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Many elite recruits will be making their college choices just four days before the Super Bowl, so it makes you wonder how the players in the big game were rated out of high school.
Well, 247Sports’ Kevin Flaherty took a look at exactly that.
Interestingly, Flaherty points out that there will be seven former five-star prospects on the field, and six of them play for the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, four of those six five-stars are on the Panthers’ offense. That unit also possesses the most four-star recruits (three) of any unit that will be on the field.
Here’s the breakdown, courtesy of 247Sports, and read their story in its entirety here, which includes an interactive map of the United States detailing where the recruits hail from.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
OFFENSE
QB Cam Newton — 4*, No. 1 dual-threat, No. 3 overall JUCO in 2010 247Sports Composite
RB Jonathan Stewart — 5*, No. 1 RB, No. 12 overall in 2005 247Sports Composite
FB Mike Tolbert — NR in 2004 247Sports Composite. Went to Coastal Carolina.
WR Ted Ginn, Jr. — 5*, No. 1 CB, No. 2 overall in 2004 247Sports Composite
WR Corey “Philly” Brown — 4*, No 11 ATH, No. 110 overall in 2010 247Sports Composite
TE Greg Olsen — 5*, No. 1 TE, No. 10 overall in 2003 247Sports Composite
LT Michael Oher — 5*, No. 6 OT, No. 38 overall in 2005 247Sports Composite
LG Andrew Norwell — 4*, No. 10 OT, No. 80 overall in 2010 247Sports Composite
C Ryan Kalil — 3*, No. 38 OG, No. 560 overall in 2003 247Sports Composite
RG Trai Turner — 3*, No. 16 OG, No. 374 overall in 2011 247Sports Composite
RT Mike Remmers — NR in 2007 247Sports Composite. Went to Oregon State.
Four five-stars, three four-stars, two three-stars, two NR
DEFENSE
LDE Charles Johnson — 5*, No. 4 WDE, No. 21 overall in 2004 247Sports Composite.
LDT Star Lotuleilei — 3*, No. 49 SDE, No. 857 overall in 2007 247Sports Composite
RDT Kawann Short — 3*, No. 50 DT, No. 714 overall in 2008 247Sports Composite
RDE Jared Allen — NR in 2000 247Sports Composite. Went to Idaho State.
SLB Shaq Thompson — 5*, No. 1 S, No. 4 overall in 2012 247Sports Composite
MLB Luke Kuechly — 3*, No. 41 OLB, No. 565 overall in 2009 247Sports Composite
WLB Thomas Davis — NR in 2001 247Sports Composite
LCB Robert McClain — 2*, No. 93 RB, No. 1719 overall in 2006 247Sports Composite
RCB Josh Norman — NR in 2008 247Sports Composite. Walked on at Coastal Carolina.
SS Roman Harper — NR in 2001 247Sports Composite. Went to Alabama.
FS Kurt Coleman — 4*, No. 17 CB, No. 144 overall in 2006 247Sports Composite
Two five-stars, one four-star, three three-stars, one two-star, four NR (two by age)
TOTAL: Six five-stars, four four-stars, five three-stars, one two-star, six NR (two by age)
DENVER BRONCOS
OFFENSE
QB Peyton Manning — NR in 1994 247Sports Composite. Went to Tennessee.
RB Ronnie Hillman — 3*, No. 75 ATH, No. 1176 overall in 2009 247Sports Composite
WR Demaryius Thomas — 3*, No. 65 WR, No. 546 overall in 2006 247Sports Composite
WR Emmanuel Sanders — 2*, No. 231, No. 2155 overall in 2005 247Sports Composite
WR Andre Caldwell — 5*, No. 2 WR, No. 7 overall in 2003 247Sports Composite
TE Owen Daniels — NR in 2001 247Sports Composite. Went to Wisconsin.
LT Ryan Harris — 4*, No, 10 OT, No. 122 overall in 2003 247Sports Composite
LG Evan Mathis — NR in 2000 247Sports Composite. Went to Alabama.
C Matt Paradis — NR in 2009 247Sports Composite. Walked on at Boise State.
RG Louis Vasquez — 3*, No. 32, No. 354 overall in 2005 247Sports Composite
RT Michael Schofield — 4*, No. 15, No. 194 overall in 2009 247Sports Composite
One five-star, two four-stars, three three-stars, one two-star, four NR (two by age)
DEFENSE
DE Derek Wolfe — NR in 2008 247Sports Composite. Went to Cincinnati.
NT Sylvester Williams — 4*, No. 5 DT, No. 11 overall JUCO in 2011 247Sports Composite
DE Malik Jackson — 3*, No. 26 DT, No. 378 overall in 2008 247Sports Composite
SLB Von Miller — 4*, No. 13 OLB, No. 238 overall in 2007 247Sports Composite
WLB DeMarcus Ware — NR in 2001 247Sports Composite. Went to Troy.
ILB Brandon Marshall — 2*, No. 123 OLB, No. 1680 overall in 2007 247Sports Composite
ILB Danny Trevathan — 2*, No. 64 ILB, No. 1482 overall in 2008 247Sports Composite
LCB Aqib Talib — 2*, No. 119 CB, No. 1471 overall in 2004 247Sports Composite
RCB Chris Harris — 2*, No. 79 ATH, No. 1256 overall in 2007 247Sports Composite
SS T.J. Ward — NR in 2009 247Sports Composite. Walked on at Oregon
FS Darian Stewart — 3*, No. 41 S, No. 545 overall in 2006 247Sports Composite
Two four-stars, two three-stars, four two-stars, three NR (one by age)
TOTAL: One five-star, four four-stars, seven three-stars, five two-stars, seven NR (three by age)
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
