2015 College Football Recruits Who Have Had Amazing Senior Seasons

Star ratings are nice, but they don't mean a thing once action is underway on the field. The pressure of living up to recruiting hype weighed heavy for some top prospects this season, while others validated accolades and elevated expectations.

Most members of the 2015 class have wrapped up their high school careers, though, some state titles still hang in the balance. Here's a look at several recruits who starred throughout the fall during a final audition before college.

5-Star RB Soso Jamabo (Plano, Texas)

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 32 overall; No. 1 running back

School: Plano West High School

Recruitment Status: Considering UCLA, Notre Dame and Texas A&M, among others.

Senior Season Highlights

Soso Jamabo enjoyed a career-best campaign, leading Plano West to the second round of state playoff action. He started the season in full sprint, highlighted by a 484-yard, six-touchdown performance in early September against Sachse High School.

The 6'2.5", 210-pound playmaker earned an upgrade to 5-star status by leaving defenders in his wake on a weekly basis. He averaged 9.7 yards per rushing attempt, tallying 2,279 yards on the ground.

Jamabo also contributed as a pass-catcher, finishing with 281 yards and three scores through the air. He accounted for 47 touchdowns in just 11 games.

His production speaks for itself. Jamabo has racked up more than 8,500 offensive yards and 132 scores since his sophomore season.

4-Star QB Jake Browning (Folsom, California)

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 161 overall; No. 6 pro-style quarterback

School: Folsom High School

Recruitment Status: Committed to Washington.

Senior Season Highlights

Jake Browning became the country's all-time leader in touchdown tosses, breaking a record previously held by current Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk. The 6'2", 185-pound passer has thrown for 223 scores during three seasons as a starter and he isn't done yet.

Folsom is still competing in California state playoffs, providing Browning with an opportunity to pad his head-turning total. However, statistics don't seem too important to him at this point.

“I don’t think about it,” he told Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. “If we broke a rushing record and were still undefeated, then I’d be just as happy. Because we’re winning.”

Browning has led the Bulldogs to 15 straight wins this season, collecting 5,351 passing yards and a career-high 89 total touchdowns, per MaxPreps. He averages more than 360 passing yards per game, completing 68 percent of his passes.

5-Star WR Tyron Johnson (New Orleans, Louisiana)

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 21 overall; No. 2 wide receiver

School: Warren Easton High School

Recruitment Status: Considering LSU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

Senior Season Highlights

Tyron Johnson took over as the bayou's best receiver after 2014 New Orleans 5-stars Speedy Noil (Texas A&M) and Malachi Dupre (LSU) graduated. He provided plenty of explosiveness downfield and as a kick returner on special teams, a role that likely awaits in college.

The 6'1", 191-pound speedster helped spearhead a season that fell just two points shy of a state championship. Johnson caught 11 passes and scored three of his team's four touchdowns in a 28-27 title game defeat.

“It was a great season,” he told Rod Walker of The New Orleans Advocate. “We were prepared, but we just came up short.”

Johnson wrapped up his senior campaign with more than 1,600 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns. It was his second straight season with at least 80 receptions and 1,400 yards.

4-Star LB Porter Gustin (Salem, Utah)

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 59 overall; No. 6 outside linebacker

School: Salem Hills High School

Recruitment Status: Considering USC, Arizona State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, among others.

Senior Season Highlights

The 6'5", 240-pounder is among the most versatile front-seven defenders in this class and you can look for him to show why

is a freak athlete who showcased his skills this summer at The Opening by qualifying for SPARQ national finals.

He erupted for an immensely productive campaign, earning distinction as one of six U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year finalists. Gustin, who is being recruited as a linebacker and defensive end, posted career-best totals across the board for a team that reached state quarterfinals.

He topped all Utah defenders with 152 tackles, including 29 for loss, per MaxPreps. Gustin also accounted for 10.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Despite his reputation as a defensive menace, he also managed to wreak havoc on offense. Lined up at quarterback, he collected more than 3,700 total yards and 33 touchdowns. 

