They weren't just one example of high school dominance; they were "THE" example of high school…
They weren't just one example of high school dominance; they were "THE" example of high school football dominance. The storied men among boys, these athletes stood out from the other 21 on the field with unmatched talents that took on almost legend-like lore under the lights on Friday night. Per 247Sports.com, there have been five perfect ratings throughout history—three of the athletes own unanimous prestige—with 15 other athletes within fractions of that rating.
Cyrus Kouandjio | OT | DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD), Class of 2011
More than a few schools (over 60 total) wanted Cyrus Kouandjio, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle from…
More than a few schools (over 60 total) wanted Cyrus Kouandjio, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle from Cameroon, who was ranked the fourth-best prospect in 2011. In a well-publicized switcheroo, Kouandjio originally signed with Auburn, only to flip-flop three days later to rival Alabama, where he'd play with his brother, Arie. Rating: 0.9994/1.0000
Bryan Bresee | DT | Damascus (Damascus, MD), Class of 2020
Another Maryland high school prospect lands on this list, with Bryan Bresee, the talented defensive tackle…
Another Maryland high school prospect lands on this list, with Bryan Bresee, the talented defensive tackle headed to Clemson in 2020. The 6-foot-5 Bresee ranked No. 3 on ESPN's Top 100, and became an internet sensation when his Senior highlights tape that displayed some unreal athleticism—on both sides of the ball—hit YouTube. Rating: 0.9995/1.0000
Mario Edwards | DT | Ryan (Denton, TX), Class of 2012
Providing uncanny athletic ability in a 280-pound frame, Edwards was the highest-rated DT in the 2011…
Providing uncanny athletic ability in a 280-pound frame, Edwards was the highest-rated DT in the 2011 class, and ranked third overall—which hadn't been achieved at the position since Haloti Ngata hit No. 2 in 2002. The 2011 USA Today Defenseman of the Year had offers to several top schools—LSU, Oklahoma, and in-state Texas—but chose Florida State. He currently plays in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. Rating: 0.9995/1.0000
Adrian Peterson | RB | Palestine (Palestine, TX), Class of 2004
Peterson hit legendary status back in 2003, rushing for jaw-dropping 11.7 yards per carrying on his…
Peterson hit legendary status back in 2003, rushing for jaw-dropping 11.7 yards per carrying on his way to 2,960 total—40 yards shy of 3,000! No wonder he was signing autographs well before his Oklahoma Sooners or NFL days. Peterson ranked No. 5 on ESPN's Top 100 and was the highest-rated RB heading into the 2004 signing period. Rating: 0.9996/1.0000
Leonard Fournette | RB | St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA), Class of 2014
A decade after Adrian Peterson's reign in the high school backfield, another dominant force was tearing…
A decade after Adrian Peterson's reign in the high school backfield, another dominant force was tearing up the running game east of Texas, in New Orleans. Leonard Fournette earned all the hardware in 2003, including USA Today's Offensive Player of the Year. Not only was he the NO. 1 RB in 2014, but he also ranked as the top overall prospect. Like Peterson, his choice of colleges was practically endless. But the Louisiana man stayed in-state and headed to LSU. Rating: 0.9996/1.0000
Da'Quan Bowers | DE | Bamberg-Ehrhardt (Bamberg, SC), Class of 2008
When your name is mentioned along with Reggie White's and Bruce Smith's during the scouting process,…
When your name is mentioned along with Reggie White's and Bruce Smith's during the scouting process, there should be zero doubt about where the recruit lands on the charts. Bowers was the top talent in 2008, with offers to schools such as Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, and Penn State. The big-bodied talent—who also rushed for over 1000 yards his senior year—wound up at Clemson. It was the program's first-ever top recruit. Rating: 0.9997/1.0000
Terrelle Pryor | DUAL | Jeannette (Jeannette, PA), Class of 2008
Few high school athletes were as heavily recruited as Terrelle Pryor—in either basketball or football. The…
