NFL Stars Who Weren't Highly Recruited Out Of High School

Sometimes players slip through the cracks. Even the biggest superstars. Maybe that's why they turn out to be the best, that drive from every doubter, chip on the shoulder from slights they’ve heard their entire life. Some of the names on this list will shock you. Here are 10 NFL stars who weren’t highly recruited.
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NFL Stars Who Weren't Highly Recruited Out Of High School

[@zukolives]

I went to college with Mack at Buffalo. Saw him 3 times on campus during my time there and he was the biggest human being I had ever seen

[@theclandestinewitness]

I will forever remember Brown's blonde 'stache interview. I strive to be as high as he was when he made that decision.

[@daquanmcdonald7104]

Yes that will forever be remembered lol

[@DRS-uj5ev]

@Riley Francisco becuase by the time OSU offered mahomes they had already offered Mason Rudolph who was seen as a better prospect at the time and it was looking like Rudolph was going to commit (which he did), so OSU was more focused on buttering Rudolph up while Texas tech was focused on buttering up mahomes.

[@TheDreadedRaider]

I'm currently attempting this very feat

[@glennkreisel7943]

Bro my names glenn and I’m from Kansas City...... I’m GfromKC not you😂 this is weird

[@theclandestinewitness]

@@glennkreisel7943 Are you my long lost eskimo brother?

[@prestonrkingsimp1078]

So I live in a town right next to where Patrick Mahomes did and got to see him play a couple times when he played high school ball, it was then later on that I found out that he had gone to Texas tech and became a star. It was so cool thinking about how a guy that lived 15 minutes away now has the biggest paycheck in NFL.

[@BlakeAlexander12]

You literally showed Rodgers throwing a pick when talking about him setting all the passing records lol

[@jbj7599]

Of all the highlights, to be fair, he doesnt throw a lot so hes prob trying to throw shade at him. Prob a Bears fan

[@aarav835]

I’m a bears fan and who’s andy dalton? I know Justin fields

[@michaelwalker9575]

@@aarav835 yeah good luck with that!! Lol dalton is the only chance you have to win a single game.

[@aarav835]

@@michaelwalker9575 so you don’t watch football we drafted possibly the best qb in the draft lol

[@aarav835]

@@michaelwalker9575 What team are you a fan of

[@stephenfitzsimmons3619]

You forget big Ben. He didn't play QB until his sophomore year in college. 4th year at QB and first year in NFL was 15-1 record.

[@youthesports8269]

oh wow!

[@ryanedmondson9465]

Thats incorrect he didnt play qb until his senior year of high school. He was a receiver

[@teddywestside4816]

Nobody cares about ben....

[@jaydanwest6472]

0:18 Aaron Donald 1:25 Russell Wilson 2:44 Bobby Wagner 4:05 Adam Thielen 5:28 Josh Allen 6:58 Aaron Rodgers 8:28 Antonio Brown 9:47 Patrick Mahomes 11:00 JJ Watt 12:30 Khalil Mack

[@crms00n6]

I actually did know who Khalil Mack was before the draft. He beat the shit out of my Buckeyes in 2013. We still won. But mack made it a lot more difficult than it needed to be

[@shrezzy0940]

Ok

[@shrezzy0940]

Doesn’t count

[@AdamKlownzinger]

@@shrezzy0940 you just don’t follow cfb lol

[@gilbert8162]

@@shrezzy0940 ok

[@gilbert8162]

@@shrezzy0940 You don't count.

[@HarveyMeadowlark]

Love the thielen story, he worked hard af and it paid off. There’s a ton of guys who had it all and didn’t work hard enough, or even work at all. Imagine Jamarcus Russell or Justin Blackmon but with the work ethic of Thielen or Tebow. Some guys have to work really hard just to get a chance, and some guys don’t work at all despite the chance they’ve already been given. It’s the duality of the pro athlete

[@Itz_Hybrid]

I just learned that Josh Allen almost went to school 5 minutes from my house. Wow.

[@fuz4623]

Love these overlooked stars videos.

[@nsiems09]

That's the first time I've heard Mankato pronounced like that. But props for trying! And for what's it is worth, my alma mater considered Kato our biggest rival and I was there at the same time Thielen was a Maverick. I legit don't remember him. I believe he lit us up his senior year, but that's about all I remember.

