In 2020, USA TODAY Prime Faculty Sports activities regarded on the top-rated recruits since 2000, consistent with 247Sports composite averages. Since then there was new title added to the spectacular checklist, one that incorporates a really perfect ranking— which now makes six overall in that distinctive class.
As we has mentioned ahead of, those gamers weren’t only one instance of highschool dominance; they have been “The” instance of highschool soccer dominance. Then again, those are the soccer legends since 2000. That suggests the historic hierarchy with the likes of Bo Jackson, Marcus Dupree, John Elway, Peyton Manning, Randy Moss, and extra, aren’t incorporated. (Had the ranking gadget been in position “again within the day” … effectively, it’s secure to think there can be much more than six gamers with a really perfect composite moderate.)
With that during thoughts, let’s take a look at the unrivaled skills that took on nearly legend-like lore underneath the lighting on Friday evening since 2000…
Cyrus Kouandjio | OT | DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), Magnificence of 2011
(By means of MerlinFTP Drop)
Quite a lot of faculties (over 60 overall) sought after Cyrus Kouandjio, the 6-foot-7 offensive take on from Cameroon, who was once ranked the fourth-best prospect in 2011. In a well-publicized switcheroo, Kouandjio at first signed with Auburn, simplest to flip-flop 3 days later to rival Alabama, the place he’d play along with his brother, Arie. Ranking: 0.9994/1.0000
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Bryan Bresee | DT | Damascus (Damascus, Md.), Magnificence of 2020
(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports activities Pictures)
The proficient defensive take on out of Maryland headed to Clemson in 2020. The 6-foot-5 Bresee ranked No. 3 on ESPN’s Best 100, and changed into an web sensation when his Senior highlights tape that displayed some unreal athleticism—on all sides of the ball—hit YouTube. Ranking: 0.9995/1.0000
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Mario Edwards | DT | Ryan (Denton, Texas), Magnificence of 2012
(Photograph: Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports activities)
Offering uncanny athletic skill in a 280-pound body, Edwards was once the highest-rated DT within the 2011 magnificence, and ranked 3rd general—which hadn’t been completed on the place since Haloti Ngata hit No. 2 in 2002. The 2011 USA These days Defenseman of the 12 months had gives to a number of peak faculties—LSU, Oklahoma and in-state Texas—however selected Florida State. He these days performs within the NFL for the Chicago Bears. Ranking: 0.9995/1.0000
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Adrian Peterson | RB | Palestine (Palestine, Texas), Magnificence of 2004
(Photograph by way of Ezra Shaw/Getty Pictures)
Peterson hit mythical standing again in 2003, speeding for jaw-dropping 11.7 yards consistent with wearing on his strategy to 2,960 overall—40 yards shy of three,000! No surprise he was once signing autographs effectively ahead of his Oklahoma Sooners or NFL days. Peterson ranked No. 5 on ESPN’s Best 100 and was once the highest-rated RB heading into the 2004 signing duration. Ranking: 0.9996/1.0000
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Leonard Fournette | RB | St. Augustine (New Orleans, Los angeles.), Magnificence of 2014
(USA TODAY Community)
A decade after Adrian Peterson’s reign in the highschool backfield, any other dominant drive was once tearing up the operating sport east of Texas, in New Orleans. Leonard Fournette earned the entire {hardware} in 2003, together with USA These days’s Offensive Participant of the 12 months. Now not simplest was once he the No. 1 RB in 2014 however he additionally ranked as the tip general prospect. Like Peterson, his selection of faculties was once almost unending. However the Louisiana guy stayed in-state and headed to LSU. Ranking: 0.9996/1.0000
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Da’Quan Bowers | DE | Bamberg-Ehrhardt (Bamberg, S.C.), Magnificence of 2008
(USA TODAY Community)
When your title is discussed along side Reggie White’s and Bruce Smith’s all over the scouting procedure, there will have to be 0 doubt about the place the recruit lands at the charts. Bowers was once the tip ability in 2008, with gives to colleges reminiscent of Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, and Penn State. The large-bodied ability—who additionally rushed for over 1000 yards his senior yr—wound up at Clemson. It was once this system’s first-ever peak recruit. Ranking: 0.9997/1.0000
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Terrelle Pryor | DUAL | Jeannette (Jeannette, Pa.), Magnificence of 2008
(Photograph: Carolyn Kaster, AP)
Few highschool athletes have been as closely recruited as Terrelle Pryor—in both basketball or soccer. The 6-foot-4 dual-threat ended his soccer profession with 4000 yards passing and 4000 yards speeding, and a select of peak techniques from the East coast to the West coast. Ohio State would get the nod, the place he would earn Large Ten Freshman of the 12 months honors. Ranking: 0.9997/1.0000
