Ranking the top 7 high school prospects since 2020 ft. Travis Hunter, Bryce Underwood 

Over the past five years, high school football has produced some of the most talented recruits ever seen, with many already making waves at the collegiate level and also in the NFL.

Here are the top seven high school prospects since 2020 who have dominated the high school stage before transitioning to college football.

7 highest-rated high school recruits in the last five recruiting cycles

#1. Bryce Underwood

Bryce Underwood, originally from Belleville, Michigan, has been the top-ranked player in the 2025 class, boasting a stunning 99.87 rating. At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Underwood went over 2,300 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior, winning the Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year award for the second time.

Originally committed to LSU for more than 10 months, he made a high-profile flip to Michigan on Nov. 21.

#2. Bryce Young

According to Rivals.com Bryce Young secured position 1 for quarterback prospects and landed at No. 2 as a recruit in 2020 with a 6.1 rating. Young totaled 13,250 passing yards combined with 152 touchdowns and a total of 1,084 rushing yards.

His time at Alabama from 2020 through 2022 resulted in him winning the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns. They secured an SEC title along with a College Football Playoff spot before the Carolina Panthers ultimately drafted him first overall in 2023.

#3. Quinn Ewers

The top-ranked recruit in the 2021 cycle, Quinn Ewers, dominated at Southlake Carroll High School in Texas, earning a 99.62 rating. He accumulated over 6,400 passing yards and 80 touchdowns across his sophomore and junior seasons.

Opting to forego his senior year, Ewers enrolled early at Ohio State but later went to Texas, where he made an immediate impact. Over three seasons with the Longhorns, he amassed more than 9,000 passing yards and 68 touchdowns, guiding Texas to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in 2024.

#4. Jeremiah Smith

In the 2024 recruiting class, Ohio State set the highest mark by signing Jeremiah Smith.

Even though in-state programs such as Miami, Florida and Florida State made every effort to recruit him, Smith chose to stick with his commitment to Ohio State for a year.

During his freshman season in Columbus, he achieved a record of 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns.

#5. Myles Murphy

Myles Murphy, a standout edge rusher from Hillgrove, possessed the ideal physical attributes for his position, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 260 pounds.

During his senior year, he recorded 53 tackles and 10.5 sacks, playing a crucial role in leading the Hawks to four consecutive playoff appearances, including a quarterfinal run in his junior season.

#6. Arik Gilbert

As a tight end from Marietta, Arik Gilbert stood as the highest-ranked player in his position after graduating from high school. As a senior in 2019, Gilbert achieved a total of 1,860 receiving yards with 15 touchdowns which helped his team win the state championship.

During his freshman year at LSU in 2020, he caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. He then opted to join the Georgia Bulldogs in 2021 but did not participate that season because of personal concerns.

#7. Travis Hunter

High school athlete Travis Hunter arrived in the 2022 recruiting cycle as one of the most versatile students. As a Collins Hill High School athlete in Suwanee, he booked over 3,700 receiving yards and more than 40 touchdowns alongside 19 interceptions.

He won the Heisman Trophy after his college stint with Colorado in 2024. The 2025 NFL Draft experts consider Hunter as one of the top five prospects.