Few high school athletes were as heavily recruited as Terrelle Pryor—in either basketball or football. The 6-foot-4 dual-threat ended his football career with 4000 yards passing and 4000 yards rushing, and a pick of top programs from the East Coast to the West Coast. Ohio State would get the nod, where he would earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Rating: 0.9997/1.0000
Joe McKnight | RB | John Curtis (New Orleans, LA), Class of 2007
The late Joe McKnight faced harrowing challenges during his high school football career, mainly stemming from…
The late Joe McKnight faced harrowing challenges during his high school football career, mainly stemming from the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, making the on-field accolades even more impressive. Following the destruction of his hometown, the five-star recruit briefly relocated to Shreveport and enrolled at Evangel Christian Academy. He played two games there before returning to his hometown for the remainder of 2005. McKnight's 2006 campaign was electric. Ranked No. 2 overall in the recruiting class, McKnight chose USC over in-state LSU, which caused a barrage of backlash. Rating: 0.9997/1.0000
Korey Foreman | DE| Centennial (Corona, CA), Class of 2021
Expect to hear Korey Foreman's name a lot in 2020. One of the top-ranked recruits of…
Expect to hear Korey Foreman's name a lot in 2020. One of the top-ranked recruits of 2021—either No. 1 or No. 2, depending on where you look—made major headlines when he de-committed from Clemson. At 6-foot-5, the defensive end's technique and physical strength place him above the rest, something that has gone unnoticed by Ohio State, Texas, USC, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Alabama. Rating: 0.9997/1.0000
Brock Berlin | PRO | Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, LA), Class of 2000
At the turn of the millennium, the high school recruiting world belonged to Brock Berlin. The…
At the turn of the millennium, the high school recruiting world belonged to Brock Berlin. The QB out of Shreveport led his team to three consecutive state titles and would have his pick of schools as the top passer in the 2000 class. Berlin chose Steve Spurrier's Floria Gators, where he would lose the job to Rex Grossman, before transferring to Miami (FL). Rating: 0.9998/1.0000
D.J. Williams | LB | De La Salle (Concord, CA), Class of 2000
On the defensive side of the ball, the class of 2000's top-ranked prospect was De La…
On the defensive side of the ball, the class of 2000's top-ranked prospect was De La Salle's D.J. Williams. The athletic linebacker was a force on offense, too, setting a record at the perennial football powerhouse for touchdowns in a season (42). He earned USA Today Defensive Player of the Year honor and went onto play at Miami (FL), where he would be part of the 2001 National Championship team. Rating: 0.9998/1.0000
Dorial Green-Beckham | WR | Hillcrest (Springfield, MO), Class of 2012
One of the top prospects in the class of 2012, Green-Beckham briefly held the all-time high…
One of the top prospects in the class of 2012, Green-Beckham briefly held the all-time high school receiving yards record and was the first-ever WR to earn the Hall Trophy as the nation's best high school player. The USA Today Offensive Player of the Year had his pick of top schools but chose to stay in-state and play at the University of Missouri. Rating: 0.9998/1.0000
Justin Fields | DUAL | Harrison (Kennesaw, GA), Class of 2018
The class of 2018 had two incredibly stellar QBs—with different styles—at the top of the charts.…
The class of 2018 had two incredibly stellar QBs—with different styles—at the top of the charts. Fields was the top-rated dual-threat QB and landed as ESPN's top overall prospect. His numbers in only two years under center were almost unbelievable—4,187 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 2,096 rushing yards, and 28 rushing touchdowns. He was named Mr. Georgia Football his senior year and had several schools after his increasingly coveted style of play at the next level. He signed with Georgia, but in 2019, he transferred to Ohio State. Rating: 0.9998/1.0000
Ronald Powell | DE | Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley, CA), Class of 2010
Powell was the top-ranked prospect in 2010, on either side of the ball, and earned All-American…
