How the recruiting services fared in the 2026 NFL Draft’s first round

The NFL Draft is often the yardstick by which recruiting rankings are judged. Coming out of college football, the NFL Draft represents the best indication of a player’s ability. Early-round NFL Draft picks account for the vast majority of the best players in college football. Outside of recruiting rankings, it’s the only other point in a player’s career where they are sorted by talent and ability in a quantitative form.

With that in mind, a report card for how recruiting rankings across the industry stack up can be produced by scoring the NFL Draft. Doing so allows us to learn from successes and mistakes in hopes of improving our rankings product down the road.

By and large, the recruiting industry does a great job of projecting future success at the college level on an annual basis. Forecasting a 17-18 year-old high school football player as a future early-round draft pick relative to thousands of peers is much easier said than done.

The method: To keep this as simple as possible, we will assign a winner for each draft pick based on how close the numeric ranking is to their draft spot. If there is an equal distance between multiple rankings and the draft spot, the tied sites will get credit for a win, including if the highest ranking is an unranked four-star. No winner is awarded for players who were not ranked as a blue-chip prospect (4-star or 5-star) by any site.

The results for the 2026 NFL Draft’s first round:

1. On3 – closest ranking on 8 first-rounders
2. 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals (previous scouting team)– closest ranking on 6 first-rounders (tied)

Three year running total for closest ranking of first-rounders from 2021-2023 cycles:

1. On3 – 28
2. ESPN, Rivals (previous scouting team) – 15 (tie)
3. 247Sports – 14

On3’s rankings in this NFL Draft include blue-chip prospects from the 2021 cycle (4-stars and 5-stars) along with the 2022 and 2023 cycles. One of ESPN’s wins (Akheem Mesidor in the 2020 cycle) came before On3’s inception.

Similar to last year, On3 and 247Sports had the most consistent rankings relative to draft spot. With that said, the difference in average distance from draft spot was much shorter than in the first round of the 2025 draft with each outlet having its fair share of wins.

Note: Beginning with the 2026 cycle (as early as the 2029 NFL Draft) there will be three outlets compared: Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN following On3’s acquisition and integration of Rivals as its recruiting brand in July 2025.

2026 NFL Draft once again proves stars do matter

Overall, it was a stellar showing by the recruiting industry as 25/32 (78%) first-rounders were ranked as a five-star or a four-star by at least one outlet. Two of the seven non-blue-chip players signed with a G6 program out of high school, making for a 83.3% hit rate on blue-chip first-rounders who signed at the Power 4 level.

Five-star prospects are meant to project as future first-round picks. Here is the tally of five-stars taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft:

1. Rivals (previous scouting team) – 7
2. On3, 247Sports, ESPN – 6 (tie)

10 of the 32 first-round picks were ranked as a five-star prospect by at least one outlet, with Sonny Styles, Francis Mauigoa, Caleb Downs, and Kadyn Proctor being Five-Star Plus+ prospects, those tabbed as a five-star by every outlet.

3 year running total of 5-stars taken in the first round from 2021-2023 cycles:

On3 – 25
247Sports – 24
Rivals (previous scouting team) – 20
ESPN – 14

The first round almost always features some prospects who were under-recruited and underrated, but history and data shows those prospects are the exception, not the rule.

1. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (Las Vegas Raiders)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

It’s now well-established that Fernando Mendoza flew heavily under the radar as a high school prospect. Mendoza was committed to Yale at the time On3’s rankings were finalized for the 2022 cycle, with it looking like he was headed to the Ivy League. He received a late offer from Cal – his only Power 4 offer and second FBS offer along with Florida International and signed with the Golden Bears in February. While he’s been dubbed as a former two-star prospect, Mendoza was a Rivals Industry three-star albeit lowly ranked in that group. Aside from Cal, he was not given much attention by college staffs and was admittedly not offered a walk-on spot at hometown Miami.

