Counting down the 5-star recruits in the updated 2025 On300 rankings

As the spring camp circuit comes to a close in the next few weeks and the recruiting trail heats up, On3 is releasing its latest On300 rankings, highlighted two new five-star prospects. With the update, there are now 10  five-stars in the cycle, which will ultimately end with 32 players receiving that status to match the number of first-round selections in the NFL Draft.

To kick off the latest rankings release, On3 is counting down the 10 five-star prospects in the 2025 cycle.

1. QB Bryce Underwood

School: Belleville (Mich.)
Status: Committed to LSU

Scout’s Take: “Bryce Underwood is the top quarterback in what looks to be an uptick in talent at the position relative to the 2024 cycle. He has a very high-end combination of arm talent and athletic ability, and his physical tools are among the best you’ll see at this stage in the process. He has an explosive downfield arm, can drive the ball with extreme velocity to every level of the field. And he is a guy — who in addition to how well he has played to this point in his high school career — has a lot of room to continue improving. There’s a lot of untapped physical upside still there and room to grow in skill development. During his junior season, he threw for 40 touchdowns and two interceptions, ran for seven more touchdowns, and has only lost one game as a starter while playing at a high level. One takeaway from his film compared to others in this class is that in addition to his arm talent, he has excellent pocket movement. He senses pressure and responds to it in a really impressive way for a 16-year-old quarterback.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

2. DL Elijah Griffin

School: Savannah (Ga.) Christian Prep
On3 RPM: Georgia 95.9%, South Carolina 1.5%

Scout’s Take: “Elijah Griffin is one of the best defensive line prospects that we’ve seen coming out of his junior season in several cycles. He has an outstanding combination of size, length and technical ability. And he really made strides as a junior, showing some promising continued growth. He tips the scales at 6’4 and 295 pounds with a 35-inch arm. He can really move at that size too, and he’s an extremely productive player on Friday nights. Last fall, he totaled 30 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. He also has all the athletic markers you’d want with a 50-plus-foot shot put, ran an electronically-timed 5.1 40 yard dash over a year ago and when you flip on the film has terrific understanding of leverage. Griffin is a who also has quick hands and developed moves as an interior defensive lineman. He’s probably among the safest bets in this cycle as an elite prospect given all of that, and I think he’s one of the best defensive line prospects we’ve seen in a while.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

3. WR Dakorien Moore

School: Duncanville (Texas)
Status: Committed to LSU

Scout’s Take: “Dakorien Moore’s talent at the wide receiver position can be encapsulated in one word: rare. The way he moves, the way he sets up his routes, the way he separates from defenders, the way he attacks the football in the air is simply that, rare. Moore has tremendous top-end speed and it shows on the football field and on the track. During his 2023 track and field season Moore ran a personal best 10.63 in the 100m dash and was a member of the 6A Texas state runner-up 4×100 meter relay team for Duncanville (TX) that ran a blazing time of 40.26 in the state finals. His ability to naturally track the football downfield accentuates his capacity as a vertical threat while his ability to shift gears and mix up the pacing of his routes keeps corners on their toes and allows for him to separate effortlessly at all levels of the field. And even at 5-foot-11.5, Moore can go up and attack the football as if he were a typical, 6-foot-3+ X-type receiver. His bounce and explosiveness in order to high point the football is truly fantastic for someone of his stature and he is able to bring down contested catches with ease. And once the ball is in his hands he has the talent in the open field to make defenders miss in a phone booth and turn quick hitters into long scores. Moore is a threat behind the line of scrimmage, at the sticks, in the red zone and deep downfield. He is truly one of the most gifted playmakers in the last few recruiting cycles at the receiver position. He is truly rare.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

4. CB DJ Pickett

School: Zephyrhills (Fla.)
On3 RPM: LSU 19.3%, Miami 14.5%, Georgia 12.4%, Florida 8.7%

