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Southeast Breakdown: Five-star boom and bust watch

DeShaun Watson (Getty Images)

Each year, a crop of five-star players depart high schools in the Southeast and head to the schools of their choosing. Below is a look at four of such players that are currently living up to their five-star billing and two that are on bust watch despite having time to adjust to the college landscape.

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FOUR LIVING UP TO THE HYPE

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Breakdown: Rivals was the only major recruiting service that ranked Watson as a five-star and he’s making us look smart three years into his career. After setting the Georgia state high school record for passing yards in a career, Watson moved onto Clemson and quickly took over the reins of the Tigers program. He led to the team to the national championship Game following the 2015 season and entered the 2016 season as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

Breakdown: One of the top wide receivers in all of college football, Ridley lived up to his high school hype immediately. As a true freshman at Alabama, Ridley recorded 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also named as a USA Today Freshman All-American. In three games as a sophomore this season, Ridley has 19 catches for 219 yards and a touchdown.

Breakdown: McMillan spurned many programs in the Southeast in order to sign with Ohio State and made an immediate impact as a freshman in Columbus, playing a key role in the Buckeyes' run to the national championship. That title served as validation for McMillan, who was often told by fans he would never win a championship if he left the Southeast. McMillan was a finalist for the Butkus Award in 2015 and appears well on his way to being one of the top linebacker prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Breakdown: Cook split carries as a true freshman but has turned into one of the country’s premier running backs since. He amassed 1,691 yards a season ago, which broke FSU’s single-season rushing record. Cook, who won the Jim Brown Award a year ago, was a first-team All-ACC selection last season and has amassed 228 yards in three games this year. He currently projects as a first-round draft pick according to nearly every major mock draft.

TWO ON BUST WATCH

Breakdown: A five-star in the class of 2014, Lane’s career numbers at Florida State are underwhelming. He battled a minor injury for the majority of his sophomore season and has yet to record a catch as a junior. He’s caught just 19 passes for 317 yards during his college career thus far. Lane has time to develop into the star he once projected to be, but he’ll need to show a sense of urgency if he’s to do so.

Breakdown: Herron has a terrific career at Central High School in Memphis and earned five-star status following a dominant week at the Army All-American Bowl. But his career in Baton Rouge has been a roller coaster, from injuries to off-the-field issues. Herron has seen sporadic playing time and is now splitting time at defensive tackle in his redshirt junior year. Unless he suddenly breaks out, it will tough for him to live up to his five-star ranking.

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