When Myles Garrett and Leonard Fournette were drafted in the top five picks of the 2017 NFL Draft, the good folks at 247Sports must have been nodding as confidently as any Browns or Jaguars fan.
Garrett was actually the No. 2 player in the 2014 class, per the 247Sports Composite, when he committed to Texas A&M, while Fournette committed to LSU as the top-rated player in the same class. For those tracking the careers of both NFL superstars-in-the-making, Thursday night's draft was the completion of a path that looked clear from the moment Garrett and Fournette set foot on a college campus.
Adoree Jackson, Marlon Humphrey and Solomon Thomas were all top-25 players in that same 2014 class, according to the 247Sports Composite, but No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky was just a four-star prospect coming out of Ohio, ranked No. 213 overall in the 2013 recruiting class.
All in all, the 2017 NFL Draft set the record for most five-star prospects selected in the first round.
Here's a full breakdown of the first round, with recruiting rankings via the 247Sports Composite:
| Pick (Team) | Player | School | Stars | Rank (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 (Browns) | Myles Garrett, DE | Texas A&M | 5 | 2 (2014) |
2 (Bears) | Mitchell Trubisky, QB | 4 | 213 (2013) | |
3 (49ers) | Solomon Thomas, DE | 5 | 25 (2014) | |
4 (Jaguars) | Leonard Fournette, RB | LSU | 5 | 1 (2014) |
5 (Titans) | Corey Davis, WR | 2 | 2807 (2013) | |
6 (Jets) | Jamal Adams, SS | LSU | 5 | 31 (2014) |
7 (Rams) | Mike Williams, WR | 4 | 238 (2013) | |
8 (Panthers) | Christian McCaffrey, RB | Stanford | 4 | 91 (2014) |
9 (Bengals) | John Ross, WR | 4 | 250 (2013) | |
10 (Chiefs) | Patrick Mahomes II, QB | 3 | 387 (2014) | |
11 (Saints) | Marshon Lattimore, CB | 4 | 52 (2014) | |
12 (Texans) | Deshaun Watson, QB | Clemson | 4 | 41 (2014) |
13 (Cardinals) | Haason Reddick, OLB | NR | NR (2012) | |
14 (Eagles) | Derek Barnett, DE | 4 | 206 (2014) | |
15 (Colts) | Malik Hooker, FS | Ohio State | 3 | 348 (2014) |
16 (Ravens) | Marlon Humphrey, CB | 5 | 12 (2014) | |
17 (Redskins) | Jonathan Allen, DL | Alabama | 5 | 16 (2013) |
18 (Titans) | Adoree Jackson, CB | 5 | 7 (2014) | |
19 (Buccaneers) | O.J. Howard, TE | Alabama | 5 | 19 (2013) |
20 (Broncos) | Garrett Bolles, OT | 4 | JUCO (2016) | |
21 (Lions) | Jarrad Davis, LB | 3 | 495 (2013) | |
22 (Dolphins) | Charles Harris, DE | Missouri | 2 | 2553 (2013) |
23 (Giants) | Evan Engram, TE | 3 | 889 (2013) | |
24 (Raiders) | Gareon Conley, CB | Ohio State | 4 | 146 (2013) |
25 (Browns) | Jabrill Peppers, S | 5 | 3 (2014) | |
26 (Falcons) | Takkarist McKinley, DE | 4 | JUCO (2014) | |
27 (Bills) | Tre'Davious White, CB | LSU | 4 | 54 (2013) |
28 (Cowboys) | Taco Charlton, DE | Michigan | 4 | 133 (2013) |
29 (Browns) | David Njoku, TE | Miami | 3 | 833 (2014) |
30 (Steelers) | T.J. Watt, LB | 3 | 645 (2013) | |
31 (49ers) | Reuben Foster, LB | Alabama | 5 | 7 (2013) |
32 (Saints) | Ryan Ramczyk | Wisconsin | NR | NR (2013) |