Which former five-star prospects are now playing in the CFL?
Remember these guys? The Canadian Football League kicks off its season in earnest this weekend and several former big-name recruits now make their living playing in Canada. We take a look back at five former five-stars set to start their seasons in the CFL.
MORE: Commitment Issues Podcast | Mike Farrell's Three-Point Stance
Background: Bowers was the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2008 and elected to stay close to home with Clemson despite overtures from programs from around the country. He led the nation in sacks and tackles for loss in 2010, and went on to be drafted in the second round by Tampa Bay.
How he landed in Canada: Bowers' NFL career was marred by both injuries and off-field incidents, including an arrest on a weapons charge in 2013. Bowers last played in the NFL with Buccaneers in 2015 and is hoping to revive his career with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Background: Drew’s recruitment was a classic battle and he took official visits to Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Clemson before eventually announcing for the in-state Bulldogs just prior to National Signing Day in 2011. Drew bounced between linebacker and defensive end, and had his best year with the Bulldogs in 2013, accounting for 43 tackles and six sacks. However, he never lived up to his lofty high school ranking.
How he landed in Canada: Drew went undrafted in 2015 and has bounced around the NFL ever since, spending time with Miami, Green Bay, Cleveland and Carolina but never seeing action in a regular season game. He is now a member of the Montreal Alouettes and started the season on the one-game injured list.
Background: Toliver had a national recruitment and played it out all the way until National Signing Day, officially visiting LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC before eventually picking the Tigers. He went on to have a productive career in Baton Rouge, highlighted by a 2009 season that saw him catch 53 passes for 735 yards.
How he landed in Canada: After going undrafted in 2011, Toliver bounced around the NFL with stops in Houston, Detroit, Chicago and San Diego but he never recorded an NFL statistic. He signed with the Hamilton Tiger Cats in 2015 and has had back-to-back successful seasons, highlighted by a 2016 season with more than 1,000 yards receiving.
Background: Posey’s recruitment was relatively drama free compared to the other prospects on this list as he committed to the in-state Buckeyes nearly a year before National Signing Day for his class. He had quality seasons in 2009 and 2010 but after getting caught up in the Ohio State NCAA scandal, appeared in just four games his senior season.
How he landed in Canada: Despite missing most of his senior year, Posey was still drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Houston Texans. After suffering an Achilles injury during his third year in the league he was traded to the New York Jets but failed to make the roster. After not appearing in the NFL in 2015 and being cut by Denver prior to the start of the 2016 season, Posey signed with the Toronto Argonauts, where he caught seven passes for 92 yards and remains a member of the team.
Background: The son of former Dallas Cowboys star Jim Jeffcoat, Jackson was well-known in the state of Texas from early on in his high school career. He officially visited Houston, Arizona State, USC, Oklahoma and Texas before he announced his commitment to the Longhorns just prior to National Signing Day in 2010. He went on to have a very productive career in Austin, including a freshman All-American season in 2010 and a consensus All-American senior year in 2013.
How he landed in Canada: Despite his exceptional college career Jeffcoat went undrafted in 2014 before eventually making the Washington Redskins roster. He played in nine games over two seasons for the Redskins and was waived following an injury. Jeffcoat failed to make Cleveland’s roster in 2016 and after spending a year out of football signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers earlier this year.
