Travis Hunter lived as much as the hype.
The No. 1 recruit within the 2022 cycle received the Heisman Trophy and was chosen second in final weekend’s NFL Draft.
Courting to 2010, 9 of the 13 recruits who had been ranked No. 1 of their respective lessons went on to turn into first-round picks. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (Class of 2018) and South Carolina edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (Class of 2011) had been the one two drafted increased than Hunter.
Ten of the 34 five-star recruits within the 2022 cycle had been drafted (of their first season eligible), together with eight within the first spherical. That’s already another first-rounder than from the 2021 cycle, which has had seven of its 35 five-stars chosen in Spherical 1 over the past two drafts.
Each recruiting class has its fair proportion of draft-day disappointments. Few imagined Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, the No. 1 participant within the 2021 cycle, would final till the seventh spherical of the 2025 draft. However not each projection pans out.
Hunter’s 2022 class, although, is off to a great begin. Right here’s a better have a look at the place issues stand with the top-100 recruits within the cycle.
Off to the professionals
In all, 35 members of the 2022 recruiting cycle had been taken among the many first 102 picks (first three rounds). That features the next five-stars, who had been all chosen among the many first 50 picks:
No. 1 Travis Hunter (first spherical, second decide)
No. 2 Walter Nolen (first spherical, sixteenth decide)
No. 3 Luther Burden III (second spherical, thirty ninth decide)
No. 4 Mykel Williams (first spherical, eleventh decide)
No. 9 Shemar Stewart (first spherical, seventeenth decide)
No. 15 Will Johnson (second spherical, forty seventh decide)
No. 16 Josh Conerly (first spherical, twenty ninth decide)
No. 19 Malaki Starks (first spherical, twenty seventh decide)
No. 21 Jihaad Campbell (first spherical, thirty first decide)
No. 33 Kelvin Banks (first spherical, ninth decide)
Former LSU offensive deal with Will Campbell, the second-highest-ranked four-star within the class, went fourth to the Patriots. Linebacker Jalon Walker (Georgia), receiver Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) and guard Tyler Booker (Alabama) had been the opposite first-round picks who had been top-100 recruits within the cycle.
Hawaii’s personal Tetairoa McMillan is bringing his dynamic playmaking capability to the league ⭐️@TMAC96795 | @ArizonaFBall
📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/QuGhqyn93r
— NFL (@NFL) April 21, 2025
Two different top-100 recruits had been drafted (making it 16 general):
Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State, third spherical
Shemar James, LB, Florida, fifth spherical
The one top-100 prospect who entered the draft and didn’t get chosen: Texas receiver Isaiah Bond.
Faculty stars
It ought to most likely shock nobody that 60 of the highest 100 recruits within the cycle have already transferred at the very least as soon as of their faculty careers. What’s noteworthy is that 14 of the 16 prime 100 recruits who had been drafted didn’t switch, with Hunter and Nolen being the 2 exceptions.
Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson, the top-ranked remaining recruit within the cycle (No. 5) nonetheless enjoying faculty soccer, is without doubt one of the transfers thriving in his new faculty and is a projected first-rounder in 2026. Jackson began 13 video games for the Crimson Tide final season after transferring from USC.
There isn’t a clear-cut prime quarterback within the 2026 draft, however Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Penn State’s Drew Allar, each five-stars, will make a run at it. Allar has began 29 video games in his profession, another than Klubnik, who owns the fourth-best Heisman odds (+1100) in line with BetMGM. Allar is tied for the fifth-best odds (+1400) with UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.
In all, there are 20 top-100 recruits within the cycle returning with at the very least 15 faculty begins on their resume. Listed below are a number of the prime returning standouts within the class:
LSU linebacker Harold Perkins (five-star, No. 8): The previous Freshman All-American suffered a season-ending ACL harm in a win over UCLA in September and is anticipated to be cleared in June. Coach Brian Kelly stated this spring that Perkins will likely be transferring to the star linebacker place.
Texas offensive lineman DJ Campbell (five-star, No. 10): He began all 16 video games for the Longhorns at proper guard in 2024 and has 30 profession begins.