In going back and looking at Mendoza as a high school prospect with the benefit of hindsight, you can pin much of his slow recruitment on the lack of production. Mendoza played at a very good program in Miami Columbus, but was not a high volume or productive passer on Friday nights, finishing his senior year with 1,169 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions. With that said, camp footage does reveal physical tools that certainly exceeded his recruiting status. Mendoza was 6-foot-4.5, 210 pounds with a live arm and strong fundamental foundation. Strictly from a tools perspective, he was certainly good enough to land at the Power 4 level, but there are limited quarterback spots and teams fill up quickly. The projectable size and arm strength combined with his work ethic, intelligence and three seasons of starting reps in college led to a breakout season in 2025.

2. EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech (New York Jets)

Winner: 247Sports **On3:**4-star, No. 51 (2022) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 34 (2022) ESPN: 4-star, No. 122 (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star No. 81 (2022)

David Bailey was a senior riser in the 2022 cycle on the heels of a big final fall at SoCal powerhouse Mater Dei. Bailey was considered a physically talented prospect but was a bit of an unknown at least as a truly high-level projection going into his senior season. He was injured much of his sophomore year and did not play a full fall junior season as a result of COVID-19 cancellations. The senior season answered many questions, as Bailey was hyper productive racking up 20.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks while playing some of the nation’s toughest competition. No outlet finished with Bailey as a five-star, though he likely would’ve made a strong push with more neutral site exposure. We never got to evaluate him in person at national all-star games or camps as an upperclassman. With that said, the film was outstanding and he should’ve been a five-star in hindsight.

3. RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (Arizona Cardinals)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star, No. 79 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star No. 96 (2023) ESPN: 4-star, No. 94 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 94 (2023)

The top of the running back position rankings was a hotly contested subject in the 2023 cycle with arguments over CJ Baxter, Rueben Owens, and Justice Haynes. On3’s No. 4 running back in the cycle was Jeremiyah Love and he turned out to be the best of the bunch – by far. Love was a riser for us over the course of the cycle. He tested as an elite athlete and showed very encouraging improvement as a senior. He was not a high volume back early on, but ran with power along with his breakaway ability and plus ball skills. His showing in the state title game (318 yards, five touchdowns) put an exclamation point on his status as an ascending prospect in the final rankings.

4. WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State (Tennessee Titans)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**4-star, No. 47 (2023) 247Sports: 5-star, No. 22 (2023) ESPN: 4-star, No. 242 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 13 (2023)

Carnell Tate was a polished, well-rounded receiver prospect with a very strong combination of route-running ability and ball skills. He was the top target at IMG Academy and is the highest-drafted skill prospect from the talent powerhouse to date. Tate’s production didn’t jump off the page – 37 catches for 750 yards and eight touchdowns – but his 93.8 yards and one touchdown per game actually stack up very well with past touted IMG receivers. The biggest question around his long-term projection at the time centered around his long speed. Tate never ran a 40 faster than 4.72 seconds, though he tested very well in other areas. In the end, his high technical skill and continued development at Ohio State presented a very high floor prospect and one who was worthy of being tabbed as a five-star.

5.EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State (New York Giants)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star, No. 142 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star No. 206 (2023) ESPN: 4-star, No. 266 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 247 (2023)

Arvell Reese was an On3 outlier for much of the cycle. He burst on the national scene after his junior season – his first of varsity football. Reese was a top athlete with outstanding size and athleticism, running in the 4.6’s at showcase camps. He transferred to Cleveland Glenville for his senior season and continued to make very encouraging progress. At the time, we tabbed him as “one of the more physically-gifted linebacker prospects in the 2023 cycle.” That proved to be true as Reese exploded in his third year at Ohio State into one of college football’s top defenders.

6. CB Mansoor Delane, LSU (Kansas City Chiefs)

Winner: ESPN **On3:**3-star (2022) 247Sports: 3-star (2022) **ESPN:**4-star (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 3-star (2022)

Mansoor Delane primarily played nickel and safety as a senior at Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding and was ranked as a safety prospect. He was an instinctive, active defender with a good combination of physicality and ball skills. With that said, there was not a ton about his overall profile that screamed future early round draft pick, especially as a cornerback. There was no athletic markers or neutral site exposure to speak of. Delane’s athleticism remained a question leading up to his pro day, which he answered emphatically with great testing numbers.

7. LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State (Washington Commanders)

Winner: On3 **On3:**5-star, No. 4 (2022) 247Sports: 5-star No. 27 (2022) **ESPN:**5-star, No. 15 (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star No. 11 (2022)
5-star Plus+

Sonny Styles was a unique prospect in the 2022 cycle. He was the youngest top prospect, having reclassified from the 2023 cycle before his final prep season. Styles possessed a rare combination of size and athleticism and we felt he had the potential to be a true moveable chess piece for a defensive coordinator. At 6’5, 210 pounds, he tested better than many top wide receivers. He was a great two-way player and doubled as a basketball prospect with MAC offers on the hardwood. Styles was a top three prospect for us at the time of his reclassification and stayed in the top five despite the clear challenges that reclassifications present for most prospects. Styles needed a full four years in college to truly blossom into the elite player he is today. His elite upside played a huge role in him being the first reclassification to be taken in the first round.

8. WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (New Orleans Saints)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Jordyn Tyson is a shining example of why senior year evaluations matter. As a junior at Frisco (Texas) Independence, Tyson caught 21 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight games. He transferred to perennial power Allen (Texas) High as a senior and exploded to the tune of 80 catches for 1,512 yards and 12 touchdowns, making acrobatic catches and showing springy athleticism. He had a very strong track season as a senior (after he was signed and ranked), posting a 6-8 foot high jump. Colorado was Tyson’s lone Power 4 offer out of high school. Simply put, nearly everyone missed. The late emergence played a huge role, but the signs were there.

9. OT Spencer Fano, Utah (Cleveland Browns)

Winner: 247Sports On3: 4-star, No. 77 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 42 (2023) ESPN: 4-star, No. 237 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 135 (2023)

Spencer Fano always had some of the better film among offensive linemen in the 2023 cycle, showing excellent reactive quickness and lateral agility. There were some questions about his size heading into the All-American Bowl that year, but he measured in at around 6-foot-4.5, 275 pounds. Fano was outstanding in the national all-star setting and was clearly one of the top offensive linemen in a group that featured multiple future first-rounders. Fano repped at tackle and center and we left with the feeling he could play multiple spots on the front, a thought that remains as he heads to the NFL. Fano was a riser for On3 coming out of the week and he should’ve been ranked even higher in hindsight.

10. OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (New York Giants)

Winner: 247Sports, ESPN (tie) **On3:**5-star, No. 19 (2023) 247Sports: 5-star, No. 6 (2023) **ESPN:**5-star, No. 6 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 17 (2023)
5-star Plus+

We tabbed Francis Mauigoa as “arguably the most ready-to-play offensive lineman in a deep cycle at the position in 2023.” That proved to be true as Mauigoa made an instant impact as a true freshman at Miami en route to being a key cog in Mario Cristobal‘s early success in Coral Gables. Mauigoa first came on the scene as a two-way OL/DL prospect coming out of his freshman season. We felt he had the most upside on offense. He transferred to IMG Academy and made the full-time conversion to offensive tackle and the rest was history. Mauigoa was an extremely steady prospect and one we viewed as having a very high floor, which proved true.

11. S Caleb Downs, Ohio State (Dallas Cowboys)

Winner: ESPN **On3:**5-star, No. 8 (2023) 247Sports: 5-star, No. 8 (2023) ESPN: 5-star, No. 11 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 9 (2023)
5-star Plus+

Caleb Downs was the highest-rated safety prospect since Derwin James in the 2015 cycle. Downs was a dominant high school player who had a case as the best high school football player in America as a senior. He was a turnover machine, picking off 19 passes over his high school career and doubled as a playmaker on offense, scoring 25 touchdowns as a senior. The instincts, physicality, playmaking ability and raw production made him a near “can’t miss” prospect. That sentiment was backed up by his outstanding true freshman season at Alabama and subsequent years at Ohio State. With as good as Downs was coming out of high school and college, it’s worth noting that he still was not taken in the top ten of the draft, a reminder of the lower positional valued assigned to safeties.

12. OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (Miami Dolphins)

Winner: ESPN **On3:**5-star, No. 27 (2023) 247Sports: 5-star, No. 5 (2023) ESPN: 5-star, No. 10 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 8 (2023)
5-star Plus+

Kadyn Proctor was a massive, burly offensive tackle prospect with a rare combination of size and movement skills. Our evaluation of Proctor at the time was very similar to the thoughts of him as an NFL prospect. The flashes of dominance pointed to a very high upside, but there was still room for improvement with overall consistency. Much of that could be pinned on Proctor managing his weight. He was always a heavier prospect and while he moved exceptionally well for his size you could see the mass create issues for him in pass protection at times. With that said, the elite physical tools made him a safe first round projection with one of the higher upsides in the draft.

13. QB Ty Simpson, Alabama (Los Angeles Rams)

Winner: 247Sports **On3:**5-star, No. 30 (2022) 247Sports: 5-star, No. 29 (2022) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 34 (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 35 (2022)

Ty Simpson is likely to end up as the clear top quarterback from the 2022 cycle. He was hyper-productive at the high school level, accounting for over 3,900 yards and 57 touchdowns while leading his team to its first state championship in school history. Simpson was an accurate, high level processor from in structure and showed some of the better improvisational playmaking skills of the 2022 quarterback group. The size and arm strength would not blow you away, but were far from deficient. We also liked that he truly drove his high school offense as a playmaker, while some of his fellow top quarterbacks were in more of a facilitator role, which led to his status as a five-star for On3. Overall the industry’s ranking of Simpson proved to be fairly accurate with the position value inflation associated with quarterback prospects contributing to his mid first-round selection.

14. IOL Vega Ioane, Penn State (Baltimore Ravens)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star (2022) 247Sports: 3-star (2022) **ESPN:**3-star (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 3-star (2022)

Vega Ioane was a late four-star bump for On3. We were able to nail down verified size and really liked his senior film. We viewed Ioane as a wide-bodied run blocker with explosive hands. He lined up at left tackle for his high school and was a true weapon in the run game – something we saw from his time in State College.

15. EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**4-star, No. 129 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 71 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 69 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 58 (2023)

Rueben Bain was a polarizing high school prospect, much like he was during the draft process. He was utterly dominant in his final two seasons at Miami Central, racking up an astounding 70 tackles for loss and 48.5 sacks. He moved all over the line and there was uncertainty whether he would stick on the edge or grow into a defensive lineman. I remember watching Bain dominate IMG Academy as a senior, notching three sacks as an interior rusher while leading Miami Central to a big upset win. At around 6-foot-1.5, 250 pounds with arm length that was in the 1st percentile, and average testing numbers (at very best) we really didn’t know what to make of Bain from an upside perspective. Those same questions came about in the draft process. Ultimately the ranking was too low and those questions didn’t stall him from being a first-round pick as there is not denying his ability as a player in high school or college

16. TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (New York Jets)

Winner: 247Sports **On3:**4-star, No. 96 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 79 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 152 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star (2023)

Kenyon Sadiq was a big riser over the course of the 2023 cycle. Originally ranked as an athlete prospect, Sadiq was a fantastic two-way player as a wide receiver and linebacker on Friday nights. Over time, it became clear he projected as a moveable tight end prospect. Sadiq dominated the competition in the state of Idaho like you would expect from a national prospect. He was one of the best contested catch receivers in the 2023 cycle, regularly making acrobatic grabs. He finished his senior season with over 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns from scrimmage. Sadiq also tested as a top athlete in the combine setting. The lone reservations were around his size, but he was able to tack on good weight at Oregon while maintaining his athleticism.

17. OT Blake Miller, Clemson (Detroit Lions)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star, No. 104 (2022) 247Sports: 3-star (2022) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 257 (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 124 (2022)

Blake Miller was a four-star for On3 for much of the 2022 cycle and continued to move up on the heels of a strong senior season. We really liked Miller’s film and viewed him as a well-rounded tackle prospect with high-end physicality and underrated athleticism. At the time, we felt Miller was one of the better offensive line prospects to sign with Clemson in years. He ended up being the Tigers’ highest-drafted player at the position in the Dabo Swinney era.

18. DL Caleb Banks, Florida (Minnesota Vikings)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Caleb Banks was a consensus three-star prospect in the 2022 cycle, signing and enrolling at Louisville before transferring to Florida. Banks was a long, high upside defensive lineman who needed time to continue filling out and improving his technique. He also doubled as a good high school basketball player, averaging a double-double.

19. OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia (Carolina Panthers)

**Winner:
On3:**5-star, No. 7 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star No. 33 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 56 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 53 (2023)

Monroe Freeling was a five-star outlier for On3 in the 2023 cycle. We viewed Freeling as having the highest upside among offensive tackles in the 2023 cycle, a feeling that was solidified after seeing much of the top group at the All-American Bowl late in the cycle. At 6-foot-7, 295 pounds with an elite combination of length and athleticism, Freeling was more of a developmental prospect than some of his more filled-out, stronger peers. With that said, we felt like Freeling would shorten the gap considerably over his first few years in college. We saw that happen this past fall, with Freeling taking off in his first full year as a starter at Georgia. The fact he’s a first round pick with just 18 career starts speaks to that upside. Had Freeling returned to Georgia for his senior season, he would’ve been a potential top ten pick in a loaded 2027 draft.

20. WR Makai Lemon, USC (Philadelphia Eagles)

Winner: ESPN **On3:**4-star, No. 107 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 50 (2023) **ESPN:**5-star, No. 13 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 54 (2023)

Makai Lemon was the top two-way player on the West Coast in the 2023 cycle, starring as a wide receiver and defensive back at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High, playing alongside touted quarterback Malachi Nelson. Lemon was productive, going for over 1,000 yards in his final two seasons and showed his trademark competitiveness at the catch point and with the ball in his hands. His measurables were not spectacular and we wrote at the time that he played faster than he tested in the combine setting. Ultimately, the skill level and competitive nature carried Lemon to a great career at USC and the first-round of the NFL Draft. There is no question in hindsight that he should have been in the five-star conversation.

21. OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star (2023) 247Sports: 3-star (2023) **ESPN:**3-star (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 3-star (2023)

Max Iheahanachor didn’t play football until his time at East Los Angeles College. He was a talented basketball player in high school and made the conversion to the gridiron once at junior college, initially beginning as a tight end before putting on weight to play along the offensive line. We viewed Iheanachor as a high upside prospect who was still figuring things out, and rightfully so given his lack of experience. He turned out to be a great find and late get for Arizona State in the 2023 cycle.

22. EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Los Angeles Chargers)

Winner: ESPN **On3:**Before Inception 247Sports: 3-star (2020) **ESPN:**4-star (2020) Rivals (previous scouting team): 3-star (202)

Akheem Mesidor is one of the oldest prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, originally hailing from the 2020 cycle. Mesidor was a native of Canada playing at several high schools before moving to the United States to play at Clearwater (Fla.) Clearwater Academy International as a senior. He had a very productive year with 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, putting himself on the Power 4 radar. Mesidor is one of the highest-drafted international players in recent years. Despite his older relative age, he was actually younger for the 2020 recruiting cycle (April birthday) unlike most international prospects.

23. EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF (Dallas Cowboys)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Malachi Lawrence was an outstanding find out of the state of Kentucky by UCF under then head coach Josh Heupel in the 2021 cycle. Lawrence was a late-blooming pass-rusher who had a later growth spurt as a younger prospect (July birthday). He was a state champion in the shot put as a senior with a sensational 61+ foot mark.

24. WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (Cleveland Browns)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**3-star (2023) 247Sports: 3-star (2023) **ESPN:**3-star (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star (2023)

KC Concepcion played on a loaded team at Charlotte Chambers alongside James Pearce and Hollywood Smothers. He was a shifty playmaker with the ball in his hands with quality film. Relative to most blue-chip receivers, Concepcion was not very productive as he failed to eclipse 600 receiving yards in his last two seasons of high school football. I remember seeing him at the OT7 Finals in the summer of 2022 and he was working as a rotational defensive back and backup wide receiver for his 7-n-7 team. While Concepcion didn’t flash in a big way as a high school prospect, he exploded as a true freshman at NC State, en route to being named On3’s Offensive True Freshman of the Year.

