College News & Analysis

How every five-star recruit in the 2018 class has graded so far in their career

RB97EP Santa Clara, California, USA. 7th Jan, 2019. January 07, 2019 - Santa Clara, California, U.S. - Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes the ball in the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the Clemson Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California. Credit: Adam Lacy/ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News

• QB Trevor Lawrence: The former Clemson quarterback was the top recruit in the 2018 class and ended up being the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

• EDGE Micah Parsons: The former Penn State linebacker was the No. 5 recruit in the 2018 class and has turned into one of the best defenders in the NFL.

• CB Patrick Surtain II: The former Alabama cornerback was the No. 6 recruit in the 2018 class and is now one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

Estimated Reading Time: 19 mins


Every year, college football fanbases across the country get excited about their incoming recruiting class, eager to see the next stars of their favorite program.

The best of those recruits are rated five stars. There are about 32 five-stars every year, making them college football’s version of first-round picks.

We’ve already gone over every five-star recruit in the 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 classes, and now it’s time to look at the 2018 group.

Here’s how every five-star from the 2018 class has played so far in their career, both in college and in the NFL.

Note: On3 Sports’ industry rating is used here, which weighs 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals into one ranking


1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 93.3 (2,241 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 71.1 (2,305 snaps)

Lawrence joined Clemson as one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits ever. He lived up to the hype as a true freshman, earning a 90.7 PFF grade and leading the Tigers to their third national championship in 2018. He subsequently earned 91.1 grades in both his sophomore and junior seasons, leading Clemson to the College Football Playoff in both years. Overall, his 93.3 career grade is the fourth-best mark by a Power Five quarterback since PFF started charting college football in 2014.

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Lawrence with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he struggled as a rookie, earning the fourth-worst passing grade that season (58.3). He bounced back in a big way in 2022, though, as his 5.0% big-time throw rate tied for the fourth-highest mark in the league.


2. QB Justin Fields, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 94.1 (1,669 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 68.8 (1,550 snaps)

Fields was one of three Power Five quarterbacks who earned a higher career college grade than Lawrence, as his 94.1 mark trails only Baker Mayfield and Mac Jones in the PFF College era.

He began his career at Georgia, earning a 90.1 grade on 173 snaps as a backup to Jake Fromm in 2018. Fields transferred to Ohio State following his freshman season and earned a 92.4 passing grade as a sophomore, which ranked behind only Joe Burrow among FBS quarterbacks that season. His 80.8% adjusted completion rate as a junior trailed only Mac Jones.

The Chicago Bears selected Fields with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and his 1,143 rushing yards this past season were the second most by a quarterback all time, trailing only Lamar Jackson’s 1,206 yards in 2019.


3. EDGE Eyabi Okie, Alabama Crimson Tide

  • Career College Grade: 72.6 (690 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Okie played 90 snaps as a backup edge defender for Alabama as a true freshman, picking up four pressures and two tackles for loss or no gain. That summer, he was dismissed from the university for undisclosed reasons. He enrolled at Houston in 2019 and redshirted before being dismissed again due to off-the-field problems. Okie never played a snap for the Cougars.

After a year off, Okie enrolled at FCS Tennessee-Martin for the 2021 campaign, and his 78.4 run-defense grade led all edge defenders in the Ohio Valley conference. He transferred to Michigan this past season and played 292 snaps as a rotational edge defender. His 12.6% pressure rate in 2022 was a top-15 mark among Big Ten edge defenders.

Okie will play for his fifth school in six years this upcoming season, as he transferred to Charlotte in January. 


4. EDGE Xavier Thomas, Clemson Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 81.0 (1,404 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Thomas played 318 snaps as a rotational edge defender in 2018, earning an 83.4 grade that paced all true freshman defenders in college football. He regressed as a full-time starter in his sophomore campaign, earning just a 69.8 grade.

After contracting COVID-19 and strep throat in July 2020, Thomas played only seven games that season. He returned as a full-time starter in 2021 and was named to the All-ACC second team. Thomas’ 18.7% pass-rush win rate ranked second among edge defenders in the conference that year. He suffered yet another setback the following season in the form of a foot injury, limiting him to only three games in 2022.