[@peter96844]

I’m from mahtomedi and the way he said mankato I just had to laugh

[@thedoctor7949]

@@peter96844 I grew up in Le Sueur and this is the first time I think I have heard of Mahtomedi, but to be fair, really didn't make it to the Northeast side of the cities metro area ever. Went up 35 to the West but never ever in my life drove on that stretch of 494 lol.. but yeah, growing up so close to Kato, I got a good laugh out of it too :)

[@seantheonion2624]

When he said Russell Wilson only got offers from…DUKE!!? And NC state

[@oliverdash5281]

Well, time to go to tryouts in June

[@ksooperez9370]

Video idea: best player drafted in historically bad drafts?????

[@richardlarson9459]

What about Brett Favre? Only one college offered him a scholarship - University of Southern Mississippi, which was near where he went to high school. Then all he did was go on to become one of the greatest QB's of all time.

[@aznsketcher]

I've always wondered if GB never traded for him, if he would have become the crazy successful gunslinger he would become in the NFL with Atlanta. Who was the coach of Atlanta at the time, does anyone remember?

[@DeCurtaRican]

He was discussing ACTIVE players.

[@richardlarson9459]

@@aznsketcher It was that clown Jerry Glanville.

[@aznsketcher]

@@richardlarson9459 haha, "🤡" ....

[@LLMCxDak]

As a packers fan, Favre is only the greatest quarterback for whatever defense we happen to playing. Man threw picks like corners were receivers. He's also a garbage human being so fuck whatever he did in the league.

[@kyotocho8132]

I knew of Patrick Mahomes dad before I even knew who he was. He used to play basketball at Green Acres in Tyler, TX (not to far from Whitehouse). Even then his dad was athletic as hell so when I heard about his son making it to the league I was hyped.

[@aznsketcher]

that's *awesome!*

[@manatee0997]

This angers me. “He was also the third quarterback selected in his NFL draft class” referring to Mahomes... he was second. 1. Mitch 2. Mahomes 3. Watson.

[@Sebastian-km9qx]

Mahomes dropping to 10 just shows how shi**y these NFL scouts, GMS judgement can be. And that me no just saying that from watching him in the NFL, watched him through college and he was very impressive

[@yaboykirby7789]

@@Sebastian-km9qx "but but but he doesn't step up in the pocket" was literally the only criticism against him and yet he never needed to step up in the pocket in the NFL he just run around them then throw on the run 60 yards perfect accuracy lmao

[@rizkyanandita8227]

@@Sebastian-km9qx Mahomes is a project QB. There are plenty that have his style and not making it in the NFL. You have to build a scheme to fit him, and him able to adapt to the NFL defense.

[@jackrabbit3472]

More upset over Wilson tbh

[@DeCurtaRican]

Little-known secret: before choosing Mahomes, KC tried to leverage the pick to get Russ from Seattle. Pete Carroll turned it down. Wisely so, because Mahomes would never have worked in Seattle with a defense-oriented, run first head coach. Mahomes benefitted by going to Reid and Bienemy…perfect coaches for him. Russ, by contrast, probably would have won 3 Super Bowls in KC over the past five years.

[@jamescdevos]

Outstanding video!

[@wesdavis2696]

As an Ohio State fan, that game that Mack had against us is one I won't soon forget. Similar to when we played NC State when Phillip Rivers was there and almost lost

[@jonathancubillo7383]

I’ll never forget that Jon Gruden was HUGE on Russ. Said he’d win the starting job and prove every team that passed on him wrong.

[@TheForeverRanger]

Same for Mahomes. He loved him and I am sure Chucky wishes he was wrong.

[@javi__...]

Gruden is huge on everybody

[@thatonepriest69]

I still can’t believe the Seahawks didn’t run the ball

[@calvinnotklein6368]

I can’t believe the Falcons lost a 25 point lead.

[@noahtenny2016]

I can’t believe the rams couldn’t even score a touchdown

[@rafaelarizaga7429]

I can’t believe the patriots loss twice against the Giants

[@LIONSFAN4227]

@@rafaelarizaga7429 Exactly, as a Giants fan I love it.

[@truth282]

Size it what kept my brother and myself from receiving scholarships from big schools. At 5'5" 170 lbs we were looked over despite that we both ran 4.4 and had multiple 1000+ yrd seasons each. But now recruiters and coaches are beginning to realize that low center of gravity + power and speed are where it's at with RB's. JJ Taylor is looking good. Edwards-Allaire is killing it. And not to mention the greatest ever (Barry Sanders) was only 5'6" even though some rosters had him listed as 5'8"

[@phetsilemamba3897]

Yeah I don't know why the NFL is so obsessed with size I play football(soccer) the best and trickiest also stronger p4p guys are always under 6ft that low centre of gravity man it fits the RB position 🤷‍♂️

[@jeromemccollom936]

It depends on the position. Height isnt' as important for a RB then for a WR. I don't know many NFL WR (not punt returners) who are good WRs at 5'5.