Powell was the top-ranked prospect in 2010, on either side of the ball, and earned All-American honors from Parade, USA Today, and EA Sports. The 6-foot-3 talent capped off his high school resume with an MVP nod at the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, before heading off to Florida to play for coach Urban Meyer. Rating: 0.9999/1.0000
Trevor Lawrence | PRO | Cartersville (Cartersville, GA), Class of 2018
The football world has been watching Lawrence's progression for several years, including his high school days,…
The football world has been watching Lawrence's progression for several years, including his high school days, where he was nearly unbeatable. He led Carterville (GA) to 41 straight victories and two state titles, raking up passing statistics and accolades while rocketing up the ranking charts. One of the most highly touted QBs ever, Lawrence was named USA Today's High School Football Player of the Year in 2017, he won the Hall Trophy, and was an All-American. It's hard to believe that he isn't one of the five recruits who hold the distinction of a perfect rating. Rating: 0.9999/1.0000
Vince Young | DUAL | Madison (Houston, TX), Class of 2002
Before setting the college world ablaze and proving a historic one-man takedown of USC at the…
Before setting the college world ablaze and proving a historic one-man takedown of USC at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Vince Young was a top prospect coming out of the Houston area. Young, as it would manifest in college, was able to disrupt defenses on the ground and through the air. During his senior year, he totaled 3,819 yards and 59 touchdowns. Rating: 1.0000/1.0000
Ernie Sims | LB | North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, FL), Class of 2003
Sims first lettered in high school football...when he was in the eighth grade! The versatile talent…
Sims first lettered in high school football...when he was in the eighth grade! The versatile talent only grew from there, with Sims earning All-American honors and ranking above big names like Reggie Bush on the recruiting charts. Rivals listed him as the top prospect in 2003, a first for the linebacker position, with big-time programs like Miami (FL), Georgia, and Auburn vying for his services. He chose to stay close to home, though, signing with the Florida State Seminoles. Rating: 1.0000/1.0000
Robert Nkemdiche | DE | Grayson (Loganville, GA), Class of 2013
No matter what site you followed back in 2012, Robert Nkemdiche was listed as the No.…
No matter what site you followed back in 2012, Robert Nkemdiche was listed as the No. 1 overall high school prospect. The 6-foot-4 defensive end was a two-time All-American and had earned Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Gwinnett Daily. He had the stats that could've wowed the NFL combine, too: 350-pound bench press, 500-pound squat, and a 4.56-second 40-yard dash time. Nkemdiche originally surprised the recruiting world (and his family) when he chose Clemson over Ole Miss, where his brother played. Eventually, he de-committed from the Tigers and headed to Oxford to play for Hugh Freeze and the Runnin' Rebels. Rating: 1.0000/1.0000
Rashan Gary | DT | Paramus Catholic (Paramus, NJ), Class of 2016
Like Nkemdiche, defensive tackle Rashan Gary holds rank as one of only three players ever to…
Like Nkemdiche, defensive tackle Rashan Gary holds rank as one of only three players ever to be listed as the top prospect on the four major sites: ESPN.com, Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247Sports.com. After transferring for his junior and senior years, Gary gained national recognition as a 6-foot-5 force that any college program would want lining up on the defensive side of the ball. He earned USA Today Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as an All-America nod. With a choice of colleges from coast to coast, Gary chose the Big Ten and signed with Michigan. Rating: 1.0000/1.0000
Jadeveon Clowney | DE | South Pointe (Rock Hill, SC), Class of 2011
And then, there is Jadeveon Clowney. At 13—13!—he was giving high school's offensive line headaches. And…
And then, there is Jadeveon Clowney. At 13—13!—he was giving high school's offensive line headaches. And by the time Clowney was a senior, the five-star prospect, like the two previous on this list—was ranked No. 1 on all major tracking sites. It was said that he would have been the top prospect in other classes from previous years, too. Not many recruits can claim such transcending domination. Rating: 1.0000/1.0000