"It's been a lot of hard work on and off the field to get to this point," Gustin told me after the season. "I'm definitely proud of what I accomplished with my teammates this year."

4-Star WR Trent Irwin (Newhall, California)

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 85 overall; No. 8 among wide receivers

School: Hart High School

Recruitment Status: Considering Stanford and Arizona State

Senior Season Highlights

California has a new all-time receptions king, and his name is Trent Irwin. The 6'2", 190-pound pass-catcher capped things off at Hart with state records in receptions (285) and receiving yards (5,268).

He dominated during a 12-game campaign, hauling in 102 passes for 1,974 yards, per MaxPreps. Irwin tallied a career-best 22 touchdown receptions, giving him 41 scores since 2013.

His senior season featured five double-digit catch efforts. He exceeded 160 receiving yards in each of the final five contests. 

Irwin and Arizona State quarterback commit Brady White created one of the country's top duos during a three-year run together as starters. The pair could potentially continue to torch defenses if the Sun Devils land Irwin.

5-Star QB Kyler Murray (Allen, Texas)

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 24 overall; No. 2 dual-threat quarterback

School: Allen High School

Recruitment Status: Committed to Texas A&M.

Senior Season Highlights

If you visualized the perfect high school playing career, it would probably look similar to Kyler Murray's run at Allen. The son of former star Texas A&M quarterback and Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Murray has already carved his own legacy in the Lone Star State.

He aims for a third straight state title this weekend, putting his 41-0 record as a starter on the line. Murray led the Eagles back from double-digit deficits during each of the past two playoff rounds.

His latest journey has been his best from a statistical standpoint. Murray, who entered the season 107 total touchdowns in two years, has accounted for a career-high 74 scores through 15 games.

With more than 5,500 total yards to his credit, he has a chance to cap things off with a storybook ending. 

“Hopefully, we’ll finish this out the right way, and then they’ll talk about us forever,” Murray told Corbett Smith of The Dallas Morning News.

4-Star RB Jacques Patrick (Orlando, Florida)

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 39 overall; No. 3 running back

School: Timber Creek High School

Recruitment Status: Committed to Florida State.

 

Senior Season Highlights

Jacques Patrick continued to climb up the all-time state rushing yardage leaderboard. He gained more than 2,000 yards on the ground for a third straight season, finishing his career fifth among Florida players with 7,922 rushing yards.

That total, paired with 103 total touchdowns, puts him among the most productive playmakers in Central Florida history. 

He rumbled for 2,140 yards and 29 scores as senior, per MaxPreps. Patrick, who logged at least 230 caries during each of the past three seasons, heads to Tallahassee as a proven workhorse back.

"I'm coming [to FSU] in January so hopefully I can come in and make an impact as a true freshman," Patrick told Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. "Hopefully a three-peat [national title] ... if they win this year it will be a three-peat when I get there."

5-Star WR Christian Kirk (Scottsdale, Arizona)

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 27 overall; No. 4 running back

School: Saguaro High School

Recruitment Status: Committed to Texas A&M.

 

Senior Season Highlights

Christian Kirk carried Saguaro to a second straight state title, serving as an offensive catalyst in various roles. He secured a third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season, catching 61 passes for 1,187 yards and 17 touchdowns, per MaxPreps.

Despite staying busy in the aerial attack, Kirk elevated his efforts as a rusher. He averaged nearly 11 yards per carry, gaining 1,692 yards and 25 scores on the ground.

During the past two season, Kirk compiled 2,300 receiving yards, 2,500 rushing yards and 72 total offensive touchdowns. He finishes his career as Arizona's all-time scoring leader with 103 total touchdowns.

Kirk punctuated a sensational year with four touchdowns in the state title game. That dominant performance included a 98-yard kickoff return.

Recruiting information via 247Sports.