Top 5-Star Recruit Performances of September
Star ratings provide an indication of recruits' potential, but true promise is ultimately revealed during game action. We've witnessed several 5-star prospects step into the spotlight early this season, validating sky-high expectations that accompany their high-profile recruitments.
September offered an opportunity for high school athletes of all ages to settle in and incorporate offseason training. Here's a look at those who seized their chances and wreaked havoc on opponents.
QB Jacob Eason
1 of 8
Class: 2016
High School: Lake Stevens (Lake Stevens, Washington)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 pro-style quarterback; No. 7 overall
Recruitment Status: Committed to Georgia
Highlights of the Month
Longtime Bulldogs pledge Jacob Eason stayed busy dropping steady dimes in September, racking up eye-opening stat totals. The 6'5", 205-pound passer completed 72 percent of passes in four convincing victories, according to MaxPreps.
Lake Stevens claimed comfortable wins in each matchup, outscoring opponents 181-35 during the month. Eason surpassed 900 yards through the air, tossing 12 touchdowns and no interceptions.
He's thrown 67 scoring strikes since the start of his sophomore season.
RB Najee Harris
2 of 8
Class: 2017
High School: Antioch (Antioch, California)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 running back; No. 6 overall
Recruitment Status: Committed to Alabama
Highlights of the Month
Najee Harris carried the football with authority throughout September, spearheading Antioch to four straight wins. The 6'2", 220-pound playmaker broke his own school record Sept. 4 with 396 rushing yards on 22 attempts in a 47-22 victory over Milpitas High School, according to Luke Johnson of the Antioch Herald.
That single-game record stood for more than 30 years before Harris shattered it the first time as a sophomore. It was one of four triple-digit rushing totals in September for the Crimson Tide commit, who scored 10 offensive touchdowns during the month.
He's rumbled for 3,375 yards and 33 scores on the ground since 2014, according to MaxPreps.
"All the 5-star stuff, I don't really care about all that," Harris told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles. "I don't look back and say, 'I'm the No. 1 running back. I should be able to do this or do that.' I just want to go out, play and win."
DE Nick Bosa
3 of 8
Class: 2016
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 strong-side defensive end; No. 5 overall
Recruitment Status: Committed to Ohio State
Highlights of the Month
Nick Bosa anchors a dominant defensive attack for national title contender St. Thomas Aquinas. The younger brother of Buckeyes star Joey Bosa continues to provide evidence that he could develop into just as good a prospect as the 2014 Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
His September efforts included a monstrous game last weekend against Hallandale High School in which he secured four tackles for loss. Bosa recorded 10 stops behind the line of scrimmage this month, according to MaxPreps, adding a sack in all four contests.
QB Shawn Robinson
4 of 8
Class: 2017
High School: Guyer (Denton, Texas)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 dual-threat; No. 16 overall
Recruitment Status: Committed to TCU
Highlights of the Month
Shawn Robinson led his squad to a 3-0 record, tallying at least two touchdowns in every game, according to MaxPreps. His efforts allowed Denton's Guyer High School to rebound from a rough opening loss to three-time defending state champion Allen High School in August.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Jerrod Heard has created some buzz in the Big 12 Conference just two years after he starred at Guyer. His successor continues to create a legend for himself within the program, highlighted by a commanding performance this month against Rider High School.
Robinson rushed for 171 yards, added 116 yards through the air and collected a pair of touchdowns. He remains on track for eventual collegiate stardom, building on an underclassman career featuring more than 6,000 offensive yards and 67 scores.
QB Shea Patterson
5 of 8
Class: 2016
High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 pro-style quarterback; No. 4 overall
Recruitment Status: Committed to Ole Miss
Highlights of the Month
Shea Patterson looks quite comfortable in his new surroundings. The former Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, Louisiana) star transferred to Sunshine State powerhouse IMG Academy this summer and serves as offensive catalyst on a star-studded roster that underwent significant turnover after last season.
He completed 57 percent of pass attempts in September, according to MaxPreps, resulting in 800 yards and eight touchdowns through the air. IMG went 3-0 during the stretch, as Patterson bested Ohio State commit Tristen Wallace and Tennessee pledge Jarrett Guarantano during head-to-head, interstate showdowns.
Teammates have more confidence than ever in their new leader, who earned Elite 11 MVP honors in July.
"Shea is a great quarterback, and we've definitely developed a good relationship playing together," top-ranked tight end Isaac Nauta told Bleacher Report after the most recent victory. "He's one of those guys who can really lead an offense and get everyone on the same page."
WR Nate Craig-Myers
6 of 8
Class: 2016
High School: Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Florida)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 wide receiver; No. 23 overall
Recruitment Status: Offers include Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Notre Dame
Highlights of the Month
Nate Craig-Myers is making up for lost time after missing nearly his entire junior season with a leg injury. The former Auburn commit collected a touchdown reception in each of Tampa Catholic's three games this month.
He broke out with a 10-catch performance Sept. 4 against Riverview, according to MaxPreps. Craig-Myers torched defenders en route to 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 27-20 win, adding another 50 yards and a score on the ground.
Craig-Myers followed with a pair of five-reception games that each included a touchdown grab. Expect him to take his recruitment deep into the cycle.
“I want to find a place that fits me the best and feels like home away from home,” he told Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani. “Just somewhere I feel comfortable on and off the field, and somewhere I can compete for a chance to play right away.”
CB Darnay Holmes
7 of 8
Class: 2017
High School: Calabasas (Calabasas, California)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 cornerback; No. 7 overall
Recruitment Status: Offers include Alabama, Arizona, Ohio State and Stanford
Highlights of the Month
Darnay Holmes is a weekly candidate to create opportunities in all three phases of the game. The scintillating 5'11", 190-pound prospect projects as a shutdown defensive back in college but made his mark on offense and special teams in September.
He caught six passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in a Sept. 4 win over Burroughs High School, as noted by MaxPreps. Holmes then returned a punt for score in each of the next two contests, taking it the distance from 55 and 75 yards out, respectively.
QB Trevor Lawrence
8 of 8
Class: 2018
High School: Cartersville (Cartersville, Georgia)
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 pro-style quarterback; No. 1 overall
Recruitment Status: Offers include Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee
Highlights of the Month
The 6'5", 191-pound sophomore is validating the national hype that followed his freshman season. Trevor Lawrence, who threw for 3,042 yards and 26 scores last fall, completed 70 percent of 105 pass attempts in September, according to MaxPreps.
Cartersville scored at least 34 points in three games during the month, winning each matchup. Lawrence surpassed 650 total passing yards during the past two games, tossing seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
"I think I'm pretty smart on the field. I try to make good decisions," he told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles. "My arm is pretty strong; I don't know if I have the strongest in my class, but I think it's strong enough."
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