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Billy Tucker, Scouts, Football Recruiting
We ranked the top 25 college football recruits regardless of their high school graduating class, pitting the No. 1 rising senior (QB Bryce Underwood) against the No. 1 rising junior (DE Jahkeem Stewart).
While the 2025 ESPN 300 and 2026 ESPN Junior 300 are represented, we also dipped into the rising sophomore 2027 class and even the freshmen of the 2028 class.
Through film study and scouting camps across the country from February to May, we have seen all of these high-level prospects compete. This list is an evaluation of the eye test, but also character traits, on-field production and combine testing data.
And as with all rankings, they are fluid, so players can rise or fall since they are based on players’ potential impact at the college level. We also provide a player comparison for each recruit — and some of these players are on the trajectory to blossom into the future stars they emulate.
coverage:
ESPN 300 rankings for 2025
ESPN Junior 300 rankings for 2026
Fast starts: Top 2026 recruiting classes
Belleville High School (Mich.) | LSU commit
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 1
The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300, Underwood has a 40-2 record as a high school starter with 141 total touchdowns and three state titles. He checks all the physical and mental boxes: height, weight, speed, athleticism, arm strength, arm angles, anticipation, instincts and awareness. Underwood’s game has limited flaws, and he will graduate high school at only 17 years old. He plays with a good base from within the pocket and can pick apart a defense while also creating his own magic. He’s an exceptional off-platform thrower and moves smoothly outside the pocket. The five-star will contend for a starting job in 2025 upon arriving in Baton Rouge. Quarterback is still the most impactful position in football, making the decision to rank Underwood No. 1 less of an argument.
Player comparison: Trevor Lawrence
Saint Augustine High School (La.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 1
Stewart ranks No. 1 in the ESPN Junior 300 and has a legitimate argument for the top spot on this list. His scheme versatility at 6-foot-6, 275 pounds is unparalleled, and he runs a 1.86 10-yard split and a 4.85 40-yard dash. He was unblockable as a sophomore last season, racking up 20 sacks and 85 total tackles. Stewart’s length and strength on the interior make him a force. He consistently wins off the edge with his speed, power and active hands. The best part about his game? It’s only going to get better. He’s actually quite lean and should tip the scales close to 300 pounds early in his college career while retaining his explosive athleticism. JJ Watt is a good comparison, but his frame most resembles Chris Jones at this same stage.
Player comparison: Chris Jones
Mater Dei High School (Calif.) | Ohio State commit
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 2
Receivers typically don’t rank this high because the talent at the position is plentiful. Henry is different. We have yet to see his combination of size and athleticism since we began ranking players in 2006. At 6-6, 200 pounds, he’s still smooth with fast-twitch movements. He exits his breaks with the sharpness of a slot receiver, then deceptively sprints past defenders with a long, yet extremely fast stride. His gait and jump-ball dominance is reminiscent of Hall of Famer Randy Moss, but more similar to Marvin Harrison Jr. at this stage.
Player comparison: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Carrollton High School (Ga.) | USC commit
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 2
Lewis held the top spot on this list as a sophomore. It’s unfair to say his skills have diminished. He remains one of the top quarterbacks we’ve ever evaluated, and he has handled the mega-hype surrounding him since eighth grade superbly. Lewis, who goes by JuJu, threw for 7,212 yards and 96 touchdowns over his past two seasons. The reigning Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year reclassified from 2026 to 2025 because of his advanced skill level and poise. Physically, Lewis throws a beautiful ball. He has a fluid release and enough juice to fire the ball into tight spots. He throws extremely well on the run with great timing and touch. The USC commit is primed for a huge senior season.
Player comparison: C.J. Stroud
Duncanville High School (Texas) | Oregon commit
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 3
Moore is one of the biggest difference-makers in the 2025 class, regardless of position. He’s highly skilled and highly valuable as the catalyst for state champ Duncanville (Texas), one of the best high school programs in the country. At 6 feet, 180 pounds, he is not the biggest player, but he is extremely fast and explosive with excellent ball skills. He caught 65 balls for more than 1,300 yards and 15 TDs as a junior. Moore ran a laser-timed 4.5 40-yard dash on the Under Armour Camp circuit and a blazing 10.4 100 meters. He also had a long jump of more than 24 feet in track and field last spring. He’s a nightmare in the open field and should be an immediate playmaker for the Ducks in Eugene.
