Five No. 1 NFL Draft picks who were 5-star recruits in high school ft. Bryce Young

By Viraj Mali

Modified Apr 27, 2025 11:18 GMT

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The NFL Draft has thrown up a lot of gems over the years. From unranked high school prospects to No.1 overall recruits, hundreds of football players enter the draft every year and franchises fight tooth and nail with each other for selecting the right candidate.

However, it becomes a tad easier if the prospect on the board was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. A lot of five-star athletes usually go off the draft board in the first round, some of them are selected first overall if their college career follows the same path as their high school stint.

In this article, we will look at five athletes who went first overall in their respective drafts and were also rated as five-star athletes during their time in high school. Ratings are based on 247Sports.

Five No. 1 NFL Draft picks who were 5-star recruits in high school

#5 Kyler Murray (No.30 overall)

The Arizona Cardinals selected quarterback Kyler Murray first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since becoming a Cardinal, the quarterback has experienced a journey filled with highs and lows. However, he is still one of the top signal-callers in the country and is expected to lead the Cardinals on a deep playoff run in the near future.

Murray was a five-star quarterback coming out of Allen High School in Allen, Texas. He was ranked No.30 in the country and was the second-best player at his position in the Class of 2015, as per 247Sports. He was also the fourth-best overall recruit in the state of Texas.

#4 Travon Walker (No.5 overall)

Travon Walker became the Jacksonville Jaguars' first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has been great since joining the Jaguars, recording 24.0 sacks and 162 tackles while playing in almost every game since joining the team.

Walker was a five-star defensive tackle out of Upson-Lee High School, according to 247Sports. He was ranked No.5 in the country and was the second-best defensive tackle in the Class of 2022. He was also the best overall prospect from the state of Georgia.

#3 Myles Garrett (No.2 overall)

The Cleveland Browns picked Myles Garrett first overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. He quickly established himself as one of the league's premier defensemen and has already recorded more than 100 sacks for the Browns. Garrett won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023 for recording 14.0 sacks and 42 total tackles.

The defensive end was the 247Sports' five-star recruit out of Martin High School. He was the best-ranked overall athlete from the Class of 2014, as per 247Sports.

#2 Trevor Lawrence (No.1 overall)

Trevor Lawrence became the Jacksonville Jaguars' No.1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Clemson quarterback was touted as a generational talent coming out college and was one of the best young athletes in the country.

Lawrence was ranked No.1 in the country and was the best player at his position in the Class of 2018, as per 247Sports. He signed with the Clemson Tigers and went on to have an amazing career at the collegiate level.

Although he is yet to replicate his high school and college form in the big league, Lawrence is still considered a talented quarterback in the NFL.

#1 Bryce Young (No.1 overall)

The Carolina Panthers selected Bryce Young with their first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Alabama quarterback entered the NFL draft on the back of an amazing college career which saw him win the NCAA championship in 2020 and the Heisman Trophy in 2021.

Young was a talented athlete since his high school days. He was ranked No.1 in the country and was rated as a five-star athlete, according to 247Sports. The QB put up historic numbers at Mater Dei High School and was named California's Gatorade Football Player of the Year for his outstanding senior year.