The 2022 Five-Star Plus+ recruits

There was a lot of movement among the elites in the Class of 2022 rankings. New rankings are trickling out.

Most of them come in reaction to the Under Armour All-American Game, the All-American Bowl and the final stretch of the 2022 season. In both games, players got a chance to improve their stock against some top competition.

The Five-Star Plus+ label belongs to athletes ranked as five stars on the four major recruiting media service sites.

Texas A&M signee Walter Nolen

On3 Consensus grade: 98.75
NIL Valuation: $114,000
School: Powell (Tenn.)

Walter Nolen has consistently been one of the top-ranked players in the class for the last year. He maintained his status as one of the Five-Star Plus+ prospects in the class of 2022.

Scouting summary: Large-framed interior defensive lineman with rare movement skills and athleticism at over 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds. Has continued to add size, growing over an inch and adding 40 pounds from his junior to senior years. Among the more athletic nose tackle prospects in several cycles. A truly dominant prospect in camp settings.

Jackson State signee Travis Hunter

On3 Consensus grade: 99.45
NIL Valuation: $860,000
School: Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill

Travis Hunter pulled a surprise on the first day of the early signing period and flipped from Florida State to Jackson State. Despite undergoing a slight slide in the On3 rankings from two down to eight, Hunter holds on to his Five-Star Plus+ status.

Scouting summary: The rare prospect with five-star ability on both sides of the ball as a cornerback and wide receiver. The most impactful non-quarterback in high school football as a junior and senior. Also among the best players, we’ve ever seen on the 7-on-7 circuit. Possesses transcendent ball skills with the ability to high-point and make catches in traffic at an alarmingly high rate. A highly instinctual ballhawk at cornerback with the ability to read quarterbacks and receivers and jump routes. A high volume target at receiver who is capable of winning at all levels with route-running quickness and savvy to go with the elite ball skills. Also, a fierce competitor who elevates the play of teammates. Led his team to its first state title as a senior. Will go down as one of the best high school football players in Georgia history.

USC signee Domani Jackson

On3 Consensus grade: 98.10
NIL Valuation: $78,000 School: Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei

Domani Jackson has been one of the top cornerbacks in the class of 2022 from the jump. He suffered an injury as a senior at Mater Dei. He still gets high marks from On3’s scouts.

Scouting summary: Has the best combination of size and long speed among the cornerbacks in the 2022 cycle. Tied the California state record in the 100 meters as a junior, running a posting 10.25-second mark in the state finals at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. A technically sound, smooth mover who has been well-coached at one of the nation’s top high school programs. Is battle-tested against top wide receivers playing against nationally-ranked high school teams on a regular basis. Has considerable make-up speed to close the gap when he is out of phase. As a defense-only player, he’s still a work in progress when it comes to instincts and ball-tracking skills. Missed the majority of his senior season after tearing his ACL in Mater Dei’s first game.

Missouri signee Luther Burden

On3 Consensus grade: 98.05
NIL Valuation: $68,000
School: St. Louis (Mo.) East St. Louis

After an electric senior season where he lead East St. Louis to the state title game, Luther Burden is now the eighth overall prospect in the On300 rankings.

Scouting summary: Physical, aggressive receiver who excels at picking up yards after the catch. Dangerous in the open field due to a quick initial burst, change of direction skills and vision. Also shows a tendency to run through arm tackles. Does not have verified speed times, but showing a fast play speed as a senior. Able to use his initial burst to create separation off the line of scrimmage. Has natural hands, plucking the ball with his fingertips. Parlays the open field skill set to double as a big-play punt returner, taking several to the house in 2021. Was a top youth basketball player. Not as tall as listed elsewhere, measuring under 6-feet prior to his senior season.

Texas A&M signee Evan Stewart

On3 Consensus grade: 98.25
NIL Valuation: $821,000
School: Frisco (Texas) Liberty

Coincidently, Evan Stewart opted out of the last half of his senior season at Liberty high school. He still remains high in the top-20 of the On300 coming in as the No. 17 overall prospect.

Scouting summary: One of the more dynamic and well-rounded wide receiver prospects in several cycles. An elite athlete with outstanding marks in multiple events in track and field. Transfers that athleticism over to the gridiron, where he is the top big-play threat in the 2022 cycle. Has palpable gravity as a deep threat. Eats up the corner’s cushion with his burst off the line and puts defensive backs out of phase consistently on vertical routes. Draws substantial attention from opposing defenses and beats double coverage at a high rate. Has shown plus ball skills in-game and camp settings with the ability to come down with acrobatic high-point catches. Improved his route-running between his junior and senior seasons and is now among the more technically-refined receivers in the cycle. Will need to continue adding mass and strength to combat physical corners off the line of scrimmage. Opted out of his senior season after playing in four games.

DL Shemar Stewart

On3 Consensus grade: 98.15
NIL Valuation: $34,000
School: Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace
Uncommitted

Shemar Stewart is still one of the hot names being battled over on the recruiting trail by a few top programs.

Scouting summary: Long considered one of the best prospects in the cycle, dating back to his freshman season. A big, quick-twitch athlete along the defensive line who grew an inch and added around 30 pounds between his junior and senior seasons. Has outstanding length with a 7-foot wingspan. A natural mover who makes high-level flash plays with his athleticism and first-step quickness. Is able to beat offensive linemen out of their stance with his burst off the snap. An explosive finisher who makes a number of emphatic plays behind the line of scrimmage. Also shows his athleticism in pursuit, with the ability to run down skill players sideline-to-sideline at 270 pounds. Missed much of his junior season with injury. Has the athleticism and versatility to line up at various spots along the defensive line at the next level.

Ohio State signee Sonny Styles

On3 Consensus grade: 98.25
NIL Valuation: $56,000
School: Pickerington (Ohio) Pickerington Central

Styles was originally a Five-Star Plus+ prospect in the class of 2023. He reclassified and signed with the Buckeyes in December.

Now with multiple new rankings updating, Styles’ ability translates to being considered a five-star in the class of 2022 also.

Scouting summary: A unique defensive prospect with the size, athleticism and movement skills to potentially make plays at all three levels of a defense. Combines 6-foot-4, 220-pound size with top-flight athleticism. Posted combine numbers that are better than many top defensive backs and wide receivers – some of the best marks we saw during the spring camp circuit. Athleticism transfers over to the field where he makes “wow” plays at a high rate. Plays at safety for his high school and is a smooth, fluid mover in space. Has movement patterns that belie his size. Shows deep range at safety with the ability to play hash to boundary. Makes plays on the ball at its highest point. Possesses some vicious striking power as a hitter and physical presence. Closes quickly and flashes the top-end speed on interception returns. Has blocked several kicks as a junior. Size, athleticism and coordination are unique and give him the ability to impact games as a defensive back, linebacker or potential pass rusher. Has the upside of being a true moveable chess piece for a defensive coordinator. Can continue to clean up his tackling technique. Doubles as an above-the-rim basketball player with mid-major offers on the hardwood.