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Joe McKnight | RB | John Curtis (New Orleans, Los angeles.), Magnificence of 2007
(USA TODAY Community)
The past due Joe McKnight confronted harrowing demanding situations all over his highschool soccer profession, principally stemming from the devastating aftermath of Storm Katrina, making the on-field accolades much more spectacular. Following the destruction of his homeland, the five-star recruit in brief relocated to Shreveport and enrolled at Evangel Christian Academy. He performed two video games there ahead of returning to his homeland for the rest of 2005. McKnight’s 2006 marketing campaign was once electrical. Ranked No. 2 general within the recruiting magnificence, McKnight selected USC over in-state LSU, which brought about a barrage of backlash. Ranking: 0.9997/1.0000
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D.J. Williams | LB | De Los angeles Salle (Brotherly love, Calif.), Magnificence of 2000
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Pictures)
At the defensive facet of the ball, the category of 2000’s top-ranked prospect was once De Los angeles Salle’s D.J. Williams. The athletic linebacker was once a drive on offense, too, surroundings a report on the perennial soccer powerhouse for touchdowns in a season (42). He earned USA These days Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors and went directly to play at Miami (Fla.), the place he can be a part of the 2001 Nationwide Championship workforce. Ranking: 0.9998/1.0000
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Brock Berlin | PRO | Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, Los angeles.), Magnificence of 2000
(USA TODAY Community)
On the flip of the millennium, the highschool recruiting global belonged to Brock Berlin. The QB out of Shreveport led his workforce to 3 consecutive state titles and would have his select of faculties as the tip passer within the 2000 magnificence. Berlin selected Steve Spurrier’s Floria Gators, the place he would lose the activity to Rex Grossman, ahead of shifting to Miami (FL). Ranking: 0.9998/1.0000
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Dorial Inexperienced-Beckham | WR | Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.), Magnificence of 2012
(Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports activities)
One of the most peak possibilities within the magnificence of 2012, Inexperienced-Beckham in brief held the all time highschool receiving yards report and was once the first-ever WR to earn the Corridor Trophy because the country’s superb highschool participant. The US These days Offensive Participant of the 12 months had his select of peak faculties however selected to stick in-state and play on the College of Missouri. Ranking: 0.9998/1.0000
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Justin Fields | DUAL | Harrison (Kennesaw, Ga.), Magnificence of 2018
(USA TODAY Community)
The category of 2018 had two extremely stellar QBs—with other kinds—on the peak of the charts. Fields was once the top-rated dual-threat QB and landed as ESPN’s peak general prospect. His numbers in simplest two years underneath heart have been nearly fantastic—4,187 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 2,096 speeding yards, and 28 speeding touchdowns. He was once named Mr. Georgia Soccer his senior yr and had a number of faculties after his increasingly more coveted taste of play on the subsequent degree. He signed with Georgia, however in 2019, he transferred to Ohio State. Ranking: 0.9998/1.0000
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Ronald Powell | DE | Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley, Cailf.), Magnificence of 2010
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Powell was once the top-ranked prospect in 2010, on all sides of the ball, and earned All-American honors from Parade, USA TODAY, and EA Sports activities. The 6-foot-3 ability capped off his highschool resume with an MVP nod on the 2010 U.S. Military All-American Bowl, ahead of keeping off to Florida to play for trainer City Meyer. Ranking: 0.9999/1.0000
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Trevor Lawrence | PRO | Cartersville (Cartersville, Ga.), Magnificence of 2018
(USA TODAY Community)
The soccer global has been looking at Lawrence’s development for a number of years, together with his highschool days, the place he was once just about unbeatable. He led Carterville to 41 immediately victories and two state titles, raking up passing statistics and accolades whilst rocketing up the score charts. One of the extremely touted QBs ever, Lawrence was once named USA TODAY’s Prime Faculty Soccer Participant of the 12 months in 2017, he gained the Corridor Trophy, and was once an All-American. It’s arduous to consider that he isn’t one of the vital six recruits who hang the dignity of a really perfect ranking. Ranking: 0.9999/1.0000