[@ChiTownOriginator]

@@jeromemccollom936 yeah you can't be in the NFL at wr at 5'5" but slot receiver in college should be fine if everything else checks out

[@kobeplayeddefensetoo1351]

@@jeromemccollom936 None.

[@dapumpking7202]

nonstop awesomeness

[@derektrott1782]

Before I watch this, Tom Brady better be on this

[@CertifiedTwan]

This is Motivation I’m junior going into my senior year first time playing football 🏈 I’m going to make the most of it

[@lscales6131]

This just shows you that scouts and experts don’t know everything.

[@troyhung4307]

I'm not a Tom Brady fan, but why isn't Tom Brady in this?

[@davidmorse2972]

Wasn't he heavily recruited by Michigan?

[@k3w1b3an5]

Probably because getting a scholarship to play at Michigan is in itself considered an accomplishment. Look at most of the schools here- A Junior college(Rodgers) , Pitt(Donald), Wyoming(Allen), Western Michigan(Brown), University of Buffalo(Mack), etc.

[@tonyioannoni4951]

@@davidmorse2972 No he was the 5th quarterback at Michigan, he even tried to move...

[@jacobrobert1039]

Most likely because literally everyone knows the story

[@Realwaltersobchak]

Because Michigan is a fairly large school and they were very good at the time Brady went there

[@fumpr84]

Just further proof that while the almighty star rankings are important in recruiting, it's not the only thing that matters.

[@TheForeverRanger]

With Mahomes there was a chance he could go play baseball so that is probably why few teams went there.

[@DeCurtaRican]

Nah. When teams and schools want you, they want you. They just didn’t see a budding superstar. It’s funny that Rodgers, Wilson, Mahomes, and Allen were all passed over, as was Brady for that matter. Those are 5 of your top-6 QBs. Watson is the other QB. Stafford, Burrow, Herbert, Jackson, Prescott, Carr, and Murray come after those guys.

[@billfeld5883]

Adam Thielen is a home town hero for us local fans in Detroit Lakes Minnesota, hard work does pay off young people!!!! 2022

[@glenwest1911]

Good video.

[@SSSD210]

Heck Yeah Firebaugh I have family there so when I heard that Allen Was from There I went Crazy

[@JstnW]

They still miss a lot of great players.

[@michaelterrell5061]

I feel like it’s rather hard for kids and young adults to be trying so hard to get recruited o it or high school to a good football college if you ever want to go the NFL.

[@xzqzq]

People seem to forget that Joe Montana, one of the more successful NFL QBs, didn't even start at Notre Dame until his senior year......

[@MarkWusinich]

I wonder if there are as many top tier high schoolers, who also had outstanding college careers, and first round picks, and then stellar NFL careers?

[@mikepalmer2219]

It amazes me that Wilson was an inch too short for scouts lol.

[@spencerkunde1615]

Shows how stuck in their ways some of these people in the football world can be

[@martinramirez57]

I hope these players recognize their coaches for believe in them

[@Steve_643]

Aaron Donald looks like he’s playing at 260lbs in the NFL. He only weighed 285lbs when he got drafted but he looks a lot lighter now.

[@kylealexander7024]

2012 was best draft hawks have had

[@xxmrfarinoxxepic1579]

im being straightforward, but we may all hate and disrespect tom brady. but you gotta give the guy credit! no one wanted him in college, he barley got drafted by the patriots. but after he won 7 super bowls he deserves to be on the list

[@thedoctor7949]

I am also really shocked that you did Donald but didn't even mention John Randle who didn't get drafted because of size. Vikings signed him undrafted and the dude became a HOF defensive tackle and one of the best trash talkers in the NFL!

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Guess this is about active players only.

[@louieo.blevinsmusic4197]

Mack had a good game at Buffalo against UGA too.

[@eriogerg100]

Shows how good Seattle is at seeing the hidden gems! Go Hawks!

[@edwarddailey21]

People knew he was good at Cal. Crazy to think I spent 6 years in jr high and high school playing with the same dudes and being dominant at the varsity level, this was our life all year round, and some of these dudes put a jersey on for juat thier senior year and made it to D1 and NFL, crazy.

