 4), Dexter Lawrence (No. 6) and Derrick Brown (No. 9). Oliver, who signed with Group of 5 Houston and was a disruptive force for the Cougars, was a three time All-American and took home the Outland Trophy in 2017. Brown was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. Greg Little (No. 2) went in the second round after being a two-time All-SEC pick at Ole Miss.
4. Class of 2017
Five-star prospects: 15
NFL draft picks: 3
No. 1 prospect: OT Trey Smith
The 2017 class already has a pair of first-round draft picks and a second-round selection among its alumni, and the 2021 NFL draft will be littered with former five-stars from this cycle.
A flexible and tenacious offensive lineman who exhibited strong intangibles, Smith ended up No. 1 overall. When healthy, he has shown he is among college football's premier offensive linemen. He decided to stay at Tennessee for his senior year and projects as a first-rounder in 2021.
Offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson (No. 2) was drafted 29th overall in 2020 after a strong career at Georgia. Joining Wilson as a first-round pick this year was Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah (No. 7). While RB Cam Akers (No. 9) didn't live up to the lofty expectations in terms of production at Florida State, the versatile running back still went in the second round in April.
The 2021 NFL draft looks poised to have Smith, Florida State DT Marvin Wilson (No. 4), Alabama LB Dylan Moses (No. 5), Ohio State CB Shaun Wade (No. 6) and Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood (No. 8) all selected in the first or second round. Georgia S Richard LeCounte III (No. 12), Stanford OT Foster Sarell (No. 14), Florida State DE Joshua Kaindoh (No. 13) and Alabama RB Najee Harris (No. 11) also will likely hear their names called in the draft next year.
5. Class of 2018
Five-star prospects: 13
NFL draft picks: N/A
No. 1 prospect: QB Justin Fields
As this class heads into its junior season, it is already showing a strong hit rate in terms of production. The battle between Fields and Trevor Lawrence (No. 2) for the No. 1 overall spot in that class was closely contested, and both outstanding quarterback prospects have since proved why they stood atop the rest of the 2018 class. Lawrence had a tremendous freshman season, helping lead Clemson to a national title, and while Fields took slightly longer to find his footing in college, he quickly displayed why he was the No. 1 overall prospect once he settled in as Ohio State's QB, finishing 2019 as a Heisman finalist. Through the 2020 season both these players looked poised to once again be closely linked and in the national title and Heisman picture.
Micah Parsons (No. 7) was projected as a five-star defensive end, but since arriving at Penn State wasted no time making an impact at linebacker, leading the team in tackles in his first two seasons. Defensive end Xavier Thomas (No. 4) joined a loaded D-line group at Clemson, but the explosive pass-rusher could not be kept on the sideline his freshman year, contributing to that national title team and since seeing his role grow.
Three defensive backs finished among the five-stars in that cycle with all three contributing to their respective programs, Patrick Surtain II (No. 5) ranked the highest among them. He has started nearly every game at Alabama since arriving in Tuscaloosa and was among the team leaders in pass breakups this past season.
Terrace Marshall Jr. (No. 10) was a five-star recruit but was the second-ranked wide receiver in the class to Penn State's Justin Shorter (No. 8). That said, he was a key contributor to LSU's national title run down the stretch last season, accounting for five touchdowns between the SEC title game and the College Football Playoff.
6. Class of 2019
Five-star prospects: 14
NFL draft picks: N/A
No. 1 prospect: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
The 2019 class has the early look of one that will supply a number of future NFL first- and second-round selections, multiple All-Americans, college football award-winners and all-conference players.
Thibodeaux, the lengthy and disruptive edge rusher, looked like a future first-round pick the last half of his freshman campaign. Offensive line was the most talented position in the 2019 class, and Alabama's Evan Neal (No. 4), Tennessee's Wanya Morris (No. 9) and Texas A&M's Kenyon Green (No. 3) all started in their freshman year. Darnell Wright (No. 5) also showed plenty of promise for the Volunteers.
Auburn LB Owen Pappoe (No. 8) was a starter all season with his speed and playmaking ability carrying over to the next level. Ohio State DE Zach Harrison (No. 10) and Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith (No. 2) also flashed the impact ability that made them five-stars. Oklahoma WR Jadon Haselwood (No. 6) was slated to become a star as a sophomore before an offseason knee injury. Safety Daxton Hill (No. 13) at Michigan also has already shown promise as a freshman.
