Yesterday, we looked at a few highly rated recruits whose careers didn’t go as planned. Today, we’re going to look at a few prospects who were not highly rated coming out of high school, but ended up becoming household names. A couple of people on this list might surprise you.
Johnny Manziel – QB – Three Star in the 2011 Cycle – Texas A&M
Everyone is familiar with Johnny Football, but not everyone knows he was only a three-star recruit coming out of high school. Manziel redshirted his freshman year, along with another name on this list, before having his breakout Heisman season in 2012. Manziel was severely underrated as a recruit and showed that in college by throwing for 7,820 yards and 63 touchdowns and running for another 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground in his two seasons in College Station. He didn’t make it in the pros, but he gave us a crazy show for two years.
Josh Allen – QB – Unranked in the 2015 Cycle – Wyoming/Reedley College
It is insane to think that one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today started as an unrated recruit who committed to Wyoming by way of Reedley College (JUCO). Being 6’5 and 230 lbs should have given him three stars at least. In his three seasons with the Cowboys, Allen threw for over 5,000 yards and 44 touchdowns. He ended up being drafted seventh overall by the Bills and the rest is history.
Andre Williams – RB – Three Star in the 2010 Cycle – Boston College
Andre Williams is one of the most underrated running backs in college football history in my opinion. He split carries his first three seasons and then went absurd during his senior year, earning him a Heisman finalist spot. During that last season, Williams ran for 2,177 yards and 18 touchdowns on 355 carries. Most running backs are thrilled with 1,000 yards in a season. He wound up getting picked in the fifth round by the New York Giants and then played for the Chargers. He last played for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020.
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Mike Evans – WR – Three Star in the 2011 Cycle – Texas A&M
The second Aggie on this list is Mike Evans, and he was in the same class as Johnny Manziel. They both redshirted together and then took the country by storm in 2012 and 2013. Evans accumulated 2,499 yards and 17 touchdowns in his two seasons at Texas A&M and was then drafted seventh overall by the Buccaneers. He has played his whole career there and even has a Super Bowl. He still plays there to this day.
Khalil Mack – LB – Two Star in the 2009 Cycle – Buffalo
Khalil Mack only being a two-star is a disservice to the sport. I know he probably looked a lot different back then, but still. If you look at what he turned into, how could they be so wrong? Mack was a two-star recruit and attended Buffalo. He played four years there and racked up 327 total tackles, 28.5 sacks, four interceptions, and three fumble recoveries. Two of his picks were also returned for six. That got him drafted fifth overall in 2014, and just like with Josh Allen, the rest is history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT7-y08WR8U