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Vince Younger | DUAL | Madison (Houston, Texas), Magnificence of 2002
(Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Community)
Prior to surroundings the varsity global ablaze and offering a historical one-man takedown of USC on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Vince Younger was once a peak prospect popping out of the Houston space. Younger, as it will manifest in school, was once in a position to disrupt defenses at the floor and during the air. Throughout his senior yr, he totaled 3,819 yards and 59 touchdowns. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
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Ernie Sims | LB | North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.), Magnificence of 2003
(Photograph By means of Grant Halverson/Getty Pictures)
Sims first lettered in highschool soccer…when he was once within the 8th grade! The flexible ability simplest grew from there, with Sims incomes All-American honors and score above huge names like Reggie Bush at the recruiting charts. Opponents indexed him as the tip prospect in 2003, a primary for the linebacker place, with big-time techniques like Miami (Fla.), Georgia and Auburn vying for his products and services. He selected to stick with regards to house, although, signing with the Florida State Seminoles. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
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Robert Nkemdiche | DE | Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), Magnificence of 2013
(Photograph: Jason Getz, AP)
It doesn’t matter what website you adopted again in 2012, Robert Nkemdiche was once indexed because the No. 1 general highschool prospect. The 6-foot-4 defensive finish was once a two-time All-American and had earned Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors from the Gwinnett Day-to-day. He had the stats that might’ve wowed the NFL mix, too: 350-pound bench press, 500-pound squat, and a 4.56-second 40-yard sprint time. Nkemdiche at first stunned the recruiting global (and his circle of relatives) when he selected Clemson over Ole Leave out, the place his brother performed. Sooner or later, he de-committed from the Tigers and headed to Oxford to play for Hugh Freeze and the Runnin’ Rebels. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
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Rashan Gary | DT | Paramus Catholic (Paramus, N.J.), Magnificence of 2016
(Adam Starvation USA TODAY Sports activities Pictures)
Like Nkemdiche, defensive take on Rashan Gary holds rank as one in every of simplest 3 gamers ever to be indexed as the tip prospect at the 4 main websites: ESPN.com, Opponents.com, Scout.com, and 247Sports.com. After shifting for his junior and senior years, Gary received nationwide popularity as a 6-foot-5 drive that any school program would wish lining up at the defensive facet of the ball. He earned USA TODAY Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors in addition to an All-The united states nod. With a selection of faculties from coast to coast, Gary selected the Large Ten and signed with Michigan. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
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Quinn Ewers | PRO | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas), Magnificence of 2021
(USA TODAY Community)
Welcome to the uncommon ratings territory, Quinn Ewers. Throughout his two seasons underneath heart for the Southlake Dragons (Texas), the proficient quarterback was once a dynamic drive, passing for six,445 yards and 73 touchdowns. So it’s no wonder that he was once scouted with such prime reward. However Ewers provides a captivating side past the very best ranking, too, in that the 6-foot-3 play-caller enrolled at Ohio State within the spring of 2021, which made him eligible for this yr.
A part of the reasoning? Ewers, who was once at first pinned as the tip QB within the Magnificence of 2022, noticed the NIL alternatives—one thing remarkable ahead of the key ruling—and determined to sign up early.
And it became out to be a case of straightforward come, simple pass. Ewers moved on from Columbus to return to in-state Texas Longhorns. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
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Jadeveon Clowney | DE | South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), Magnificence of 2011
(USA TODAY Community)
After which, there may be (nonetheless) Jadeveon Clowney. At 13—13!—he was once giving highschool offensive strains complications. And by the point Clowney was once a senior, the five-star prospect was once ranked No. 1 on all main monitoring websites. It was once mentioned that he would were the tip prospect in different categories from earlier years, too. Now not many recruits can declare such transcending domination. Ranking: 1.0000/1.0000