Player comparison: Evan Stewart
Providence Day School (N.C.) | Uncommitted
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 4
Sanders is a prototypical left tackle with excellent length, feet and overall athleticism. He has run a verified 4.8 40-yard dash and broad-jumped 9.5 feet. All that’s lacking at this point is bulk at 6-5, 250 pounds, and that should come with time. Sanders has all the critical ingredients necessary for pass protection: long reach, outstanding bend, quickness and balance to set and mirror. The five-star is still developing power as a run blocker, but he shows flashes of dominance. He remains one of the most coveted prospects in the 2025 class with a final list that includes Ohio State, Tennessee, Nebraska and Georgia.
Player comparison: Paris Johnson
IMG Academy (Fla.) | Uncommitted
Class of 2028
The 6-3 Wade throws one of the better balls we’ve seen since we started evaluating quarterbacks — and he’s just as dynamic as an athlete. As an eighth grader, Wade rotated in for national power IMG Academy and played in seven games while completing 70% of his passes. It’s early, but he has the traits to one day become the top quarterback to go through the ESPN 300 since the rankings began in 2006. He’s a dynamic passer with a lightning-quick release and excellent arm strength. Wade is equally effective throwing from the pocket or on the move. He’s also an excellent runner with elite speed (4.49 40-yard dash) and explosiveness, logging a broad jump north of 10.5 feet. Wade already has more than 10 FBS offers, including Georgia and Michigan.
Player comparison: Shedeur Sanders
Savannah Christian Prep (Ga.) | Uncommitted
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 5
A dominating interior presence, Griffin finished his junior year with 97 tackles (31 for loss), 17.5 sacks and an interception. The 6-4, 280-pounder has exceptional burst off the line and a disruptive demeanor when on the attack. He has jumped over 30 inches in vertical testing and runs an impressive 5.1 40-yard dash to go along with his massive hands and wingspan. Griffin is a dominant speed-to-power interior lineman who is impossible to block one-on-one and forces double teams. In-state Georgia is the frontrunner for his talents.
Player comparison: Alim McNeill
Ransom Everglades School (Fla.) | Uncommitted
Class of 2028
At just 13, Lawrence was one of the top passers in South Florida last fall, regardless of age. The 6-1 quarterback threw for more than 2,500 yards and 37 touchdowns — as an eighth grader. The 2028 recruit already looks like a high school senior on tape. He’s got a live arm and a quick, fluid throwing motion. His release is smooth and natural. The ball pops out of his hand, and he can make all the difficult downfield throws with velocity despite his age. Lawrence is accurate and can tuck it and elude outside the pocket with his feet when needed. He makes it all look very easy. Lawrence already holds a handful of offers, including Miami, Florida State and Ohio State.
Player comparison: Justin Fields
Reidsville High School (N.C.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 3
Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham are all examples of outstanding tight ends with excellent basketball backgrounds. Harrison could be next. As of now, the multisport star wants to play both sports in college and has offers from schools to do so. He has elite length at roughly 6-6 and combines it with strong hands and great body control, allowing him to present an exceptional catch radius. Unsurprisingly, given his size and basketball background, he’s a red zone nightmare with his ability to leap and high-point the football. Harrison runs well, stretches the seam and extends plays after the catch. He has been measured at more than 20 mph during games. Though it’s still early in the process and balancing two sports at a high level is never easy, Harrison has the tools to become one of the elite high school tight ends of the ESPN 300 era. The in-state Tar Heels look like the team to beat for his skills.
Player comparison: Tony Gonzalez
Nashville Christian School (Tenn.) | Georgia commit
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 4
Curtis checks in at 6-4, 225 pounds and is one of the most resourceful and versatile athletes and passers in his class. He was also one of the most impressive in-person performers on the camp circuit, displaying a great mix of accuracy, athleticism, touch and timing. He can throw with touch or velocity and is always in command. He finds ways to get the job done and plays with confidence. The Georgia commit broke out as a freshman, throwing for 2,313 yards with 27 touchdowns to go with nearly 500 yards on the ground. He followed that up with an equally strong sophomore campaign.
Player comparison: Drake Maye
University Laboratory School (La.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 5
Brown could be listed as a jumbo athlete considering he can play on either side of the ball. While he has FBS-caliber defensive line skills, he’s a five-star offensive lineman. At 6-4 and 265 pounds, he does not have eye-popping size at this stage and could end up developing as an interior lineman given his lack of ideal length. Right now, he is simply a big man with great flexibility and smooth movement skills. He has good balance, redirection and can mirror defenders well. While not a hulking figure, he also can generate good push in the run game and is a strong finisher. A prospect from the Baton Rouge area, Brown is targeted by several top programs, but in-state LSU will be tough to beat. While we feel his best fit is on offense, a desire to play defense could play a role in where he ends up. Keep an eye on which side of the ball he is recruited on.
