NFL Draft: Where The First-rounders Ranked In High School

Tonight, another crop of former Rivals Camp Series stars and Rivals250 high school prospects become NFL players.

More than 500 NFL players last season had attended the Rivals Camp Series as high school prospects, and Rivals has covered the majority of the league’s players from the moment they burst onto recruiting radars as teenagers to becoming NFL Draft picks.

We will look back pick-by-pick throughout the first round of the NFL Draft at where we ranked each player in high school and our memories of each as a high school prospect.

“Caleb Williams is the best player in the draft, this pick was sanctioned for months and the five-star quarterback should have been No. 1 overall in the 2021 recruiting class. If there were more evaluation opportunities that were not possible because of the COVID pandemic, I’d like to think we would’ve moved Williams even higher than No. 6 overall.

“The five-star was good at Oklahoma but great at USC and if those around him can just let him operate in Chicago and give him time, Williams has superstar written all over him.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals recruiting director

*****

“Jayden Daniels is yet another example of a transfer quarterback who resurrected his career at his second school and achieved heights not possible if he stuck it out at Arizona State. His career was going nowhere in Tempe as he threw 10 touchdowns and 10 picks for the Sun Devils in 2021 but then got to LSU and it all clicked, especially this past season with a 40-3 differential and a Heisman Trophy.

“Always a smart, cool customer who has pop on all his throws and dual-threat capabilities, Daniels has proven he’s worthy of being picked right behind Williams.” – Gorney

*****

“Maybe he’s the next Justin Herbert, maybe he’s the next Mitch Trubisky or maybe Drake Maye is his own player with the opportunity to write his own future. The former four-star quarterback who flipped from Alabama to North Carolina did only have two starting seasons and I’m not thrilled with nine interceptions this past year but let’s also not forget he threw 62 of his 63 TDs in the last two years.

“Maye trusts his big-time arm and while there are some question marks his booming potential is worth the risk especially since he’s still only 21 years old.” – Gorney

*****

“Every defense knew the ball was coming Marvin Harrison’s way and nobody could really do anything about it because the former four-star receiver was the best in college football. At any moment, he could take over a game unlike many others.

“We definitely missed on his ranking, but if there is an excuse, it’s that he didn’t do many national events in high school.” – Gorney

*****

“The former three-star from Fridley (Minn.) Totino Grace is a great learning lesson for the rankings process and projections since Alt was 6-foot-7 but only 270 pounds in high school. He played right tackle and moved people around but didn’t totally dominate physically on tape.

“However, with his frame and almost no bad weight in high school, it was clear that Alt would easily pack on pounds and while no one could have predicted his 6-foot-9 and 321-pound measurements at the combine, it’s a learning lesson that not everyone has to show up to national events and dominate to be a first-rounder.

“Projection is also super important.” – Gorney

*****

“We missed on Malik Nabers but it wasn’t completely our fault. He missed his senior season because of transfer rules in Louisiana and was something of an afterthought in what looked like a loaded LSU receiver class with Deion Smith, Brian Thomas and Chris Hilton, who were all in the top 100 of the Rivals250.

“Nabers proved us wrong as he finished No. 50 in the receiver position rankings and that’s inexcusable because other than Marvin Harrison, Nabers is such a natural pass catcher who makes the tough grab look so easy.

“Maybe he’s a headache or maybe not – the pre-draft reports are definitely out there – but if he can focus on the field, Nabers should make WRU, aka LSU, very proud.” – Gorney

*****

“With JC Latham, he was always massive and he’s gotten even bigger going from 6-foot-6, 310 pounds in high school to now 342 at the NFL Combine. Originally from Wisconsin, Latham played at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, looking for more competition and he dominated in Florida as well.

“Latham stones pass rushers and imposes his massive will when run blocking. We had him third in the 2020 class and that’s a total hit.” – Gorney

*****

“Did Michael Penix save Rome Odunze’s career, vice versa, or both? Or maybe it was the arrival of big-time winner coach that made everything click because Odunze was relatively quiet his first two seasons before becoming one of college football’s best.

“His college production is off the charts, his in-game speed might be the best of any receiver in this draft and I absolutely should have listened to his dad when he kept telling me the four-star was still underrated.” – Gorney

*****