We ranked the top 25 college football recruits regardless of their high school graduating class, pitting the No. 1 rising senior (QB Bryce Underwood) against the No. 1 rising junior (DE Jahkeem Stewart).
While the 2025 ESPN 300 and 2026 ESPN Junior 300 are represented, we also dipped into the rising sophomore 2027 class and even the freshmen of the 2028 class.
Through film study and scouting camps across the country from February to May, we have seen all of these high-level prospects compete. This list is an evaluation of the eye test, but also character traits, on-field production and combine testing data.
And as with all rankings, they are fluid, so players can rise or fall since they are based on players' potential impact at the college level. We also provide a player comparison for each recruit -- and some of these players are on the trajectory to blossom into the future stars they emulate.
coverage:
ESPN 300 rankings for 2025
ESPN Junior 300 rankings for 2026
Fast starts: Top 2026 recruiting classes