7. Class of 2011
Five-star prospects: 14
NFL draft picks: 7
No. 1 prospect: DE Jadeveon Clowney
The 2011 class featured the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, three All-Americans and a number of talented prospects who showed the flashes that garnered them lofty expectations coming out of high school. But they took some time to find success in the NFL.
Clowney lived up to the immense expectations at South Carolina and went first in the 2014 NFL draft. Offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (No. 3) was an All-American at Alabama and drafted in the second round.
Safety Karlos Williams (No. 5), OT Christian Westerman (No. 6), LB Tony Steward (No. 9) and QB Jeff Driskel (No. 10) were all late-round NFL selections with Driskel being the lone quarterback among the 14 five-stars. Isaiah Crowell (No. 4), La'el Collins (No. 8) and Malcolm Brown (No. 7) were all undrafted players, but have found success at the highest level after solid college careers.
8. Class of 2015
Five-star prospects: 20
NFL draft picks: 10
No. 1 prospect: DE Byron Cowart
The class of 2015 produced the most five-stars and was very much hit or miss due in large part to injuries at the college level, but the 10 NFL draft picks included a Heisman Trophy winner, the 2017 SEC Player of the Year and a number of all-conference performers.
After going undefeated as a high school starter, Kyler Murray (No. 13) continued to dominate, winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma after transferring from Texas A&M. Safety Derwin James (No. 8) was one of college football's best at Florida State when healthy, was drafted in the first round and has been to a Pro Bowl already.
Cowart underperformed at Auburn before transferring to Maryland, where he performed closer to his initial expectations and, as a result, ended up being drafted in the fifth round in 2019. Terry Beckner Jr. (No. 2), when healthy, proved he could be the handful in the trenches. Though a pair of ACL injuries impacted his college career, he was drafted in the seventh round out of Missouri.
The injuries were noteworthy in this class as much as any in the ESPN ranking era. Martez Ivey (No. 5), George Campbell (No. 7) and Canton Kaumatule (No. 15) all struggled to stay healthy, with Kaumatule's career cut short all together. Josh Sweat (No. 11) was the consensus No. 1 overall prospect entering his senior year before a knee dislocation and torn ligaments changed his projection. Sweat battled back over time at Florida State and enjoyed a productive rookie season in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 draft.
Kerryon Johnson (No. 20) went to Auburn with the ability to play running back or safety. He settled at running back and became a versatile and playmaking workhorse for the Tigers, being named SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 before he was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions.
9. Class of 2012
Five-star prospects: 11
NFL draft picks: 8
No. 1 prospect: DE Mario Edwards
Seven of the 11 five-stars in the 2012 class were taken in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, with offensive tackles D.J. Humphries (No. 7) and Andrus Peat (No. 9) going in the first round after standout careers at Florida and Stanford, respectively. Peat has gone on to be selected to multiple Pro Bowls, as has former Alabama safety Landon Collins (No. 6).
Defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (No. 10), who earned All-ACC honors at Florida State and was drafted in the second round, has gone on to be a solid player in the NFL. Edwards helped Florida State win three ACC titles during his tenure and was drafted in the second round, but didn't have quite the career in Tallahassee or at the NFL level that many expected.
Running back Johnathan Gray (No. 2) had two shoulder surgeries before his first game at Texas and later suffered an Achilles injury in Austin. Wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (No. 3) was dismissed from the Missouri football team after two seasons, played two seasons in the NFL and was arrested on drug charges in December 2018. Eddie Williams (No. 11) was dismissed from Alabama's football team when he was arrested for robbery in 2013.
10. Class of 2010
Five-star prospects: 12
NFL draft picks: 8
No. 1 prospect: ATH Ronald Powell
While eight of the 12 five-stars in the 2010 class were drafted, it was a group filled with injuries and off-the-field issues.
Defensive tackle Dominique Easley (No. 3) was drafted in the first round despite two ACL injuries at Florida. Powell was a fifth-round pick who dealt with injuries at Florida, while DE Jackson Jeffcoat (No. 2) went undrafted after battling injuries at Texas. Linebacker Jordan Hicks (No. 4) was also injured for much of his time at Texas, but the former third-round pick has proved to be a productive NFL player when healthy.
Cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (No. 6) went to Florida State while WR Robert Woods (No. 7) went to USC. Both were named All-Americans, were drafted in the second round and have gone to have productive pro careers.
The Florida Gators signed the nation's top class in the 2010 cycle, and while never truly meeting expectations, all four five-stars were drafted in Easley, Powell, first-round pick ATH Matt Elam (No. 9) and S Jonathan Dowling (No. 10), who transferred from Florida to Western Kentucky.