Three-star players are college football’s version of underdogs. Never mind that many of these players get full scholarships to programs like Alabama, LSU and Tennessee and start as true freshmen. They’re not touted as can’t-miss recruits out of high school, and to many that makes them more identifiable.

RELATED: Best composite 5-star players | Best composite 4-star players

Three-star players didn’t even exist when the recruiting industry first became a legitimate entity at the turn of the 21st century. The first composite data on three-star players came in 2002, a few years after consensus rankings existed for four- and five-star talents.

But within a few years, there were close to 1,000 three-star players in each recruiting class. I wouldn’t recommend sifting through all of them each year to try to find the best — it’s a time-consuming process — but almost due to sheer numbers, there are some golden talents that emerge from the group each year.

Here are the best three-star players in each season as well as others that I considered. Keep in mind all these star ratings are based on the 247Sports composite, which represents the consensus ranking of every major recruiting service. Also, though we note on occasion how a player has performed in the NFL, these rankings are based on their college careers.

2002

Best 3-star player: Ohio State OLB A.J. Hawk

Others considered: USC WR Mike Williams, Maryland DE Shawne Merriman, Clemson WR Chansi Stuckey, Miami S Brandon Merriweather, Auburn LB Will Herring, Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil, Virginia G D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Alabama LB DeMeco Ryans

There were some outstanding defensive players during the first season that three-star players existed in the composite rankings. But at least at the college level, Hawk was the belle of the ball. A first-team All-Big Ten selection in all three years as a starter, Hawk also became a unanimous All-American in ’04 and ’05 and won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s best linebacker after his ’05 season.

2003

Best 3-star player: Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis

Others considered: Penn State LB Paul Posluszny, Colorado K Mason Crosby, Illinois RB Pierre Thomas, Arkansas CB Chris Houston, Pitt/Rhode Island QB Joe Flacco, Minnesota RB Laurence Maroney, Georgia Tech LB Philip Wheeler, Alabama WR Tyrone Prothro

His final two seasons in Oxford, Willis was one of the best linebackers in the country. He then became a five-time first-team All-Pro selection before retiring at the young age of 31. It’s hard to believe that what seemed like such a natural talent chose Ole Miss over Memphis as a three-star recruit out of high school. But he wasn’t a superstar when he arrived on campus, making 20 tackles as a true freshman despite playing in all 13 games. Back to the final two college seasons: Willis led the SEC in tackles both years, earning All-American status twice and becoming the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year in ’06. He added several national awards to his trophy case that year.

2004

Best 3-star player: West Virginia QB Pat White

Others considered: Virginia Tech WR Eddie Royal, Virginia DE Chris Long, Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo, Michigan RB Mike Hart, Purdue QB Curtis Painter, Tennessee RB Arian Foster, Texas Tech WR Danny Amendola, LSU RB Jacob Hester, Alabama WR D.J. Hall

One of the ultimate college players, did not have much of a pro career. But he was unbelievable playing for coach Rich Rodriguez and the Mountaineers. One of the most productive dual-threat quarterbacks in college football history, White managed to win four bowl games — including a pair of BCS bowls. He rushed for a jaw-dropping 4,480 yards as a quarterback and managed 35 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions his final two seasons.

2005

Best 3-star player: Texas QB Colt McCoy

Others considered: Missouri TE Chase Coffman, Arkansas RB Felix Jones, Missouri QB Chase Daniel, Texas Tech OT Louis Vasquez, Ohio State LB James Laurinaitis, Alabama QB John Parker Wilson, Vanderbilt WR Earl Bennett, Rutgers RB Ray Rice, Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins, West Virginia RB Steve Slaton

McCoy got strong competition from Ohio State’s Laurinaitis and others. But his special career in Austin, Texas, looks even better in hindsight, considering that program’s troubles at quarterback ever since he left following the ’09 season. He also gets credit for being a four-year starter, helping the team win 10, 10, 12 and 13 games. McCoy completed a remarkable 76.7 percent of his passes in ’08, accounting for 4,420 yards of offense and 45 touchdowns. The next season he led Texas to a BCS National Championship appearance against Alabama. Some fans still contend that the Longhorns would’ve prevented Nick Saban from bringing his first national title to Tuscaloosa if only McCoy hadn’t gotten hurt early in that game.

