Success on the football field isn’t always because teams recruit all of the top-ranked players. No, sometimes finding those hidden gems, those diamonds in the rough can be the missing piece to success.

The SEC brings in a number of top recruits every season, but several programs have done a great job of realizing underrated talent in prospects that other schools didn’t foresee.

Here’s the best of the best in the SEC when it comes to discovering hidden gems.

Missouri Tigers

Hidden gems: Marcus Murphy, Bud Sasser, Shane Ray

The skinny: The Missouri Tigers simply don’t have the tradition and history of success as their SEC counterparts and therefore are often forced to do more with less in regard to recruiting. And when you look at some of Missouri’s most prominent players in recent years, what players haven’t been hidden gems? Nearly all of the Tigers’ significant contributors were three-stars or less, including guys like Marcus Murphy, Bud Sasser and Shane Ray. Ray is easily the most impressive of this group since he’s on his way to being a top NFL Draft pick and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. While there’s only three mentioned here, the list is much longer and a testament to the “Mizzou Made” player development program touted by Gary Pinkel and his staff.

Texas A&M Aggies

Hidden gems: Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, Deshazor Everett

The skinny: Firmly established within the SEC after three seasons, the Texas A&M Aggies are no longer a recruiting underdog. With some of the best facilities and an increasingly positive perception around college football, the Aggies are an attractive program to a number of top recruits. Prior to Texas A&M’s splash in the SEC, however, little did everyone know that several three-star recruits would be making a huge impact in the SEC. Some of the Aggies’ most decorated and talented players were three-stars coming out of high school, including Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and future first-round NFL draft pick Mike Evans. The Aggies have started pulling in more top recruits to College Station, but it’s all because of some of the hidden gems they found in the years prior.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Hidden gems: Martrell Spaight, Felix Jones, Trey Flowers

The skinny: Back when Arkansas was a contender for the SEC Championship in the mid-2000s, it was a three-star athlete named Felix Jones who became a big-time contributor for the Razorbacks. He, along with Darren McFadden, formed one of the most potent running back duos in SEC history. Recently, Arkansas has also struck gold on the defensive side of the ball with two impact defensive players Martrell Spaight (three-star) and defensive end Trey Flowers (two-star). Flowers developed into an All-SEC defensive lineman and Spaight, a JUCO transfer, quickly became the SEC’s best tackler, leading the conference in 2014 with 128 tackles. Many of Arkansas’ key contributors in 2014 were three-star recruits, so head coach Bret Bielema has done a great job of developing talent once the players arrive on campus.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Hidden gems: Dak Prescott, Benardrick McKinney, Josh Robinson, Preston Smith

The skinny: MSU busted onto the college football scene in 2014 with a 10-3 record. The Bulldogs at one point were ranked No. 1 in the nation and impressively defeated three straight top-10 opponents. Much of MSU’s success this season has been on the backs of hidden gems they found along the recruiting trail. Quarterback Dak Prescott, linebacker Beardrick McKinney and running back Josh Robinson were all three-star recruits in the 2011 recruiting class for MSU. Prescott has yet to declare his intentions, but both McKinney and Robinson are headed to the NFL early. McKinney could be a first-round pick as well. Defensive end Preston Smith was also a big part of MSU’s defense in 2014 and he was just a two-star in 2011. Head coach Dan Mullen finally broke through at Mississippi State and it was due in large part to his coaching staff’s evaluation and development of highly underrated recruits like these four players.