Scout’s Take: “It’s a very strong cornerback class, especially at the top, in the 2025 cycle. We have three in the top eight, and in this update we changed DJ Pickett’s projected position from a safety to a corner. He projects being recruited as a corner, and he’s a unique prospect at that position. He’s very tall, north of 6’3 and probably closer to 6’4. He’s long and rangy and has elite length and has high-end athleticism and ball skills to go with that. His wingspan is 6’11 and runs a 10.6 in the 100 meters, so at a traits-based position, he registers as an elite prospect in that regard. When you see how he plays on Friday nights, it’s even more encouraging with more than 1,000 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns and also plays safety for his high school. 

He’s not afraid to be a physical run defender, and compared to the other cornerbacks in this class, he’s both the most physically gifted and the most physical. That’s a really encouraging combination, and while he still needs to convert to corner from a technical standpoint, we don’t have any concerns about that because of his movement skills and athleticism.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

5. OT Will Black

School: Wallington (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hill
Status: Committed to Notre Dame

Scout’s Take: “The 2025 recruiting cycle is heavy at the top with offensive tackle prospects and Will Black is the man at the top of that list. The 6-foot-7, 285 pound tackle from Connecticut is arguably the most sound tackle prospect in the country. Black has a tremendous frame that will only need to add 15-25 pounds once he reaches the collegiate level and will be able to carry that additional mass with ease given his build and body type. With leaner, athletic lowers and great arm length, Black has prototypical size and physical features for a high school offensive tackle prospect at this stage. He also has prototypical movement skills for the position. During the summer camp circuit prior to his junior season, Black was able to throw down multiple sub-5.1 second laser-verified 40-yard dash times which is truly phenomenal for his size and position. This display of athleticism is echoed on tape as he is beyond comfortable maneuvering in space and in the open field when climbing up to the second level in the run game or when pulling on sweeps and screens.

…The athleticism is also very apparent in the passing game. Black displays excellent body control and balance in his pass sets and has elite foot speed and body quickness when reacting and countering opposing pass rushers. But he isn’t just a space player, Black is a finisher. When he is asked to go heads up against defenders he punishes them consistently and plays through the whistle serving up pancakes left and right. He is a gritty enforcer in the run game that can move defenders off the line of scrimmage with ease. Is his level of competition the greatest? No, but he dominates the opponent placed in front of him and that is all that he can control. Offensive tackle prospects with his size, movement skills, grit, and technique in pass blocking rarely make it out of the first round of the NFL draft and we believe Will Black could potentially become the next in line when his collegiate playing days are done.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

6. OT David Sanders

School: Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day
On3 RPM: Georgia 25.1%, Clemson 18.4%, Alabama 12.6%, Tennessee 9.2%

Scout’s Take: “David Sanders Jr. is truly one of the most gifted offensive tackle prospects in the entire country. He is the definition of projection and upside. Sanders stands in at nearly 6-foot-6, 260 pounds with one of the most athletic body types from an offensive tackle prospect in the last couple of recruiting cycles. But he doesn’t just look the part of an athletic big man, he plays the part as well. Sanders tested as one of the most athletic players, regardless of position, during the spring camp circuit prior to his junior season. Plus, he also ran on his high school’s 4x100m relay team as a sophomore at nearly 250 pounds which is rare for offensive line prospects. But he isn’t just a freaky mover, he’s a freaky thrower as well. His personal best discus throw of 143-foot-1 during his junior track and field season landed him the runner-up spot in the North Carolina D1 state championships and he threw a personal best shot put of 53-foot-3 during a district meet earlier in that same year. The strength and movement skills translate to the gridiron as he constantly flashes both traits on tape. His ability to move in space and attack defenders is not something you see every day from offensive tackles at the high school level.