2006

Best 3-star player: Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford

Others considered: North Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks, Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin, Alabama QB Greg McElroy, Stanford FB Toby Gerhart, Boston College LB Mark Herzlich, Alabama CB/KR Javier Arenas, Georgia Tech WR Demaryius Thomas, Arizona DE Brooks Reed, Stanford CB Richard Sherman, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, TCU QB Andy Dalton, Wisconsin G John Moffitt

There were some terrific three-star players in this class, many of which have become excellent pros. But none made the singular impact on his team that Bradford did. The eventual No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft sure didn’t play like a three-star quarterback. He led the Sooners to a Big 12 championship as a redshirt freshman, winning a wide-open quarterback competition. He repeated the Big 12 titles in ’08, throwing for a ridiculous 4,721 yards and 50 touchdowns — winning the Heisman Trophy, among other honors. A shoulder injury limited his ’10 season, but he still left Norman as one of the most renowned quarterbacks in OU history.

2007

Best 3-star player: Texas A&M LB Von Miller

Others considered: Florida G Mike Pouncey, Virginia CB Ras-I Dowling, Texas S Earl Thomas, South Carolina LB Melvin Ingram, Cal S Chris Conte, Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara, Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan, Michigan State/Arizona QB Nick Foles, Nebraska RB Roy Helu, Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews

This class is full of players like Miller, Thomas, Tannehill and Mathews who performed at the highest level, but for just one or two seasons. There’s not much separation between any of these players, judging by their college careers. Miller’s personality always has been an enigma. But he put it together in ’09 at Texas A&M’s “Jack” position, leading the nation with 17 sacks. He became a first-team All-American for the second consecutive year in ’10 despite being limited half the year by an ankle sprain. He exited college as an otherworldly talent as a pass rusher, with unmatched bend off the edge.

2008

Best 3-star player: Oregon RB LaMichael James

Others considered: Stanford C David DeCastro, Oregon State RB Jacquizz Rodgers, UCLA RB Johnathan Franklin, Baylor QB Nick Florence, Cal LB Mychal Kendricks, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus, Kentucky ATH Randall Cobb, Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins

A surprise starter in ’09 after the suspension of LeGarrette Blount, James made the most of his first college season, rushing for 1,546 yards and 14 touchdowns as the Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year. It turned out to be his least-productive season. Despite a one-game suspension in ’10, James led the nation in rushing and touchdowns, winning the Doak Walker Award, becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist and taking Oregon to the BCS National Championship Game, where the team lost to Auburn. He ran for 1,805 yards on 7.3 yards per carry in his final college season despite a dislocated elbow. Mostly a disappointment in the NFL, he’s since informed the media he’d prefer to be called “LaMike.”

2009

Best 3-star player: Boston College LB Luke Kuechly

Others considered: Alabama G Chance Warmack, LSU CB Morris Claiborne, Wake Forest WR Michael Campanaro, Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert, Texas A&M WR Ryan Swope, Florida State C Bryan Stork, Arizona State QB Brock Osweiler, Missouri DE Michael Sam

A three-time first-team All-American, Kuechly has a case as one of the ACC’s greatest linebackers of all-time. When teammate Mark Herzlich sat out the ’09 season due to cancer, Kuechly started as a true freshman — making 158 tackles. He followed that with 183 and 191, breaking the ACC record for career tackles in just three seasons and collecting all sorts of trophies. Some questioned his ability to be a three-down linebacker in the NFL, but he quashed that during the pre-draft process and became the No. 9 overall pick. He’s been a first-team All-Pro selection the last three seasons.

2010

Best 3-star player: Pitt DT Aaron Donald

Others considered: Oregon State QB Sean Mannion, South Carolina QB Connor Shaw, Clemson DE Vic Beasley, Missouri RB/KR Marcus Murphy, Iowa OT Brandon Scherff, Oregon C Hroniss Grasu, Stanford DE Henry Anderson, Miami QB Stephen Morris, Georgia Tech OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Virginia Tech CB Kyle Fuller, Michigan State RB Jeremy Langford, UCF QB Blake Bortles, Vanderbilt WR Jordan Matthews, San Diego State RB Adam Muema

Most times it’s difficult for a layman to appreciate a great defensive tackle. Even terrific players at the position rarely put up superstar numbers, as the job often involves colliding with 300 or even 600 pounds of beef and shoving it backward one or two yards — over and over and over. But Donald became the closest thing we’ve seen to Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh. College football’s most dominant player in 2013, he won the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy. His final three years at Pitt, he made 63 tackles for loss — including 28.5 (!) in ’13 — and 29.5 sacks.

