NFL Draft: The first 10 former five-stars selected
Five-stars are always the focus of the NFL Draft and that was no different this year as nine went in the first round and one in the second for the first 10 former five-stars off the board. Here is our memories of those elite players:
WR/CB TRAVIS HUNTER – No. 2, Jacksonville Jaguars
The No. 1 overall player in the 2022 Rivals250, Hunter was an easy call for the top spot because he has athleticism, playmaking ability and ball skills like we’ve never seen during the Rivals era. The Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill standout was awesome at receiver and cornerback, had boundless energy and a competitive drive that was unmatched. His flip from Florida State to Jackson State on signing day shortly after Deion Sanders got the coaching job was the biggest shocker in Rivals history dating back to 2002.
WR TETAIROA MCMILLAN – No. 8 overall, Carolina Panthers
The No. 12 prospect in the 2022 Rivals250 and the second-best receiver behind Luther Burden (more on him later), McMillan was unstoppable as an outside receiver at Anaheim (Calif.) Servite and then flipped his commitment from Oregon to Arizona to join his friends in Tucson. He was unstoppable for the Wildcats and had 213 catches for 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns in three seasons. There was some chatter that McMillan didn’t interview well and a video of him saying he didn’t watch football might have concerned some NFL execs but Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young wanted his team to draft McMillan and that’s what they did.
ED MYKEL WILLIAMS – No. 11 overall, San Francisco 49ers
Travon Walker was a high four-star who went to Georgia and was then the No. 1 overall draft pick. Williams could be a Walker clone and we didn’t miss on his ranking as the No. 8 prospect in the 2022 Rivals250 who had been committed to USC for months before flipping to the Bulldogs. Williams had 67 tackles and 14 sacks in three years at Georgia and was ranked only behind Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton at the position. He was taken No. 11 by the San Francisco 49ers.
DT WALTER NOLEN – No. 16 overall, Arizona Cardinals
Many believed Nolen, rated second in the 2022 Rivals250 behind only Travis Hunter, would end up at Tennessee especially after he moved to Powell, Tenn., for his senior season. But Texas A&M beat out the Vols and Georgia among others. Nolen was productive in College Station but really turned up his performance after transferring to Ole Miss and having 48 tackles and 6.5 sacks this season. He went No. 16 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.
ED SHEMAR STEWART – No. 17 overall, Cincinnati Bengals
Looking like he was built in a lab, Stewart earned a five-star ranking not from production but from projection. And that could also be why the Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace five-star defensive end was picked in the first round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Stewart never had more than 1.5 sacks in a season while at Texas A&M but at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds with a nearly 85-inch wingspan, there is a lot to like about the possibilities in Stewart’s game.
WR EMEKA EGBUKA – No. 19 overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The five-star receiver from Steilacoom, Wash., who picked Ohio State over Washington and Oklahoma had more catches in the Buckeyes’ national championship season than star freshman Jeremiah Smith. In his college career, Egbuka had 205 catches for 2,686 yards and while not a physical presence, the five-star always got open and had some of the surest hands in college football. The No. 1 receiver in the 2021 class, Egbuka went No. 19 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
OG DONOVAN JACKSON – No. 24 overall, Minnesota Vikings
Whether Jackson can stay as an offensive tackle in the NFL or he moves inside, his power, leg drive and long arms should all bode well for a long career after he was picked No. 24 overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Rated as the No. 1 offensive guard in the 2021 class out of Houston (Texas) Episcopal, Jackson chose Ohio State over Stanford, Georgia, Texas and Texas A&M. He measured at only 6-foot-3.5 and 317 pounds at the combine but had a nearly 84-inch wingspan.
OT JOSH CONERLY, JR. – No. 29 overall, Washington Commanders
Ranked as the third-best offensive tackle in the 2022 Rivals250, Conerly had one of the wilder recruitments in recent memory when he waited months after signing day to make his choice. It looked like the five-star from Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach was headed to USC but after a semi-secret visit to Oregon, the Ducks won out. Athletic, great feet and physical, the 6-foot-4.5, 311-pounder with long arms was taken No. 29 by the Washington Commanders.
LB JIHAAD CAMPBELL – No. 31 overall, Philadelphia Eagles
An early Clemson commit who flipped to Alabama late in the recruiting process, there was some thought that the five-star originally from New Jersey who played at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy could end up as an edge rusher but he stayed at linebacker and thrived for the Crimson Tide. Campbell had 117 tackles and five sacks this past season and was the only true linebacker taken in the first round if Georgia’s Jalon Walker is counted as an edge.
WR LUTHER BURDEN – No. 39 overall, Chicago Bears
The first five-star taken in the second round, Burden was the No. 1 receiver and No. 4 overall player in the 2022 Rivals250 out of East St. Louis, Ill. Widely considered for the first round, Burden fell to the early second round and he could be considered a steal since he plays with such competitiveness and toughness plus he put up major numbers during his time at Missouri. An early Oklahoma commit, Burden decommitted and then picked the Tigers where he caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons.
