The Last 10 No. 1 College Football Recruits: Where Are They Now?
What can we expect from New Jersey defensive tackle Rashan Gary, the No. 1 college football recruit in the 2016 class?
Based on recent history, a lot.
The last five No. 1 overall recruits have performed better than the previous five, in part because of injury luck and in part—one assumes—because recruiting has become a year-round industry and scouting has become more nuanced and accurate.
So Gary, who has yet to decide on his school, will have a lot to live up to in college and the NFL. But he's earned those expectations for a reason.
Here is where the previous 10 No. 1 recruits are today.
2015: DT Trenton Thompson, Georgia
1 of 10
What He's Done in College
Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Trenton Thompson had a modest freshman season, posting 25 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Those are great numbers for an average true freshman but unremarkable for a No. 1 overall recruit. Still, Thompson flashed his upside with eight tackles in one game against the Tennessee Volunteers on Oct. 10. He did enough to earn hype before next season.
Where He Is Now
Thompson is working to meet that hype in 2016. The last two No. 1 overall recruits on the defensive line, who we'll get to later on this list, had better true freshman seasons, albeit in different roles. With Georgia losing three senior defensive linemen, along with outside linebackers/rush ends Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins, this front seven will look much different. Thompson will have to make his predicted star turn.
2014: RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
2 of 10
What He's Done in College
After starting his freshman year slow, LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette closed strong and peaked with 264 all-purpose yards against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, 2014. He carried that momentum into 2015, rushing for 1,202 yards in his first six games and becoming the heavy Heisman front-runner. His momentum faded late, but that's mostly because LSU's non-semblance of a passing game allowed teams to stack the box. He was still one of the best players in the country.
What He's Doing Now
Fournette is getting ready to complete a Heisman Trophy campaign next season. LSU returns the best group of receivers in the SEC, so if rising junior quarterback Brandon Harris could ever give Fournette a shred of room to operate, now would be the time. He's currently listed at 5-1 to win the Heisman, per Odds Shark.
2013: DE Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
3 of 10
What He Did in College
Ole Miss Rebels defensive end Robert Nkemdiche failed to meet the hype on paper (seven sacks in three seasons), but on film he was worthy of a No. 1 ranking. Watch his whole career a second time, and you'll realize how much attention teams paid to keeping him double-teamed. Despite that, he still had some moments, most notably against the Alabama Crimson Tide two seasons ago. That poor offensive guard—the Tide's Leon Brown—will never be the same.
What He's Doing Now
Nkemdiche is preparing for the 2016 NFL draft, for which he declared a year early. He's rehabbing both his body and his stock after falling from a hotel window in December and missing Ole Miss' bowl win while on suspension. Despite his huge potential, he could fall to the mid or late stages of the first round, per Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com. Perceived inconsistency and character issues will do that.
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2012: WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
4 of 10
What He Did in College
Wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham looked average in the Missouri Tigers' first SEC season, but that was to be expected. He blossomed as a sophomore when the Tigers won their first SEC West title, peaking late with a dominant showing against the Auburn Tigers in the conference title game, and looked poised for a huge junior year. However, Missouri dismissed him after he allegedly pushed a woman down a flight of stairs, so he transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners and took a redshirt on the scout team before declaring for the 2015 NFL draft. He never played a down for the Sooners.
What He's Doing Now
Character issues and rust pushed Green-Beckham to No. 40 overall in the 2015 NFL draft. He didn't do much early but emerged in the second half of his rookie season and finished with 32 catches, 549 yards and four touchdowns. He and rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota give the Titans, the NFL's most anonymous franchise, a pair of skill players worth building around. It might not be too late for him to cash in on all of his potential.
2011: DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
5 of 10
What He Did in College
In his first year with the South Carolina Gamecocks, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney broke the SEC freshman sack record. In his second year, he made the hit that still defines him. But in the summer before his third year, something changed. His star grew a little too big—can we please stop propping up defenders as Heisman candidates?—and his attitude became disinterested. He still played well, but his numbers fell and fans began to sour on him. Despite that, he went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL draft.
What He's Doing Now
Injuries have derailed Clowney's first two NFL seasons. His right knee required microfracture surgery last winter, and although the prognosis of that surgery has improved, it's still a dreaded word. Regardless, Clowney returned to the field late this season and helped boost the Texans into the playoffs. The talent that made him famous is there and translates well to the NFL. He just needs to stay on the field.