Player comparison: Kelvin Banks
Nixa High School (Mo.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 6
Cantwell is a massive prospect at 6-8, 300 pounds and pushes defenders around with ease. In addition to a tenacious attitude, his strong, athletic background fuels his excellent body quickness and power. He’s the son of two Olympic shot-putters and excels in field events. Cantwell has a throw of nearly 75 feet in the shot this spring, the second-best mark in the country. He also plays basketball and shows excellent agility, effectively climbing to the second level to block quicker linebackers. Teams will get a big man who bends extremely well in pass protection, quickly gets into defenders on runs and plays with a nasty attitude once engaged. Missouri keeping him in-state would be a big win, but there is no shortage of nationwide competition.
Player comparison: Tristan Wirfs
Parker High School (Ala.) | Ohio State commit
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 6
Tall, lengthy corners with fluid hips and explosive lower bodies don’t grow on trees. Those attributes allow Offord to line up at a variety of positions in the secondary and produce big plays. His best trait is his reactive athleticism, and it’s arguably better than any other prospect on this list regardless of position. Offord has broad-jumped more than 11 feet and runs the 40-yard dash in the 4.5s with a 78-inch wingspan that measures up to most defensive linemen. The future Buckeye closes extremely quickly, allowing him to make a lot of plays around the football. Ohio State currently has commitments from the top two corners in the 2025 class in Offord and fellow five-star Devin Sanchez.
Player comparison: Tyson Campbell
Manchester High School (Ga.) | Uncommitted
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 7
Terry is the type of disruptive interior defender coaches love. The 6-5, 270-pound defensive tackle has a potent mix of size, power and productivity. He’s also very coachable. The five-star racked up 78 tackles (6 for loss) and 13 sacks last season as a well-built two-way performer. He has good arm length, strength and lateral mobility, running a 4.6 shuttle. Terry impressed coaches at the Under Armour Atlanta camp with his willingness to take on elite offensive linemen and impressed with his bend and counter moves. He visited both Alabama and Georgia this spring.
Player comparison: Tyleik Williams
Ball High School (Texas) | Uncommitted
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 8
Williams, a safety who is listed as an outside linebacker, can be a versatile player with his combination of size and speed. He’s already 6-3, 205 pounds with length and will continue to fill out and grow into the linebacker role. He makes an impact regardless of alignment and shows flashes reminiscent of 2019 ESPN 300 safety and former Notre Dame standout Kyle Hamilton. Williams has elite range to both match up in coverage and act as a sideline-to-sideline presence. He displays excellent ball skills, and his length and leaping ability allow him to win contested matchups. In addition to playmaking tools, Williams also shows good toughness. He can be a physical, wrap-up tackler and brings ball carriers down in space. The transition to linebacker should be a smooth one in college as he continues to add size.
Player comparison: James Williams
Georgetown Preparatory School (Md.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 7
At 6-7, 350 pounds, Iheanacho’s size, measurables and physical tools are attention grabbers. But he impresses with his play in the trenches as well. He’s quick out of his stance and can make contact with knockback power. He can continue to improve pad level and technique, but he blends excellent natural ability with good tenacity. On the move, Iheanacho displays very good range and effortlessly gets downfield. Iheanacho’s wealth of tools provides arguably the highest ceiling among the top tackles. Still uncommitted, Penn State and Virginia Tech are teams to watch, especially with the former enjoying success with top DMV-area prospects. Alabama and Georgia have also offered.
Player comparison: Xavier Truss
American Heritage High School (Fla.) | Texas commit
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 8
At 6-3, 195 pounds, Bell has good size and a coveted combination of accuracy, athleticism, touch, timing and a track record against quality competition. Bell can make it look easy, especially when he launches an impressive deep ball, and was a name of note at the Under Armour Miami camp. He could get even better as he continues to clean up his footwork. The son of 12-year NBA veteran Raja Bell, the five-star Dia committed to Texas in June and could follow in the footsteps of Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Player comparison: Bryce Young
Jackson High School (Ala.) | Uncommitted
Class of 2027
Crowell is still an underclassman, but he doesn’t look or play like one. He ran for 1,737 yards and averaged nearly 10.5 yards per carry as a freshman while scoring 25 touchdowns. The 5-11, 210-pounder is built like a college back with great speed — he has already run a 10.82 100-meter dash — and is a sturdy runner with enough elusiveness and power to both make defenders miss and run right through them. Crowell has exceptional feet and runs with good balance. He’s untouchable once he reaches the second level, and his downhill pick-and-dart style resembles a prospect with much more experience.
