Ranking the Top 25 3-Star Recruits of the Past 5 Years
The recruiting industry focuses almost only on the 5-star and 4-star recruits each year. While those prospects are elite for a reason, that also means a ton of solid 3-star players do not get the attention they deserve.
Looking back over the past five years (2010 to 2014), each class of recruits has had some 3-star prospects go on to become outstanding college players. It's time those 3-star recruits get their shine, but it's also time to rank the best 25.
A pair of 3-star prospects in the 2010 class will be first-round picks in May, while a 3-star prospect in the 2011 class has taken the game of football by storm. Even a 3-star recruit in the 2014 group is on this list.
Note: All recruiting ratings and rankings are from the composite rankings from 247Sports.
Note: Unless noted, all stats and honors are based on Sports-Reference.com.
25. Olajuwon Tucker, LB (USC, 2014)
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Although he's yet to play a down at USC, 3-star outside linebacker Olajuwon Tucker has a chance to become special.
He has as much natural talent as any elite 4-star prospect in the country.
Part of the reason for Tucker's 3-star label is because he split time between playing defensive end, fullback and linebacker during his career at Serra High School in California.
However, at 6'4" and 220 pounds, he's such an athletic marvel that he should excel at USC due to being able to focus on one position.
24. Wes Lunt, QB (Oklahoma State/Illinois, 2012)
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Wes Lunt is now at Illinois, but he makes this list due to the surprising season he had as a true freshman at Oklahoma State in 2012.
Lunt shocked a lot of people by winning the starting job in Stillwater, and he went on to complete nearly 62 percent of his passes for 1,108 yards and six touchdowns in six games.
For those of you who figure those numbers aren't impressive, remember Lunt was a 3-star quarterback prospect who beat out talented incumbents Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh.
23. Scott Quessenberry, C (UCLA, 2013)
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Scott Quessenberry signed with UCLA in 2013, and he has made an impact earlier than what's usually expected from a 3-star offensive lineman.
Quessenberry, who has the makings of a future All-Pac-12 center, started seven games for the Bruins last season, per his official bio. Starting as a true freshman on the offensive line is rare, but it's almost unheard of for a 3-star recruit.
22. Sammie Coates, WR (Auburn, 2011)
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Auburn landed Sammie Coates in 2011, but things didn't start off great. Coates didn't see the field until 2012, where he only had six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
However, the former 3-star prospect exploded in 2013, finishing the season with 42 receptions for 902 yards and seven touchdowns. Coates has far exceeded the expected production of a 3-star prospect on The Plains.
21. Buck Allen, RB (USC, 2011)
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USC is known for its rich history at the running back position. Buck Allen isn't as good as Marcus Allen, Charles White, O.J. Simpson, Reggie Bush and other great Trojan runners, but he had a surprisingly productive 2013 season.
Allen seemed to explode after the firing of head coach Lane Kiffin during the season, totaling 774 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown.
The 2011 3-star running back recruit will enter the 2014 season as the favorite to be USC's starting running back.
20. Carl Bradford, LB (Arizona State, 2010)
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Carl Bradford is a great example of why 3-star prospects shouldn't be considered just "toss-in" recruits in a class.
He has been a pleasant surprise at Arizona State, where he is one of the Sun Devils' best defensive players. Bradford currently has 154 career tackles, two interceptions and 21.5 sacks.
Production like that makes you wonder how this guy was a 3-star linebacker in 2010.
19. Ben Malena, RB (Texas A&M, 2010)
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Usually it's the 5-star and 4-star recruits who go on to become leaders and respected players in a program. Well, Ben Malena is an exception to that rule, as he went from a 3-star prospect in the 2010 class to one of top players on Texas A&M's roster.
Malena ended his career as a featured running back in College Station, where he had 1,618 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground in his career.
Plus, Malena caught 49 passes for 353 yards and three scores, all while becoming a solid kick returner.
18. Kevin Hogan, QB (Stanford, 2011)
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They say you never want to follow a legend in sports, but Kevin Hogan doesn't seem to agree with that. He's done a solid job following Andrew Luck's stellar career at Stanford.