25. S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (Chicago Bears)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Dillon Thieneman was a very productive high school safety out of the state of Indiana who flew under the national radar. He was an instinctive, active defender, racking up over 100 tackles as a junior and made plays on both sides of the ball as a senior. Thieneman was a good athlete, but certainly improved his long speed at the college level. Similar to many first-rounders, he had a breakout true freshman season, earning True Freshman All-American honors.

No. 26 IOL Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (Houston Texans)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Keylan Rutledge was heavily under recruited out of Carnesville (Ga.) Franklin County in the 2022 cycle, ultimately signing with Middle Tennessee. He had the profile of a classic late developer. Rutledge was a multi-positional player, initially playing tight end on offense before moving to offensive line as a senior. He was an all-state basketball player and state champion in the shot put (53-4 feet).

No. 27 CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State (Miami Dolphins)

Winner: None (Rivals Industry 3-star)

Chris Johnson showed signs of potential as a high school player with ball production and two-way ability that tends to point to success at cornerback. Johnson had 18 pass breakups and three interceptions along with 342 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a senior at Corona (Calif.) Roosevelt. He was a full year younger than most of his fellow prospects in the 2022 cycle, turning 18 years-old in November of his freshman season at San Diego State.

28. OT Caleb Lomu, Utah (New England Patriots)

Winner: On3 **On3:**4-star, No. 71 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 164 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 240 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 241 (2023)

Caleb Lomu was an On3 outlier for nearly the entire 2023 cycle. We viewed Lomu as the top true tackle prospect out West in 2023, in large part due to his outstanding functional movement skills. Lomu was a very light, nimble mover and had the frame and length you look for in developmental offensive tackle prospects. We felt like he needed to get stronger and add play strength, which remains the case going into the NFL. Lomu and future Utah teammate Spencer Fano both impressed at the All-American Bowl and both went on to have great careers in Salt Lake City before becoming first round draft picks.

29. DL Peter Woods, Clemson (Kansas City Chiefs)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**4-star, No. 75 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 59 (2023) **ESPN:**5-star, No. 4 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 15 (2023)

Peter Woods was one of the first prospects to emerge in the 2023 cycle, initially ranking as a top ten player in On3’s early rankings. Woods was a dominant defensive lineman at Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson, the top high school program in the state of Alabama, playing alongside several other blue-chip and Power 4 prospects. He didn’t have the eye-popping stature or frame of some other top defensive linemen, but consistently produced and had several strong all-star showings. I recall seeing him dominate practice at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. Ultimately we had Woods ranked too low, as his polish and movement skills led to an instant impact at Clemson.

30. WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana (New York Jets)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**3-star (2022) 247Sports: 3-star (2022) **ESPN:**3-star (2022) Rivals (previous scouting team): 4-star, No. 161 (2022)

Omar Cooper Jr. was On3’s highest-rated three-star prospect in the 2022 cycle, just missing out on a fourth star. He burst on the scene as a junior with 1,101 yards and 13 touchdowns, but tore his ACL late in the year. The production dipped as a senior, but he still showed high-level ability after the catch.

31. EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn (Tennessee Titans)

Winner: Rivals **On3:**4-star, No. 115 (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 62 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 205 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 19 (2023)

Keldric Faulk was one of the more physically-impressive prospects in the 2023 cycle. I saw him at a college camp heading into his junior season. He was around 6-foot-5, 225 pounds at the time and looked to be a plus athlete. I saw Faulk again at Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practices over a year later and he looked to have grown an inch and added at least 40 pounds to his frame. We always viewed him as a high upside, developmental prospect who was still figuring things out as a player. Ultimately his play at Auburn and physical upside led to the first found selection.

32. RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame (Seattle Seahawks)

Winner: 247Sports **On3:**4-star (2023) 247Sports: 4-star, No. 166 (2023) **ESPN:**4-star, No. 227 (2023) Rivals (previous scouting team): 5-star, No. 244 (2023)

Jadarian Price was a productive four-year starter at Denison (Texas) High. He touted very good speed, timing in the 4.5 range as an underclassman and had his best season as a senior, rushing for 1,803 yards and 18 touchdowns. Price increased his yards per carry by 2.7 yards from his junior to senior year, effectively answering questions we had about his efficiency as a runner. In hindsight that should have been enough for him to move into the On300 in late rankings.