2011

Best 3-star player: Oregon QB Marcus Mariota

Others considered: Miami LB Denzel Perryman, Washington DT Danny Shelton, Missouri DE Shane Ray, Arizona RB Ka’Deem Carey, Auburn WR Sammie Coates, Stanford QB Kevin Hogan, Oregon State WR Brandin Cooks, Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, North Carolina TE Eric Ebron, Ohio State/Duke S Jeremy Cash, Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah, Tennessee S Brian Randolph, Texas A&M WR Mike Evans, Kentucky DE Bud Dupree, Clemson DE Kevin Dodd, Michigan State QB Connor Cook, Purdue/Nebraska DE Randy Gregory, TCU LB Paul Dawson

Manziel started for two unforgettable years in College Station. But Mariota did the same for three years in Oregon. Both players won a Heisman Trophy, but Mariota led his team to the College Football Playoff in 2014, where he ended Jameis Winston’s 29-game winning streak at Florida State. Mariota threw for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns that season — against 4 interceptions. He also ran for 770 yards and an additional 15 touchdowns, and added a score as a receiver for a total of 58 scores in one year. (Manziel’s best total was 47 in ’12.)

2012

Best 3-star player: Louisiana Tech RB Kenneth Dixon

Others considered: LSU WR Travin Dural, Oklahoma LB Eric Striker, LSU LB Deion Jones, Auburn CB Jonathan Jones, LSU DB Jalen Mills, Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah, SMU/Bowling Green/Alabama WR Gehrig Dieter, Baylor RB Shock Linwood, Iowa QB C.J. Beathard

Despite playing outside the so-called power conferences, Dixon was one of the most consistently productive players in the entire ’12 class. He came within 83 yards in 2013 of producing four 1,000-yard seasons. He finished his career with nearly 4,500 rushing yards and 72 rushing touchdowns, becoming a premier threat as a receiver his final two seasons. He teamed with former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel to give the Bulldogs a wildly productive offense in 2015.

2013

Best 3-star player: Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield

Others considered: Alabama DB Eddie Jackson, South Carolina LB Skai Moore, South Carolina WR Pharoh Cooper, Arizona QB Anu Solomon, North Carolina WR Ryan Switzer, Arkansas LB Brooks Ellis, Tennessee CB Cam Sutton, Arkansas OT Dan Skipper, Georgia S Quincy Mauger, Ole Miss TE Evan Engram, Houston QB Greg Ward Jr., Auburn K Daniel Carlson, Vanderbilt RB Ralph Webb, Colorado State WR Rashard Higgins, Mississippi State WR De’Runnya Wilson, Kentucky K Austin MacGinnis, Toledo RB Kareem Hunt

A walking drama off the field, Mayfield has been a revelation on it. The former walk-on played for one season at Texas Tech before transferring to Oklahoma, where last season he led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff. He completed better than 68 percent of his passes for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns. He enters 2016 as a strong Heisman Trophy candidate.

TO BE DETERMINED

2014

SEC notables: Tennessee TE Ethan Wolf, Florida DB Quincy Wilson, Florida ATH Brandon Powell, Tennessee DB Rashaan Gaulden, LSU LB Donnie Alexander, Arkansas CB Henre’ Toliver, Vanderbilt DB/WR Trent Sherfield, Kentucky WR Blake Bone, Tennessee G Jashon Robertson, Mississippi State LB J.T. Gray, Kentucky WR Dorian Baker, Kentucky WR Garrett Johnson, Georgia S Dominick Sanders, South Carolina WR Deebo Samuel, Missouri RB Ish Witter, Arkansas WR Jared Cornelius, Missouri CB Logan Cheadle, Alabama P JK Scott

2015

SEC notables: Texas A&M S Justin Evans, Texas A&M WR Damion Ratley, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly, Florida WR Antonio Callaway, Arkansas RB Rawleigh Williams III, Arkansas WR Dominique Reed, Kentucky QB Chris Westry