Oregon receiver Evan Stewart (five-star, No. 11): After lacking the Rose Bowl with an harm, Stewart determined to return for his senior season, and he ought to be top-of-the-line within the nation. He caught 48 passes for 613 yards and 5 touchdowns final season.
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Kinds (five-star, No. 12): Kinds had 100 tackles as a junior and has began 28 video games in his three-year profession.
Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette (five-star, No. 28): A 3rd-team All-SEC choice, Everette began 14 video games and led the Bulldogs with three interceptions, together with two within the league title recreation victory over Texas.
Penn State defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton (five-star, No. 29): Anticipated to select up proper the place Abdul Carter left off, Dennis-Sutton recorded 13 tackles for loss and eight.5 sacks in 2024.
Penn State operating again Nick Singleton (five-star, No. 31): Singleton ran for over 1,000 yards for the second time in his profession and can group with Kaytron Allen (No. 155 within the Class of 2022) to kind the nation’s prime running-back tandem.
Georgia left deal with Earnest Greene (four-star, No. 45): The previous Freshman All-American has 23 profession begins however missed time final season as he battled harm. He’s the Bulldogs’ most skilled returning lineman.
Iowa security Xavier Nwankpa (four-star, No. 53): A two-year starter at sturdy security, Nwankpa is transferring over to free security this fall, the place he’s anticipated to place up greater numbers. He had 41 tackles, one move breakup and nil interceptions in 2024.
Clemson receiver Antonio Williams (four-star, No. 61): Klubnik’s favourite goal completed with 75 catches for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has his eyes set on setting a number of profession receiving data this fall.
In search of contemporary begins
We talked about that 60 p.c of the highest 100 recruits within the 2022 cycle have modified colleges at the very least as soon as.
None have moved greater than cornerback Denver Harris and huge receiver Kevin Coleman. Harris, a five-star, left Texas A&M for LSU in December 2022 after which bolted Baton Rouge for UTSA a 12 months later. He began three video games for the Roadrunners this previous season and has made six profession begins. Coleman, now at Missouri, signed with Jackson State and has additionally suited up for Louisville and Mississippi State.
A number of top-100 prospects from the Class of 2022 who entered the portal this spring nonetheless have but to discover a dwelling, together with former Oklahoma operating again Gavin Sawchuk, former Ohio State and SMU edge rusher Omari Abor and former Miami and Portland State edge rusher Cyrus Moss.
In all, 21 of the highest 100 gamers within the 2022 cycle have but to start out a recreation after three seasons in faculty. Abor and Moss are two of them. Listed below are another notable gamers nonetheless trying to make an affect.
Syracuse deal with Zach Rice (five-star, No. 13): He performed 44 profession snaps and appeared in seven video games in three seasons for North Carolina and not too long ago dedicated to Syracuse.
South Carolina defensive lineman Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (five-star, No. 17): Brownlow-Dindy appeared in eight video games in three years at Texas A&M. He transferred in January and signed with South Carolina.
Clemson edge rusher Jeremiah Alexander (five-star, No. 18): The highschool teammate of Tigers beginning defensive lineman Peter Woods transferred to Clemson in January from Alabama. He performed in eight video games and a complete of 57 snaps in three years with the Crimson Tide.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (five-star, No. 26): He’s appeared in 16 video games for the Crimson Tide off the bench and will lastly be in line to start out in Tuscaloosa.
Louisiana quarterback Walker Howard (four-star, No. 40): ESPN’s No. 1 dual-threat quarterback within the class started his profession at LSU earlier than leaving for Ole Miss. He’s performed a complete of 43 snaps in three seasons however lastly seems destined to be a university starter with the Ragin Cajuns.
Ohio State edge rusher Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (four-star, No. 60): There are solely 4 top-100 recruits who’ve but to switch regardless of not beginning a recreation in three seasons. Jackson is one in every of them. Buckeyes defensive position coach Larry Johnson stated Jackson, who has three profession sacks, will likely be a pacesetter for the protection in 2025.
(Photograph: Ron Chenoy / Imagn Photographs)
