Like any class, college football's crop of 2022 recruits has some high-profile hits along with some notable whiffs. Evaluating and projecting high schoolers is a difficult exercise any year. The disjointed nature of evaluation during the global pandemic in the 2020 and 2021 prep cycles only added to the challenge for college programs.
The nation's No. 1 prospect, Walter Nolen, is a likely first-round pick, even if his impact across three SEC seasons with Texas A&M and Ole Miss didn't quite live up to his ranking. Travis Hunter ranked No. 2 in the 2022 class and somehow exceeded expectations as a two-way sensation after we evaluated him as a five-star corner.
Some, such as five-star defensive tackle and No. 3 prospect Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, haven't panned out, but there are plenty of examples of undervalued recruits who developed into very productive college players and have become prominent NFL draft prospects.
With the benefit of three seasons of evaluation at the college level, we can better assess the overall impact of the 2022 recruiting class. Below, we reranked the 25 best players in that group based on how their scouting profiles have changed, their college production and potential impact at the next level.
1. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: 2 (No. 1 CB)
As Hunter's ranking suggests, he was an elite corner in high school, but we never expected the unparalleled production he delivered on both sides of the ball over the past three years. We evaluated Hunter as a five-star corner with his length, hips and amazing ball skills. In hindsight, the glaring projection error was not ranking him as an athlete. Hunter became the first five-star recruit to sign with an FCS school when he flipped from Florida State to Jackson State to play for Deion Sanders. That arrangement -- with Shedeur Sanders throwing him the ball on offense and Hunter showcasing No. 1-corner ability on defense -- flourished even after he transferred to Colorado, where Hunter became the sport's preeminent star in 2024 and won the Heisman Trophy. It's an open question whether he'll end up more effective as a pass catcher or as a corner after he's one of the first players selected in April's NFL draft.
2. Mykel Williams, DL, Georgia
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: 24 (No. 3 DT)
The Georgia native flirted with five-star status as a senior. He flipped from USC to stay in state with the Bulldogs in 2022 after the Trojans fired Clay Helton. That proved to be a prescient decision. He had five tackles, including a sack, and three QB hurries in the CFP National Championship game as a true freshman and entered 2024 as an Associated Press preseason first-team All-SEC pick. A left ankle sprain hindered his production early in the season, but the 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman has the requisite measurables, power and athleticism that could pop with proper NFL tutelage, making him a favorite in the pre-draft process.
3. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 71 DT)
Clearly, Graham proved a lot of people wrong once he arrived in Ann Arbor. He was a three-star prospect out of Servite High School in California, where he was a two-way contributor and a standout wrestler. Some evaluators early in his prep career wondered whether he was better suited for the offensive line. Now, Graham is one of the most disruptive defenders in the 2025 draft. The 320-pounder departs Michigan as a unanimous first-team All-American on the strength of his powerful hands, athleticism and relentless work ethic.
4. Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Four-star (No. 36 OLB)
Carter is another player who massively outperformed expectations. The four-star outside linebacker paired good speed and physicality with impressive pass-rushing urgency off the edge as a prep star, and his traits popped early at Penn State. But Carter truly blossomed once he became a full-time edge rusher. The 6-3 259-pounder ranks as ESPN's No. 1 draft prospect after finishing with 68 tackles and 12 sacks this season.
5. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 12 (No. 1 ATH)
Starks flashed high-end 100-meter dash times as a high schooler and the in-state product was Georgia's top signing in the 2022 class, a perfect fit in Kirby Smart's defense. Starks was highly productive over his three-year career, which included a national title in 2022, and was an ESPN preseason All-American before finishing with 77 tackles and one interception. At 6-1, 205 pounds, Starks has the size and diverse skill set to line up anywhere and make an impact. He's expected to be one of three Georgia defenders drafted in the first round in April.
6. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 14 (No. 2 OT)
The Louisiana native stayed home and lived up to his five-star status with LSU, instantly stepping into a starting role. His physical upside and mobility stood out as a recruit, and the 6-6 Campbell filled out his frame, showed impressive scheme versatility and developed more consistent hand placement and technique in both the pass and run game. Some may quibble with his arm length, but offensive tackles with Campbell's production don't typically last long in the draft.
7. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 23 (No. 4 CB)
Johnson was on the precipice of five-star status but wasn't Michigan's highest-ranked signing at the time; that distinction belonged to Derrick Moore. But Johnson emerged alongside Mason Graham as a stalwart for the Wolverines' defense, even if he was banged up in 2024. The 6-2 Johnson, who finished his career with nine interceptions and three defensive touchdowns, has the desired length for a shutdown boundary corner with exceptional feel for reading receivers and tracking the ball.
8. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 91 RB)
We underestimated Jeanty's athleticism coming out of Lone Star High School, where he didn't test particularly well and had just two power conference offers, from Kansas and California. The 5-9 running back instead went to Boise State, added strength and used his balance and low center of gravity to emerge as one of college football's most exciting players. Jeanty finished as the Heisman runner-up after rushing for an FBS-best 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. Drafting first-round running backs isn't en vogue, but Jeanty is an exception to the rule.
9. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 33 (No. 4 OT)
The 6-4 offensive tackle was a four-star out of Houston who briefly committed to both Oregon and Oklahoma State before landing with the in-state Longhorns. He was a physical offensive tackle who flashed good mobility, bend and nastiness to go with a frame with room to add more bulk. He put on 30 pounds at Texas without losing any of his lateral quickness and emerged as an elite pass blocker who won the 2024 Lombardi and Outland trophies. He's not be the tallest offensive tackle, but his wingspan measured an impressive 83 inches in high school.
10. Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 39 (No. 3 OLB)
The 6-2 edge had an intriguing blend of length, speed and explosiveness as a four-star outside linebacker out of Salisbury, North Carolina. Georgia's player development machine helped Walker piece it all together; he added 25 pounds and solidified himself as an all-around linebacker this season with 61 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Walker is at his best hounding quarterbacks with his speed off the edge, but he's quite comfortable in a hybrid role.
11. Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 97 DE)
The Bryan, Texas, native went unrecruited by Texas A&M despite growing up just minutes down the road, but the Aggies weren't alone in overlooking him. Scourton's only reported power conference offer came from Purdue. He had impressive agility despite his size and kept getting bigger while shifting to the edge with the Boilermakers, breaking out with a 10-sack season as a sophomore. He hit the portal and ultimately landed back home, playing for Mike Elko and Texas A&M. Scourton wasn't quite as productive this year as his size and raw tools might suggest, but he's still one of the top pass rushers in the 2025 draft class.
12. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 182 (No. 15 RB)
Hampton tipped the scales at 215 pounds as a powerful high school runner, but his modest speed kept him from climbing higher in the ESPN 300. It didn't take long for his bruising inside running style to translate in college, and Hampton ran for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns over the past two seasons. His 1,660 yards in 2024 ranked third behind only Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo. Hampton also had 73 career receptions.
13. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 145 (No. 19 WR)
Perhaps we owe Servite High School (California) an apology. Like high school teammate Mason Graham, McMillan vastly outperformed his ranking. The 6-5 McMillan was a rail-thin receiver with savvy route-running skills but only adequate quickness and speed. He's still not a burner, but that didn't stop him from torching defenses with 3,423 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns over three seasons at Arizona. McMillan has a massive catch radius and projects as a top-10 draft pick.
14. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 5 (No. 1 WR)
Burden arrived at Missouri as one of the program's most decorated commits ever. The 5-11 receiver's excellent speed and agility overcame any concerns about his height. Burden's college production peaked as a sophomore in 2023, when he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine TDs. Missouri's entire offense took a step back this season and Burden's production suffered, but he's still a great route runner with the explosiveness to lose defenders in the open field.
15. Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 11 (No. 2 OG)
Booker was massive in high school at 6-5, 328 pounds and yet another blue-chip offensive line prospect from the IMG Academy-to-Tuscaloosa pipeline. He was a three-year contributor and two-year starter for Alabama at guard, finishing 2024 with 87 knockdown blocks and showing enough athleticism to fill in at left tackle for one start when Kadyn Proctor went down with a shoulder injury. Booker is clearly the top interior line prospect on the board in the upcoming draft.
16. Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 31 (No. 3 OT)
Conerly began his prep career as a running back for Rainier Beach High School (Washington) and ended it as a high four-star recruit and the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect. The 6-4, 315-pounder has gained more than 50 pounds since we evaluated him in person as a prep and refined his technique considerably as a two-year starter at left tackle for the Ducks. He's still fairly raw and needs to continue to get stronger, but it's not hard to envision an NFL team falling in love with his athleticism and potential in the first round of April's draft.
17. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 1 (No. 1 DT)
Nolen was the top prospect in the 2022 class when he committed to Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M over offers from Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Michigan, with the best combination of production, frame and testing measurables in the country. Nolen's impressive physical attributes remained evident over his three-year college career, even if we expected him to make more of an impact. Nolen transferred to Ole Miss for 2024 and notched a career-best 48 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He's still a likely first-round pick but will need to play with more consistency as a professional.
18. James Pearce, Edge, Tennessee
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 40 DE)
Pearce kept a fairly low profile as a three-star recruit in high school. In hindsight, we wish we saw more of the North Carolina native, although we liked his aggressiveness, length and explosive change-of-direction skills. Pearce brought his speed-oriented game to Tennessee and blossomed into one of the SEC's best edge defenders. He tied for the SEC lead in sacks (9.5) in 2023 and followed that up with 38 tackles and 7.5 sacks for a Volunteers team that reached the College Football Playoff this past season.
19. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 29 (No. 1 QB-DT)
One of the few players on this list who opted to return to college in 2025, Klubnik was a high four-star and the nation's top dual-threat quarterback when he signed with Clemson. The Austin, Texas, native was highly decorated at Westlake High School, winning three state titles and going 27-0 as a starter, and we liked his arm strength, compact release and gunslinger mentality. His collegiate career has had some ups and downs, but he's still one of the most decorated passers in Tigers history and enters 2025 as one of college football's most recognizable stars.
20. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 51 (No. 2 QB-PP)
Allar entered the 2024 season with first-round potential and led Penn State to the College Football Playoff, but he has opted to return to school for 2025. The Ohio native was a four-star recruit and the second-ranked pocket passer when he signed out of high school. We loved Allar's size -- he measured in at 6-5, 234 in 2021 -- but we had some concerns about the length of his release and processing speed in the pocket. Allar is 21-5 as a starter at Penn State with the school's lowest interception rate ever (1.16). His ability to anticipate is still a concern at times, but it's hard to find QB prospects with his size, arm strength and willingness to extend plays.
21. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 36 RB)
Judkins ran for more than 4,000 yards and won a 5A state championship with Pike Road High School (Alabama). Our concerns about his high-end speed were misplaced, and Judkins' lateral agility, awareness and scheme flexibility shined through in college, especially when he ran for 1,567 yards and averaged 5.7 yards a carry as a freshman at Ole Miss. In 2024, Judkins teamed with TreVeyon Henderson at Ohio State, and despite fewer touches, he was every bit as impactful and finished his college career with 45 rushing touchdowns, including three in the national title game. Judkins should make a quick impact in pro ball.
22. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 41 (No. 4 OLB)
Plenty of power conference schools coveted Campbell for his long arms, massive hands and versatility. The New Jersey native was a two-way player at wide receiver as a prep, but his upside was far higher defensively, and that's where he made an impact with the Crimson Tide, adding nearly 30 pounds in three years. Campbell had a monster 2024 season with 119 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception. He's comfortable lining up off the ball, has the length and strength to rush the passer and is rangy in coverage.
23. Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 46 DT)
Walker was massive in high school, measuring 6-6, 347 out of a Cass Tech (Michigan) program that has produced a slew of recent NFL draft picks. Walker played both ways in high school but his potential skewed toward the defensive side of the ball. We didn't expect him to make such a quick impact at Kentucky, but he started 36 games, was a two-time captain and notched 132 tackles and 10 sacks over three years. He's surprisingly nimble and disruptive for his size.
24. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: Three-star (No. 57 RB)
As a high schooler, Sampson had the look of an undersized scatback-type runner with impressive balance to remain on his feet after contact. Clearly, we didn't give him enough credit in terms of shouldering the load. Sampson rushed for 1,491 yards, 22 touchdowns and 5.8 yards per carry once he became Josh Heupel's lead back this past season, winning SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He also caught 20 passes. Even with this year's draft class loaded with productive college rushers, overlooking Sampson a second time would be a mistake.
25. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
2022 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 7 (No. 2 DE)
As a recruit, Stewart's immense physical gifts stood out at every turn, with elite arm length, wingspan and hand size measurements. He also flashed very good range and excellent strength. Stewart spent three years at Texas A&M and still possesses the physical tools although that never resulted in overwhelming production. He tallied 31 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble as a junior. We don't expect NFL teams to let a player with Stewart's physical markers to last too long in the draft.