[@lifeisrigz]

I live in mount pleasant Michigan 😂 I never heard of Antonio brown until he was hit hard while on the Steelers

[@Will_Moffett]

And Tim Tebow was drafted in the first round. It just shows how people in decision making positions aren't there because they are actually good at making decisions.

[@stuffanimalsfnaf4363]

🔥🔥🔥

[@robertjohnson9756]

What about Ray Lewis he had ZERO schools offering until a Miami scout saw him play his last high school game when they were scouting another player the next week called his high school coach to offer him a scholarship the only offer he received and now look 2 time defensive player off the year 2 time super bowl champ and in the Hall of Fame and 1 of the great defensive players ever and possibly the greatest linebacker

[@bigbuckz6014]

Sometimes your biggest supporter be your high school coach 🎯👌🏽

[@LILBLONDY]

To bad I'm dating his daughter lmao

[@volcanicanimations8414]

I live about 37 minutes away from firebaugh

[@sholtzi2593]

NFL Stars Who Weren't Highly Recruited Out Of High School: *So basically the Seahawks draft classes from 2010-2013.*

[@notthatguypal14]

The bears shade 😂

[@LeviDavidSchaffer]

Mankato lol I'm from MN so to hear him say that word so wrong it's funny to me. Thelien is my favorite.

[@braxtynnovinsky3459]

Damn I’m from Toledo I didn’t know he almost went to Toledo

[@gamer1o5]

As a Minnesotan, that is the funniest way I have ever heard someone pronounce Mankato

[@DoughBoyyBandzz]

And now Aaron is a Super Bowl Champion🔥🔥

[@cyborgeatsfood8028]

Where did the guy with the good voice go

[@jimgibson7717]

Just makes you think about how many potential NFL superstars slipped through the cracks.

[@tigertown8634]

When the coach who got Khalil Mack to Buffalo is the running backs coach at your school

[@williampatch1386]

I was a josh Allen fan the moment I seen him play

[@vinceroady7918]

If you're going to list Rodgers becoming an NFL star by way of Butte College, you need to throw in Larry Allen as well. Butte College to Sonoma State to the NFL to the HOF. Rodgers will undoubtedly be a first-ballot HOF pick, too. How many JUCOs can say that?

[@matlevass5244]

So basically, all great players are not highly recruited.. you can have talent but the ones who will become legends are the ones who work the hardest

[@alexandersaloum2977]

alot of great players were highly recruited tho

[@conbitches]

It’s true though. Most NFL stars were 3-4 star recruits who worked their asses off to make it and they’re better for it. Just think that Matt freakin Barkley was a unanimous #1 recruit, 5-star QB coming out of high school. Let that sink in.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Well, there are the Manning brothers. Both were drafted #1 overall, both are two-time SB champs.

[@Frosty_tha_Snowman]

Sometimes people just grow up more slowly than others 😅

[@KL-lt8rc]

Now imagine all the guys who did get skipped over but would have been stars.

[@topbaker4651]

I went to the same school as Rodgers. PV in Chico, CA. Butte college isn't exactly a huge school.

[@vinceroady7918]

I live down the street from PV. You're absolutely right about BC but hey-- Rodgers and Larry Allen? How many juco's can boast 2 HOF's?

[@fakereality96]

And you didn't ask him out? Fail... : P

[@00ghostcobra]

How about Lamar Jackson, the three star recruit that everybody tried to move to wide receiver coming out of high school and college?

[@BlakDynamite615]

i was pretty sure he’d be on this list

[@jamegumm]

He coming in as the third string QB his freshman year at UL.....

[@dylan2281]

dat bears attack tho

[@geoffsimpkins7650]

The California Central Valley well represented here with Allen and Rodgers, could add Derek Carr and even Kaepernik.

[@vinceroady7918]

Rodgers is solidly Northern California.

[@fakereality96]

@@vinceroady7918 Until the 2005 NFL draft....RIP.

[@smashingwatermelons7926]

Was this clip Aaron throwing an interception? 7:20

[@DaDualityofMan]

You don't know what you could do until you try.

[@Better_MMA]

I definitely knew who Khalil Mack was before the draft

[@probablypeyton3828]

That pronunciation of Mankato was terrible but this video was excellent. Keep up the good work! Man-Kay-Toe Source: Minnesotan

[@paulc6471]

Antonio Brown’s history continues! At least he is consistent on that regard.

[@cs2k1]

Lol

[@wschmitty2373]

I’m from JJ Watt’s area. They have a legitimate shrine to him,TJ and Derek at their high school.

