The next wave of stars is on its way.

Among the 5-star recruits in 2020 are 2 quarterbacks, 3 defensive ends, 4 running backs and a couple of “athletes” who might line up in the backfield.

The top 6 vote-getters for the 2019 Heisman included 3 quarterbacks, a defensive end and 2 running backs.

It’s fair to assume somebody in this 2020 group might find their way to New York over the next 3 or 4 seasons.

But history just reminded us, again, that they don’t have to be a 5-star to win.

Here’s a look at the recruiting rankings of the past 15 Heisman Trophy winners.

5-stars

2018: Kyler Murray — Murray was the No. 1-rated dual-threat QB in the 2015 class when he signed with Texas A&M. He was the No. 34 recruit overall. He spent 1 season at Texas A&M and transferred to Oklahoma. He sat, then starred. And was rewarded with a $35 million guaranteed contract after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

2015: Derrick Henry — Henry was the No. 12 overall recruit in the 2013 class and patiently waited for his turn. It came in 2015, when he broke Herschel Walker’s SEC single-season rushing record. He finished with 2,219 yards, a Heisman and a national title.

2013: Jameis Winston — Winston was the No. 1-rated dual-threat QB in the 2012 class and No. 12 ranked prospect overall. As 5-star QB recruits go, he more than fulfilled the hype, even though he redshirted his first year. Heck, the fact he didn’t transfer is almost newsworthy. Like Murray, Winston also played baseball. Like Murray, Winston made the wise choice to stick with football.

2010: Cam Newton — Newton was the No. 2-ranked dual-threat QB in the 2007 class. Newton signed with Florida, but his stay ended with an arrest. After a short stopover in JUCO, Newton turned in one of the greatest single seasons in SEC history in 2010, culminating with the Heisman and national championship.

2007: Tim Tebow — The top-ranked dual-threat QB in the 2006 class chose to stay home and play for the Gators. He helped them win a national title as a freshman, won the Heisman as a sophomore, and then took out Alabama en route to winning the 2008 national title. Expectations often are outrageous for recruits like Tebow, but nobody on this list accomplished as much.

2005: Reggie Bush — Henry and Bush are the examples to follow. Bush arrived at USC as the No. 3-ranked running back in the country, the No. 17 prospect overall in the 2003 class. The Heisman folks want you to forget he ever existed, but open field moves like his tend to leave a lasting impression.

4-stars

2019: Joe Burrow — Burrow took the road less traveled from southeast Ohio to Columbus all the way over to the Bayou, where he is putting the finishing touches on the greatest single season by a quarterback in SEC history. He already broke the SEC records for yards and TDs in a season and could become just the 5th QB in FBS history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in the same season. It’s hard to say a 4-star recruit overachieved, but Burrow was ranked just No. 280 overall in his class and No. 19 QB in the class. Among those ahead of him: Quinten Dormady, Ty Storey, Jauan Jennings and Blake Barnett. The 2015 QB class also included 2018 Heisman winner Kyler Murray, Josh Rosen and Drew Lock.

2011: Robert Griffin III — RG3 was the No. 6-ranked dual-threat QB in the 2008 class. Nobody above or below him did as much. No. 1 Terrelle Pryor and No. 2 EJ Manuel also were drafted, but Pryor changed positions in the NFL and Manuel didn’t last long.

2009: Mark Ingram — Even Alabama’s 1st Heisman Trophy winner wasn’t a Day 1 dominator. Ingram was the No. 10-ranked running back in the 2008 class, a list he no doubt would lead if revised today. After a successful freshman campaign, Ingram ran for a program-record 1,658 yards (since broken) as a sophomore, winning the Heisman and leading Alabama to its 1st national title under Nick Saban.

2006: Troy Smith — Smith arrived as the No. 8-ranked dual-threat QB in the 2002 class headlined by Vince Young. Smith started slowly at Ohio State before winning as a 5th-year senior. His numbers weren’t overwhelming (2,542 yards, 30 TDs, 6 INTs), but he guided the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season before falling to Florida in the BCS Championship Game. Smith garnered 91.6% of the points, the most in Heisman history — until Burrow broke it.

3-stars

2017: Baker Mayfield — Overlooked? Absolutely. Blame it on his size — he was a 6-1, 190-pound pocket passer. Or blame it on the analysts, who thought there were 159 players in Texas better than Mayfield, and more than 1,000 across the country in the 2013 class. Mayfield walked on at Texas Tech before transferring to Oklahoma, winning the Heisman and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

2016: Lamar Jackson — Back-to-back Heisman winners who arrived as 3-star recruits? Jackson was the 12th-ranked dual-threat QB in the 2015 class. Kyler Murray and Jarrett Stidham were Nos. 1 and 2. Sam Darnold was No. 5. Joe Burrow was No. 8. You could argue pretty easily that the 2015 QB class was the best of the decade.

2014: Marcus Mariota — Mariota no doubt opened doors for fellow Hawaiian quarterbacks, most notably Tua Tagovailoa, but he arrived at Oregon as the No. 491 prospect in the country in the 2011 class. This is one of the greatest hindsight classes in recent memory. Jeff Driskel was the No. 1-rated dual-threat. Johnny Manziel was No. 13. Mariota was No. 18 and Dak Prescott was No. 20.

2012: Johnny Manziel — Sensing a trend? Mobile quarterbacks who don’t look like Dan Marino when they get off the bus? Johnny Football looked more like Johnny JV when he arrived at College Station, listed a generous 6-foot, 195 pounds. He was the No. 62 player in Texas in 2011, No. 374 overall. He redshirted as a freshman at Texas A&M, then dominated the SEC for 2 years.

2008: Sam Bradford — Bradford wasn’t the No. 1-ranked pro-style QB in 2006, but there’s no shame there. Matthew Stafford was. Bradford came in at No. 12. He redshirted his freshman year at Oklahoma and won the award as a redshirt sophomore.