Hogan isn't the same caliber of prospect as Luck, but Stanford head coach David Shaw knows Hogan is solid in his own right. To date, he has more than 3,700 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. Hogan has also has rushed for more than 600 yards and four scores on the ground.
That's not a bad career for a 3-star quarterback recruit in the 2011 class.
17. Vic Beasley, DE (Clemson, 2010)
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Hailing from Georgia, Vic Beasley was a lowly 3-star tight end prospect in 2010. He signed with Clemson, where he has become one of the better defensive ends in the ACC.
Beasley had eight sacks in 2012, and then followed that up with 13 last fall. He could have been a high selection in the draft after this season, but he decided to return to Clemson for 2014.
16. David Ash, QB (Texas, 2011)
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David Ash has had his share of ups and downs at Texas, but he's been way more productive than many people imagined when he signed with the Longhorns in 2011.
Ash is back for another round in Austin this fall, as he has 4,538 yards and 30 touchdown passes for his career. Look for Ash to finish his career with a bang in 2014.
15. David Amerson, DB (North Carolina State, 2010)
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David Amerson used his 6'3" frame to become one of the best defensive backs in the country during his career at North Carolina State.
A 3-star defensive back prospect in 2010, Amerson went on to register 177 tackles and 17 interceptions during his tenure in Raleigh. The 2012 season was Amerson's best, as he picked off 12 passes, with two being returned for touchdowns.
Today, he's with the Washington Redskins.
14. Johnathan Hankins, DT (Ohio State, 2010)
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Johnathan Hankins was a 3-star prospect in 2010, but he played like a 5-star recruit for Ohio State during his tenure in Columbus.
Hankins excelled at clogging alleys and stopping the run, using his big body to make messes in the trenches. He finished his career with 138 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Hankins was selected in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft by the New York Giants.
13. Vinnie Sunseri, LB/S (Alabama, 2011)
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Alabama has won a ton of games over the years thanks to having a dominant defense. Among the underrated players on the unit has been Vinnie Sunseri, a 3-star linebacker prospect in 2011.
The son of a coach, Sunseri always was in the right spot at the right time during his time with the Crimson Tide. He finished with 105 tackles and four interceptions in his career.
Now, Sunseri is preparing to crack an NFL roster.
12. Sean Mannion, QB (Oregon State, 2010)
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Oregon State found itself a gem in Sean Mannion, a 3-star quarterback in 2010. The California native has been plenty productive for the Beavers, including a 2013 season that consisted of 4,662 yards and 37 touchdowns.
Mannion has 10,436 yards passing and 68 touchdowns in his career thus far. His 46 career interceptions are concerning, but Mannion has far exceeding expectations at Oregon State.
11. Marcus Martin, C (USC, 2011)
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Not many people knew who Marcus Martin was in 2011, and the coaches at USC had little idea what they were getting in him.
What they got was an offensive lineman who became a freshman All-American and who left USC as a team captain. Martin started for the Trojans at guard as a true freshman, eventually becoming the team's center as a junior.
Now, he's set to be drafted in one of the high rounds in May.
10. Bjoern Werner, DE (Florida State, 2010)
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Originally from Germany, Bjoern Werner only played two years of high school football in the United States. That didn't stop a ton of schools from coming after him, with Florida State winning his services in 2010.
Werner was a raw 3-star defensive lineman with a lot of upside. He fulfilled his promise in Tallahassee, where he had 23.5 sacks in his career with the Seminoles.
The Indianapolis Colts took Werner in the initial round of the 2013 draft.
9. Damontre Moore, DE (Texas A&M, 2010)
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A 3-star defensive end in 2010, a lot of quarterbacks were happy to see Damontre Moore leave Texas A&M last year.
He had 5.5 sacks in 2010, 8.5 in 2011 and 12.5 in 2012, where he was an All-American. Moore also had 197 tackles in his career for the Aggies, with 45 of them being for loss. Today, the former 3-star prospect is with the New York Giants.