[@cmqguy]

I totally forgot Mahomes dad was a pitcher for the New York Mets as I do have his baseball card. His name was Pat Mahomes as well.

[@sportsfandom815]

I knew who Mack was ! Live in Buffalo!

[@silverarrowgaming1077]

Being from Minnesota that pronunciation of Mankato hurt my soul

[@leaphengleng2941]

I really thought JJ Watt young photos was Mac Jones. HahHa

[@sc12100]

It’s been reported that Sean Taylor wasn’t heavily recruited either.

[@IsaacLikesGames]

I find I ridiculous that scouts would even care that much about height. Why the hell does that even matter?

[@scottvansel4563]

Ty Hill should be on this list too

[@richchatlos2684]

Patrick mahomes was the second quarterback drafted not the third. And the Bears have Justin Fields now

[@matthewcolwell6593]

This KZbin page has the biggest haters in the comment section. Stfu and enjoy the content lol it’s good stuff

[@mxtf716]

Maxx Crosby should have been on this list too!

[@julianmeredith3125]

what a pick at 13th ad was, a punter going before russ 😳 holy fuck, Adam thielan goes to show you should never give up on your dreams

[@stuartmcnair2783]

Rod Smith wasn't even drafted and won Super Bowls along with 56 career touchdowns with over 10,000 career receiving yards and 8 Pro Bowl selections.

[@spencerqualkenbush6831]

I had no clue Oklahoma state recruited mahomes. Oklahoma state had tyreek hill at the time too that would’ve been crazy

[@Jack20555]

i go to the same school as tom brady went to and one of my teachers who had him said he was better at baseball and liked baseball better than football

[@pragneshpatel4019]

You forgot about Grady Jarrett. He did not have many offers. Dobo Swinney had to go to bat for him against his own assistants. He started as a freshman.

[@teddywestside4816]

Holy fuk man. ...let the man make his own video

[@keithkirk8697]

10:50 Mahomes was not the third QB selected in the NFL draft. He was the second QB selected in the 2017 draft and the QB selected ahead of him was Mitchell Trubisky, not Andy Dalton. 8:22 Brett's last name is not "Farve"

[@TheZXKUQYB]

Sidenote: It is man-KAY-toh for Adam Thielen

[@Sean-jb5gi]

THE GOAT was recruited by mistake. The coach went to a game to see another kid on the other team. OSU hid him, I think Tulsa and ISU was his only other offers.

[@stuartmcnair2783]

Lol Brady isn't and never will be the GOAT, that title belongs to Jerry Rice

[@edwardthibodeaux8815]

@@stuartmcnair2783 are you high or just delusional

[@ohhimark1282]

High school jj looks like Mac Jones now

[@Keegan.999]

Josh Allen also wrote ova 1000 emails to different colleges and only got a response from 1 (Wyoming)

[@chefmacedo]

Sorry Bears fans Andy Dalton isn't so bad right? When I saw this, I think that this video gets old terrible but you did after the draft, C'mon men! I don't understand why people don't believe on Fields, finally Bears make a correct move! Jets, 49ers, Lions, Panthers and Broncos are going to regret hard on passim him!!!! Being a Broncos fan that believes in Lock got disappointed passing Fields, even choosing a great player. I always say: Locks is our qb, after all the troubles of last year, a young offensive, he deserves the chance this year to prove his value, the only possible scenario to chance the position is if for some miracle Fields be available for us. Taking this aside I have to say that is a great video! Edit: Before the SB50 I always got mad when I remembered that Broncos passed Watt, after SB50 I know that was the correct move! He deserved a better team

[@RsDynastyDukeVids]

Butte college baby Aaron Rodgers I’d our inspiration lol

[@thatnativeking1333]

1:51 height is literally a tangible.

[@MarquisdeSuave]

Have to give the scouts for the Seahawks credit for drafting 2 future Hall of Famers in Wagner and Wilson outside of the 1st round.

[@sportsyndicate819]

Remember watch peen state get there as kicked an i was like who this rb for pen. State he pretty good lol end up being saquan then next year Penn state got good lol

[@debmoadd]

A glaring omission from this list: Emmitt Smith. Emmitt was told: You are too small for college or pro football. Yeah, right. NFL rushing record anyone? Three Super Bowl Rings? (Not to mention winning Dancing with the Stars, LOL!)

[@michaelschaefer1904]

Emmitt was highly recruited out of high school. But one recruiting service did say he was small and slow.