22 unheralded recruits college football staffers are high on

Every year, there are players whose recruiting rankings change considerably during their final year of high school. 

For example, there were 45 players added to the On300 during a rankings update in July.

So with high school football season now underway around the country, I thought this would be a good time to try and identify some of the top unheralded recruits in the 2024 recruiting class. To accomplish that, I asked double-digit Power Five staffers which lesser-hyped recruits they’re most confident will end up being high-end college players and eventually NFL prospects. Here are 22 top names that came up (listed alphabetically):

3-star OL Kyle Altuner

Status: Committed to West Virginia
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 72 interior offensive lineman, No. 908 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-3, 285 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “NFL center. Tape is as good as it gets in the country against good competition, but he’s just too small to play tackle.”

3-star LB D’Angelo Barber

Status: Committed to Auburn
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 59 linebacker, No. 585 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot, 221 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “When you talk about just a pure linebacker in terms of instincts, playmaking ability, being in the right gap, shedding blocks, he does it all at an extremely high level. And his intangibles and leadership qualities are off the charts.”

3-star DL Michai Boireau

Status: Committed to Florida
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 68 defensive lineman, No. 720 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-5, 350 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “He’s like 390 pounds and can put his legs behind his head. He’s crazy flexible. If he loses weight, he’s got NFL traits.”

3-star QB EJ Caminong

Status: Committed to Cal
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 42 QB, No. 658 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Really good player. Was surprised he ended up at Cal. Good arm action. Compact action. Strong arm.”

3-star ATH/EDGE Cameron Clark

Status: Committed to Ole Miss
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 27 athlete, No. 644 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-5, 235 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Is listed as an athlete (instead of an EDGE) in some places, but great player.”

3-star DB Teddy Foster

Status: Committed to Florida
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 69 cornerback, No. 697 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Under-recruited. Long. Athletic. Has ball skills.”

3-star QB Jeremy Hecklinski

Status: Committed to Wake Forest
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 46 QB, No. 710 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “He’s a dude. I think he’s a gamer. Not a perfect motion, but can make all the throws. Plays with urgency and quick decision-maker. Extends plays. Plays big-time football and performed well on the big stages against great teams last year. Can tell he’s in total command out there.”

3-star RB Bryan Jackson

Status: Committed to USC
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 47 running back, No. 576 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot, 200 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Big back that moves really well. Old school type back but will be a tough runner and productive.”

3-star DB Devon Jordan

Status: Uncommitted
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 43 cornerback, No. 449 overall prospect
Size: 5-foot-10 1/2, 170 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Good measurables. Great speed. Athletic.”

3-star WR Zycarl Lewis

Status: Committed to Colorado
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 85 wide receiver, No. 525 overall prospect
Size: 5-foot-9 1/2, 155 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “I like him at slot and also outside. I thought he was just electric on tape. I thought he was one of the most electric players on tape. I like the kid a lot.”

3-star TE Jay Lindsey

Status: Committed to Mississippi State
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 57 tight end, No. 1,019 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Physical and strong. Will be a very good player at Mississippi State.”

3-star DB Red Morgan

Status: Committed to Alabama
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 46 safety, No. 492 overall prospect
Size: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds

Anonymous personnel staffer feedback: “Was the best safety committed to FSU, including (five-star) KJ Bolden, before Bama took him.”
Additional feedback: “He’s got the size, speed, athleticism that you could want and physicality at a position that’s very bad this year. There’s not very many elite players and he’s probably one of the best ones.”

3-star OL Deryc Plazz

Status: Committed to Miami
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 61 interior offensive lineman, No. 805 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-5, 280 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Kind of the prototype for a long offensive tackle who will develop in a weight program. Great length. Lean. Big frame. Good feet. Can bend. Has quickness and explosiveness.”

3-star DB Reggie Powers

Status: Committed to Michigan State
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 40 safety, No. 440 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “He’s a top-200 guy for sure.”

3-star WR Jordan Shipp

Status: Committed to North Carolina
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 70 wide receiver, No. 410 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-2, 183 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “He’s got elite ball skills and hands. If you watch his clips from (last week), he saved (four-star QB) Jadyn Davis a couple times. He threw it in double coverage and he just moss’d both of them. He has elite, elite hands.”

3-star LB Wyatt Simmons

Status: Committed to Arkansas
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 55 linebacker, No. 532 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Good IQ. Decent athleticism, Will be a Bumper Pool type player in my opinion on the low end.”

3-star LB Devin Smith

Status: Uncommitted
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 63 linebacker, No. 608 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot 1/2, 215 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Kind of a tweener between linebacker and EDGE but physical, athletic, has pop, and extremely productive.”

3-star OL Jake Wheelock

Status: Committed to Cincinnati
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 98 interior offensive lineman, No. 1,132 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-4, 270 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Just a hard-nosed, tough, resilient guy. Aside from that, he has really good feet, quickness and balance. Used to be 300+. Now he’s (about 270) of good weight.”

3-star WR Antonio White

Status: Committed to Rutgers
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 135 wide receiver, No. 933 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Athletic numbers are great. Can play either side of the ball. Will be a good player on next level.”

3-star WR Sacovie White

Status: Committed to Georgia
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 103 wide receiver, No. 606 overall prospect
Size: 5-foot-8 1/2, 175 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Incredibly good football player. You try to talk yourself out of it because he’s small, but then every time you see him, you just remember why you wanted him. He’s a stud. He’s just an outstanding, incredible football player. If he was 5-11, there would be nothing about him you didn’t like.”

3-star OL Ory Williams

Status: Committed to LSU
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 31 offensive tackle, No. 514 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-7, 300 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “He falls directly in line with NFL offensive tackle profiles when they’re in high school.”

3-star DB Vernon Woodward

Status: Committed to Illinois
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 89 cornerback, No. 883 overall prospect
Size: 6-foot-2, 180 pounds

Anonymous feedback: “Good size. Looks to have speed on tape. Really good change of direction and physicality. Think he is very underrated.”