8. Aaron Donald, DT (Pitt, 2010)
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Part of the reason Aaron Donald was a 3-star prospect in 2010 was because he was a 'tweener. He wasn't big enough to play defensive tackle, but his skill set didn't fit that of a defensive end.
Donald worked himself into being a dominant 3-technique defensive tackle at Pitt, where he is now one of the top defensive line prospects available for the 2014 draft.
Donald had 66 tackles for loss and 29.5 sacks for his career at Pitt.
7. Connor Shaw, QB (South Carolina, 2010)
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Aside from former running back Marcus Lattimore, Connor Shaw has been the heart and soul of South Carolina's team the past several seasons.
Shaw isn't the biggest, strongest or fastest quarterback around, but he always found a way to get the job done during his time with the Gamecocks.
He finished his career with more than 6,000 yards passing and 56 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,683 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground.
Other quarterbacks on this list may have better numbers, but none of them meant more to their teams than Shaw did.
6. Ka'Deem Carey, RB (Arizona, 2011)
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Ka'Deem Carey is a 3-star running back from the recruiting class of 2011 who made a lot of Pac-12 defensive coordinators happy when he left Arizona after this past fall.
Carey had 4,239 yards and 48 touchdowns rushing for the Wildcats during his career. He also caught 77 passes for 679 yards and four scores.
Carey is going to make some NFL team happy this season.
5. Eric Ebron, TE (North Carolina, 2011)
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Eric Ebron didn't set the world on fire as a freshman, catching just 10 passes 207 yards and a touchdown. The 2012 season saw him catch 40 balls for 625 yards and four scores.
Yet, the 2013 season is the year he entrenched himself on the national radar. Ebron had 62 receptions for 973 yards and three touchdowns last fall, showing off elite athleticism and speed for a tight end.
Expect Ebron to be the first tight end drafted in May.
4. Justin Gilbert, CB (Oklahoma State, 2010)
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A 3-star athlete in 2010, Justin Gilbert played mainly quarterback in high school. He could have been a receiver at Oklahoma State, but Gilbert made the right choice opting to try his hand at cornerback.
He went on to become a feared defender on the perimeter around the Big 12, defending 32 passes and intercepting another 12. Gilbert also is an outstanding return man.
There's a great chance he will be the first cornerback taken in the draft this year.
3. Calvin Pryor, S (Louisville, 2011)
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Louisville clearly got a steal in Calvin Pryor, a 3-star defensive back in 2011. The face of the Cardinals' program the past few years has been former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, but Pryor has been just as valuable to the defense.
Pryor was everywhere for Louisville, totaling 218 tackles, seven interceptions, two sacks, forcing nine fumbles and defending 18 passes.
His ability to play in space up top, as well as come down and factor in the box, is why he will be one of the first defensive players selected in this year's draft.
2. Marcus Mariota, QB (Oregon, 2011)
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In just two seasons as the starting quarterback at Oregon, Marcus Mariota has thrown for 6,342 yards and 63 touchdowns.
The dual-threat quarterback has also rushed for 1,467 yards and 14 touchdowns. Mariota would have been a high pick in this year's draft, but he opted to return to Eugene for another season.
The former 3-star prospect will enter this season as one of the top favorites for the Heisman.
Greg Ladky of Rivals.com (subscription required) wrote in April 2010: "It is not clear who the top prospect in Hawaii will be in 2011, but one of the candidates is a quarterback who did not even start for his varsity squad in 2009."
1. Johnny Manziel, QB (Texas A&M, 2011)
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No one who expected Johnny Manziel to become Johnny Manziel during the 2011 recruiting cycle. Sure, Manziel was a gritty and athletic dual-threat quarterback prospect who took too many chances, but whose competitiveness and toughness was admirable.
However, nobody foresaw him winning a Heisman and throwing for 7,820 yards and 63 touchdowns, while rushing for 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns, in just two seasons at Texas A&M.
Debate all you want about his NFL prospects, but there's no denying Manziel had an exceptional career in College Station.
He's the best 3-star recruit in the past five years.
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