Player comparison: Quinshon Judkins
Lewisville High School (Texas) | Uncommitted
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 9
Fasusi certainly looks the part. He stands 6-6, 295 pounds with an 83.3-inch wingspan and a 1.77 10-yard split, creating an unparalleled length and agility combination. As one might expect, he plays with good initial quickness and explosive power. He has worked to add to his wiry frame as he has gotten older and now plays with excellent strength in the run game. Fasusi gets great hand placement, pops his hips and drives defenders off the ball with his physicality. His improved functional strength could allow him to star at guard if he never develops elite pass protection skills at tackle, but he has the length and athleticism to handle either tackle position with further technical development. Fasusi presents a captivating ball of clay for an elite program to continue molding. Several of the SEC’s best have taken notice, including in-state Texas and Texas A&M, and he also visited Missouri and Oklahoma this spring. Fasusi’s decision day is scheduled for Aug. 21.
Player comparison: Emery Jones
Bishop Gorman High School (Nev.) | Miami commit
2025 ESPN 300 ranking: 10
Mario Cristobal and his staff at Miami have tapped the Bishop Gorman well a few times and returned once again for Alofaituli, a key offensive line addition for the Hurricanes. The five-star interior lineman has the makings of a quick contributor with his ability to play guard or develop at center. He has exceptional quickness, bend and power while playing with the kind of nastiness that wins fan bases over. Alofaituli is only 6-3, but he makes up for his lack of ideal height by utilizing his elite quickness and leverage. He ranks in the 99th percentile among high school interior linemen in 40-yard dash and shuttle times. Coaches also rave about his makeup.
Player comparison: Parker Brailsford
IMG Academy (Fla.) | Uncommitted
Class of 2028
It’s easy to dream on the potential for the IMG Academy duo of Jayden Wade, whom we touched on earlier in this list, and McFarland, one of the best receivers in the country despite his youth. The 5-8 receiver presently lacks ideal height, but makes up for it with excellent quickness and leverage. He ran a 4.41 40-yard dash and posted a 30.1-inch vertical at IMG’s pro day in February. He has good hands, ball skills and an impressive catch radius despite his frame. And good luck tackling McFarland in space. He’s an elusive runner who quickly gets to top speed and already has a strong lower half. Ohio State was first to offer the freshman, who oozes explosiveness and upside, and nearly a dozen schools have followed suit.
Player comparison: Jaylen Waddle
Mount Miguel High School (Calif.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 rankings: 9
Arrington may be a better track athlete than football player at this stage, but he has elite sprinter speed. The 6-3, 180-pounder broke California’s sophomore state record with a 20.55 200-meter dash this spring and won the state’s Gatorade Track and Field Player of the Year award. On the football field, Arrington has clocked a max speed north of 21 mph. The wide receiver can flip the field on offense in the blink of an eye and has great length and closing speed to project at corner. Now he needs to continue to refine his game. The top-ranked athlete in his class has elite upside and more than 20 FBS offers.
Player comparison: DJ Turner II
Saint Paul’s Episcopal School (Ala.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 10
Aptly nicknamed Tank, Jones is a force at multiple positions, also playing wide receiver and tight end. But he shines brightest as an edge defender — he’s the top-ranked player at the position in our ESPN Junior 300. Jones has flashed considerable upside since arriving in high school. He is an athletic, disruptive presence on the edge who plays with a good combination of physicality, first-step quickness and quick play speed. He has also steadily added more strength to his 6-4 frame. Jones already has more than two dozen offers, including in-state rivals Alabama and Auburn.
Player comparison: James Pearce
Grayson High School (Ga.) | Uncommitted
2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 11
From powerhouse Grayson High School, Atkinson reminds us of alum Owen Pappoe as both have stout builds and hard-hitting tackling skills. Pappoe went on to a productive career at Auburn, utilizing his leverage and explosive athleticism. Atkinson is a hitter as well and an aggressive player who will take on blocks with power but also can slide through traffic. He’s a strong solo tackler and does an excellent job chasing down plays sideline to sideline with proper angles and fast pursuit speed. Atkinson can also come off the edge and disrupt with burst. Auburn will have a difficult time beating in-state Georgia for his commitment.
Player comparison: Owen Pappoe