Ahead of week three of the college football season and the second weekend of the NFL season, take a look at where some of the biggest names in the sport were ranked as high school recruits and whether or not their ranking was a Hit or a Miss.
MORE: Ten biggest visits on tap for this weekend
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
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McMillan is the most dominant receiver in college football. The former five-star was never one to do many interviews - opting to let his play do the talking. McMillan, who finished as the No. 2 receiver in the 2022 class, was originally committed to Oregon but flipped to Arizona after Mario Cristobal was hired by Miami. The move was a comfortable one for McMillan since his quarterback and high school teammate Noah Fifita had been recruiting him to Arizona for months.
McMillan is second in the nation in receiving yards and tied for first in receiving touchdowns through two games this season and he’s trending towards being one of the first two receivers picked in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Verdict: Hit
Mason was the talk of the NFL this week after filling in for an injured Christian McCaffrey. He took advantage of the opportunity and posted 147 rushing yards and one rushing touchdowns. The 147 rushing yards is more than he gained in any single game of his college career at Georgia Tech.
The former three-star decided to sign with the Yellow Jackets out of high school, choosing them over Iowa State, Arizona and Arizona State. Mason ran for 2,350 yards and scored 17 rushing touchdowns during his four years at Georgia Tech and the 49ers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He’s been with the team ever since.
Verdict: Hit
Stewart dominated like a five-star should at the high school level. He was the most talented player on the field in every game he played and lined up all over the defensive front. Stewart even played some linebacker during his senior season.
Stewart’s freshman season could not have gotten off to a better start. Two games into the season, Stewart has two and a half sacks and the second-highest pass rushing grade in the nation according to PFF.
Verdict: Hit
Stewart was one of the more controversial evaluations in the 2022 class. The former five-star receiver was part of Texas A&M’s No. 1 recruiting class that has so far failed to meet expectations. Stewart’s potential was obvious during his two seasons in College Station but his production suffered due to inconsistent quarterback play. He transferred to Oregon during the offseason and is on pace for the best statistical season of his career even though the Ducks haven’t exactly hit their stride just yet.
Five-stars are expected to be picked in the first round of the NFL Draft but, based on his production, Stewart probably wouldn’t be selected until at least the second round. However, Stewart has elite speed and if NFL teams were to fall in love with what should be a great 40 time, Stewart could still find his way into the first round. Unless Stewart really picks up the pace, this ranking looks like a miss.
Verdict: Miss
Stroud didn’t get nearly the hype he deserved as a high school prospect. Bryce Young and D.J. Uiagalelei dominated the headlines and the quarterback rankings in the 2020 cycle while Stroud quietly worked his way up the Rivals250. He chose Ohio State after the Buckeyes offered late in the recruiting process and signed with them instead of Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and USC.
Stroud went on to have a ton of success in Columbus, where he was a two time Heisman finalist, and became the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. This past season Stroud set multiple NFL records for rookies and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Verdict: Miss