2010: DE Ronald Powell, Florida
6 of 10
What He Did in College
Defensive end Ronald Powell contributed as a freshman and rounded into form as a sophomore, but that's when his career changed. He tore his ACL in the Florida Gators' spring game before his junior year, then tore it again during the rehab process and missed the entire season with a medical redshirt. He returned and played well enough, all things considered, in 2013 but clearly was not the same player. He declared early to not risk further injury and slipped to the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft.
What He's Doing Now
Powell appeared in 14 games as a rookie for the New Orleans Saints—the team that drafted him. He suffered another injury and was released during training camp this offseason and eventually found his way to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he landed on injured reserve. He'll look to regain his health and salvage his NFL career next season. If he doesn't, he'll go down as one of the ultimate "What could have beens."
2009: QB Matt Barkley, USC
7 of 10
What He Did in College
Quarterback Matt Barkley started for the USC Trojans as a freshman and developed into one of the Pac-12's best players. After a dominant junior season (3,528 yards, 39 touchdowns), he looked like a potential first-round draft pick, but he opted to return for his senior year. During that year, however, USC dropped from No. 1 in the preseason poll to unranked with a 7-6 record. Barkley's NFL draft stock dropped in lockstep and he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
What He's Doing Now
After two years under Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Barkley's former rival when Kelly coached the Oregon Ducks, the quarterback failed to make the team this preseason. When he did play in Philadelphia, he looked too small, his decision-making looked too slow and his arm looked too weak. Despite that, the Arizona Cardinals took a flier on his potential and made him their third-string quarterback. He spent the year behind Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton and is likely to retain that role next season.
2008: DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
8 of 10
What He Did in College
Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers came to the Clemson Tigers with a superstar reputation and lived up to it almost immediately. He logged eight tackles for loss in his true freshman season, and he upped that number to 10.5 as a sophomore and 25.0—second in the country—as a junior. His junior season also yielded 15 sacks and earned him the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player. He then declared early for the 2011 NFL draft.
What He's Doing Now
Though initially viewed as a definite top-five prospect, Bowers fell because of medical concerns revealed in the predraft process. Tampa Bay selected him in the second round—No. 51 overall—and like clockwork, he tore his Achilles. His time with the Bucs has been mostly unproductive and weighed down by motor and health issues. He was cut after a down 2014 season but re-signed in 2015 and finished the year on the active roster. It's unclear what his NFL future holds.
2007: RB Joe McKnight, USC
9 of 10
What He Did in College
Touted as "the next Reggie Bush," running back Joe McKnight never quite met the hype. He showed promise as a rotational back as a freshman and sophomore with the USC Trojans and then rushed for 1,000 yards as a junior, but he never made the impact or showed the electricity his pedigree promised. Compliance issues forced USC to suspend him for the 2009 Emerald Bowl, after which he declared for the NFL draft. Despite his mediocre production, the New York Jets took him in the fourth round.
What He's Doing Now
McKnight stuck with the Jets for three seasons before getting cut in 2013. His time was mostly forgettable, although he did record a 100-yard kick return touchdown. After failing to make a roster in 2013, he resurfaced with the Kansas City Chiefs and had a resurgent game against the Miami Dolphins with two receiving touchdowns. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles tendon in practice before the Chiefs' next game and was ruled out for the season.
"I mean, he just made his comeback," Chiefs fullback Jordan Campbell, who also roomed with McKnight at USC, said after the injury, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. "I was like ‘Damn, he’s just ready to do what he’s capable of doing.’ He got his confidence back. He’s running good at practice. He’s ready to get this thing rolling and make his name here at the Chiefs’ organization."
He hasn't played an NFL down since.
2006: OG Andre Smith, Alabama
10 of 10
What He Did in College
5-star offensive linemen are typically a safe bet, and Alabama's Andre Smith is a perfect example. Though listed as a guard by 247Sports, he started at left tackle as a freshman and manned that spot for three seasons. He was a Freshman All-American in 2006, an All-SEC first-teamer in 2007 and won the Outland Trophy as college football's best lineman in 2008. He promptly declared for the 2009 NFL draft.
What He's Doing Now
Although his weight drew headlines in the predraft process, Smith has stayed in shape and developed into a sound NFL lineman. He no longer plays on the left side, but he anchors the right for the Cincinnati Bengals, for whom he's played since they drafted him No. 6 overall. Smith isn't a perennial Pro Bowler, but he plays a big role in what's become one of the league's best offenses. He's a free agent this offseason and will command attention from teams in need of blockers.
Note: All recruiting info refers to 247Sports' composite ratings.
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