…His ability to run up on defenders and initiate contact as opposed to catching them and walling them off speaks to his violent mindset and rare physical gifts. In pass protection he has unbelievable foot quickness and the ability to use his hands individually in order to mix up the timing of his punches during his pass sets which is extremely rare to find in college prospects let alone a junior in high school. Sanders has the length, raw power, and raw athleticism that every college coach in the country would love to mold into an impenetrable wall of a left tackle at the collegiate level. The biggest question with Sanders will be how his athleticism holds up as he adds mass. He will need to add nearly 40+ pounds in order to play at the collegiate level. If he is able to maintain his rare athletic ability after gaining such substantial weight, then he could have one of the highest upsides of any player in the entire country, regardless of position in the 2025 recruiting cycle.” — Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

7. CB Na’eem Offord

School: Birmingham (Ala.) Parker
Status: Committed to Ohio State

Scout’s Take: “Na’eem Offord was a 5-star for us — and a huge outlier in the industry — in our initial On300 2025 ranking a year ago. And he backed that up with how he played this year as a junior. He’s a plus athlete, extremely fluid and a natural at defensive back. His playmaking ability is apparent, and he kind of came on the radar as a sophomore. He had a phenomenal showing at the Under Armour Atlanta camp last year. What’s most encouraging about him is that the athleticism and fluidity he shows transfers over to Friday nights. He’s a very good cover corner and could play multiple positions in the secondary — potentially even safety and be really good there. He has a natural skill for making big plays, including as a punt returner and is just one of those guys who is best when the lights are brightest.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

8. OT Ty Haywood

School: Denton (Texas) Ryan
On3 RPM: Oklahoma 88.9%, Texas A&M 2.6%, Florida State 2.3%

Scout’s Take: “Ty Haywood is an explosive, powerful offensive tackle with high-end traits for the position. He measured in at around 6-foot-5, 280 pounds prior to his junior season. Haywood owns plus length and projects as a tackle long-term. His movement skills in the camp setting are impressive, and he doubles as a standout in track and field with a stellar 54-6.75 shot put throw as a sophomore. Those physical attributes transfer to the field well at left tackle for Denton Ryan, one of the top talent-producing high school programs in North Texas. He flashes very strong hands, stunning defensive linemen with his initial punch, and he has strong grip strength and maintains his blocks. His tape shows a bully in the run game with good reactive quickness with moving laterally. He plays with a sturdy base and shows the ability to anchor on contact. Haywood will need to continue honing his pass set technique and moving his feet once engaged.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

9. CB Devin Sanchez

School: Houston (Texas) North Shore
Status: Committed to Ohio State

Scout’s Take: “Devin Sanchez — who is also committed to Ohio State — gives the Buckeyes an exceptional pairing with Offord at cornerback as two top-10 overall prospects. He has an argument as the most polished and pure cover corner in this cycle. While other guys have played other defensive back spots, he has played exclusively cornerback and has an elite combination of size, speed and length. His arms are close to 33 inches, runs in the 10.6s and has a track background that transfers over to the field. This fall he had five interceptions while playing for one of the top high school programs in the state of Texas against great competition. He went up against Dakorien Moore, the No. 1 WR in the cycle, in the state championship game and held him to zero catches. He’s elite in coverage and has a chance to improve even more with his physicality.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

10. DL Justus Terry

School: Manchester (Ga.)
Status: Committed to USC

Scout’s Take: “Justus Terry has a tremendous frame and build for an interior defensive line prospect. He stands in at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds with excellent weight distribution throughout his frame. He has the ability to win with first step and lateral quickness, has rare get off and leverage for a player of his stature. His bend and ability to change direction are impressive, and he’s clearly comfortable in space. He uses his length to initiate contact consistently and sheds blockers with ease. If asked to in run support, he is able to anchor and two-gap if asked to. He will need to continue to fill out and gain functional play strength at the next level but should be able to carry an extra 20-30 pounds on his frame. Ultimately, he’s a very high upside prospect who will be in consideration for a first-round selection in the NFL Draft.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings