Super Bowl LIII: Players who should have received a fifth star
There are plenty of times when we here at Rivals.com kick ourselves over missed rankings. Whether it’s a two-star who goes on to be a first-round pick or a three-star that wins the Heisman Trophy.
But with the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday, the misses on our mind are the near five-stars that didn’t quite get the final bump during their time as high school prospects. Today, we take a look at those players set to star in the Super Bowl that came up just short of five-star status and examine why they were left out.
MORE SUPER BOWL: Breaking down rosters by where players were ranked in high school | Five two-star players who will have big roles Sunday | How two-stars slipped through the cracks | Breaking down former three-stars
*****
Recruiting/college: Gurley committed to Georgia just a few weeks before signing day in 2012, as the Dawgs held off in-state programs North Carolina and NC State to nab Gurley’s signature. Once in Athens, Gurley burst onto the scene as a true freshman, rushing for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns. It turned out that would be the best season of his career, as Gurley wouldn’t hit 1,000 yards again, but he did have 441 yards receiving as a sophomore in addition to 989 yards rushing. His junior season was cut short with an ACL injury, but he was still selected in the first round by the the Rams in 2015.
In the pros: Much like his college career, Gurley stepped into the NFL and was an instant star. He was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. After a minor sophomore slump, Gurley had the best season of his career in 2017, rushing for 1,305 yards while also catching 64 passes for 788 yards. This year, Gurley was in the MVP discussion for most of the year, accounting for more than 1,700 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns.
Why we missed: “Gurley was a national top 50 recruit and rose exponentially at the end of the cycle when I saw how special he was at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. But I didn’t pull the trigger on giving him five stars, and it’s one of my biggest regrets in 20 years of ranking kids. Everyone else had fellow North Carolina running back Keith Marshall as their No. 1 guy at running back that year, except for us. But that’s not good enough. Gurley should have been a five-star, and he should have been the No. 1 running back in the class of 2012. His running style reminded me of Adrian Peterson.” - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: Barron committed to Alabama just prior to the start of his senior season, and the Tide held onto his commitment despite late charges from Auburn and LSU. Once with the Tide, Barron was part of the culture change that came with the arrival of Nick Saban. After playing as a reserve as a freshman, Barron stepped into the starting lineup as a sophomore and never looked back. He finished his career as a three-time All-SEC player, a two-time All-American and a two-time national champion. Barron was selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the pros: Barron stepped into the starting lineup with Tampa as a rookie and started all 16 games and recorded 88 tackles. Barron would start every game he played with the Bucs over the first two and half years of his career, but midway through his third season he was traded to the Rams. His first two seasons after the trade were the best of his career, as he set career highs in tackles in 2015 and 2016. Over the next two seasons, Barron transitioned from linebacker to safety and has continued to be a very productive defensive player.
Why we missed: “Barron was a great athlete out of high school and a kid who was just outside our national top 50. He could have played offense or defense and could have played safety or linebacker on defense, and the fact we didn’t know where to project him kept his ranking down a bit. As a two-time first-team All-American and a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, it’s clear that Barron should have been a five-star prospect out of high school.” - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: Suh had a number of options and he took advantage of the recruiting process by taking all five of his official visits to Nebraska, Cal, Oregon State, Miami and Mississippi State. The Huskers ended up winning out, landing his commitment just before signing day in 2005. Suh would turn into one of the best players in school history in Lincoln, collecting pretty much every major award as a senior in 2009 and finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. He was selected by Detroit with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
In the pros: Suh quickly became one of the more dominant interior defensive linemen in the NFL from the early going in his career, spending five seasons with the Lions and being named to four Pro Bowl teams and also winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 2015, Suh left Detroit to sign a $114 million free agent deal with Miami, at the time the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history. Suh spent three seasons with the Dolphins, making one Pro Bowl appearance. Prior to the 2018 season, Suh signed with the Rams and started every game for the team on their road to the Super Bowl.
Why we missed: "Suh was just outside our national top 50 out of high school and a guy on the verge of that fifth star, but the competition level in Oregon just didn’t convince us he would be as elite as he became. He checks all the boxes for a five-star – a great college career, a first-round selection and an NFL star – and he could be a Hall of Famer. Looking back, I wish we had bumped him a bit higher and made him that five-star he should have been." - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: A standout player at South Pointe High School in South Carolina, Gilmore had his share of options but his choice came down to Alabama and South Carolina. He elected to stay in-state with the Gamecocks and committed to the school after officially visiting Columbia and Tuscaloosa during his senior season. Gilmore was a two-time All-SEC first-team selection and had a terrific career with the Gamecocks. He went on to be the No. 12 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
In the pros: Gilmore had a very productive five-year stint with the Bills, capped by a Pro Bowl season in 2016. But Buffalo let him hit the open market as a free agent following that season and he signed a $65 million contract with the Patriots that offseason. Gilmore has been a fixture in the starting lineup for the Patriots and had one of the best seasons of his career in 2018, earning All-Pro honors and ranking as the league’s highest-graded cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus.
Why we missed: “Gilmore was ranked No. 84 overall in the country and No. 6 at athlete, so he wasn’t in the discussion as a five-star at the end of the cycle, but a lot of that had to do with the fact that he played quarterback and was projected as an athlete. Gilmore was an exceptional talent and I remember his dominance at quarterback at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. Had he been evaluated as a pure corner out of high school he could have been a guy closer to five-star status and I love the way he has played at South Carolina and in the NFL." - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: A California legacy whose father played baseball for the Bears, Goff always had a deep connection to the school. When Cal became his first offer, Goff only waited a few weeks to make his decision. Even though his win-loss record at Cal wasn’t great, Goff put up eye-popping numbers during his time in Berkeley, including setting the Pac-12 records for passing yards (4,714) and passing touchdowns (43) during his junior year. After forgoing his senior year, Goff was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
In the pros: Goff’s career got off to a rough start under then-coach Jeff Fischer. But the arrival of Sean McVay, a former two-star recruit in his own right, changed the course of Goff’s career. In his first season under McVay, Goff more than doubled his yardage and touchdowns while increasing his completion percentage by eight points. He took another step forward in 2018, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and 32 touchdowns while once again increasing his completion percentage.
Why we missed: “I always liked Goff, and at No. 140 he wasn’t close to a five-star ranking but I’m kicking myself a bit now. He had the size and frame, his arm was good enough and he had excellent field vision. I remember seeing him at the Elite 11 the first year they changed the format and he was only able to make a handful of throws each day. Had we seen more would he have been ranked higher? Maybe. A lot of what makes Goff great is between his ears, which is hard to evaluate out of high school. But man, I am kicking myself because all of that talent was right before my eyes and I didn’t see it as five-star talent when I should have.” - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: Gronkowski’s recruitment came down to Arizona, Clemson, Ohio State and Syracuse, and he chose the Wildcats about a month before signing day in 2007. Once at Arizona, Gronkowski quickly made his mark, setting a school record for receiving yards for a tight end during his first year with the Wildcats. He broke his own record as a sophomore in 2008 despite missing three games. Unfortunately, a back injury caused him to miss his entire junior year in 2009, after which he declared for the NFL Draft. He was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 draft.
In the pros: Gronkowski has been a star since his arrival in the NFL, and the only thing to slow him down over the years has been his health. He has had four 1,000-yard seasons in his career, and despite rumors about a potential retirement prior to the 2018 season, Gronkowski still managed to have 682 yards receiving during the regular season and has added 104 more in the postseason.
Why we missed: “Aaaaah, Gronk! He was an exceptional talent for a big tight end with a frame that could easily have allowed him to turn into an offensive lineman. He wasn’t utilized that well in high school as a pass catcher at either of his schools, which kept him behind Aron White, Aaron Hernandez and Mike Ragone in the rankings, but he always showed flashes. It’s very hard to be a five-star tight end for Rivals.com and he wasn’t discussed, but we did talk about how he could end up as an elite offensive tackle if tight end didn’t work out. Luckily, he chose a school in Arizona that allowed him to show off his skills and he’s been amazing in the NFL.” - Farrell
*****
Recruiting/college: Tennessee won a highly contested recruiting battle for Patterson, landing his commitment over Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and LSU. He spent just one season with the Vols, but was an all-around threat, setting the school record for all-purpose yards with 1,858. After declaring early for the draft, Patterson was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2013.
In the pros: A jack-of-all trades but a master of none, Patterson was productive as a return man with the Vikings from the get-go but never put up the type of receiving numbers associated with a first-round pick. During his four seasons with the Vikings, Patterson never caught more than 50 passes or registered over 500 yards. Despite being a two-time Pro Bowler as a return man, the Vikings let Patterson walk and he signed with Oakland for the 2017 season. After one year with the Raiders, Patterson was signed in the offseason by New England. This year with the Patriots he played a variety of roles, including running back, and set a career-high in rushing yards with 228.
Why we missed: “Patterson was the No. 4 JUCO player in the country in 2012 and was discussed as a potential five-star. It’s not easy to be a five-star as a JUCO prospect because they have less time to make an impact in college with limited eligibility, but he was an exceptional talent with size and speed. Patterson had a huge impact in college and was a first-round NFL draft pick, so it’s clear we should have had him as a five-star JUCO prospect coming out." – Farrell
Other four-stars in the game
LOS ANGELES RAMS: OL Brian Allen (Michigan State, 2014), OL Austin Blythe (Iowa, 2011), DL Michael Brockers (LSU, 2009), WR Brandin Cooks (Oregon State, 2011), DB Blake Countess (Michigan 2011, Transfer to Auburn), RB Justin Davis (USC, 2013), DB Nickell Robey-Coleman (USC, 2010), DB Sam Shields (Miami, 2006), OL John Sullivan (Notre Dame, 2003), LB Ramik Wilson (Georgia, 2011)
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: TE Dwayne Allen (Clemson, 2008), RB Rex Burkhead (Nebraska, 2009), DL Adrian Clayborn (Iowa, 2006), DB Duke Dawson (Florida, 2014), DB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina, 2009), DL Lawrence Guy (Arizona State, 2008), LB Dont’a Hightower (Alabama, (2008), RB Jeremy Hill (LSU, 2011), J.C. Jackson (Florida, 2014, Transfer to Maryland), DL Danny Shelton (Washington, 2011), LB Kyle Van Noy (BYU, 2009)