Thomas returns for his sixth year with the Tigers and should be one of their starting edge defenders in 2023.


5. LB Micah Parsons, Penn State Nittany Lions

  • Career College Grade: 91.8 (1,225 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 92.1 (2,022 snaps)

Parsons started for Penn State as a true freshman and led all Power Five linebackers with a 91.3 pass-rushing grade. As a sophomore in 2019, he paced all linebackers in college football with a 91.6 grade and a 94.8 run-defense grade. The latter mark trails only Reuben Foster’s 94.9 grade in 2019 as the best run-defense grade by an FBS linebacker in the PFF College era. Like many top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Parsons with the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he won Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading all defenders with a 22.4% pressure rate. He transitioned to edge defender full time this past season and was once again a first-team All-Pro, tying Nick Bosa for the most pressures in 2022 (90).


6. CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama Crimson Tide

  • Career College Grade: 93.1 (2,663 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 81.7 (2,004 snaps)

Surtain excelled as one of Alabama’s starting outside cornerbacks in his true freshman campaign. His 79.0 grade that year led all true freshman cornerbacks in college football. Surtain’s 84.6 coverage grade in his sophomore season ranked fifth among Power Five cornerbacks. He blossomed into the best cornerback in college football in 2020, leading the FBS with a 90.1 grade.

The Denver Broncos selected Surtain with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he led all rookie cornerbacks that season with four interceptions and a 69.7 passer rating allowed. Surtain was a first-team All-Pro in 2022, as his 86.8 grade ranked second among NFL cornerbacks.


7. WR Justin Shorter, Penn State Nittany Lions

  • Career College Grade: 67.5 (1,825 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Shorter disappointed in his two years at Penn State, with just 15 catches for 157 yards and no touchdowns in that span.

He transferred to Florida in 2020 for his redshirt sophomore season and was the Gators’ No. 4 receiver. Shorter became the No. 2 receiver in 2021 and caught 41 of his 63 targets for 550 yards and three touchdowns. He was once again Florida’s No. 2 receiver this past season and caught 29 of his 51 targets for 577 yards and a couple of scores.

Shorter was taken in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. 


8. OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State Buckeyes

  • Career College Grade: 76.9 (1,593 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 52.3 (937 snaps)

Petit-Frere spent his first two college seasons as a backup offensive tackle for the Buckeyes. He became the starting right tackle as a redshirt sophomore in 2020 and was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree that season, allowing the second-lowest pressure rate among all tackles in the conference (1.6%). Petit-Frere flipped to left tackle in 2021 and ranked fourth in the Big Ten with an 84.3 run-blocking grade.

He was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and was their starting right tackle as a rookie. However, his 52.3 grade as a rookie was the seventh-lowest mark among offensive tackles.


9. CB Tyson Campbell, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 83.3 (1,464 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 76.3 (2,139 snaps)

Not only were Campbell and Surtain the top two cornerback recruits in the 2018 class, but they also were high school teammates at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. Like Surtain, Campbell was a starting outside cornerback in the SEC as a true freshman. He missed five games of his sophomore year with a foot injury but was fully healthy in 2020, earning a 75.7 grade that season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made Campbell a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he has been one of their starting outside cornerbacks over the past two seasons. Campbell’s 80.8 grade in 2022 ranked seventh among cornerbacks.


10. EDGE K.J. Henry, Clemson Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 75.5 (1,779 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

For the first two years of his career, Henry was a backup edge defender for Clemson. He became a starter in 2020 and earned a 62.1 grade, and he was then third in Clemson’s edge rotation as a redshirt junior before having a career year this past season. Henry earned third-team PFF All-American honors in 2022 after ranking seventh among Power Five edge defenders with 53 pressures. His 78.8 run-defense grade was also a top-10 mark in that same group.

The Washington Commanders drafted Henry in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.


11. WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 75.8 (1,353 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 61.6 (1,069 snaps)

Marshall was a backup receiver for LSU as a true freshman before becoming a starter in 2019. That year, the sophomore was the Tigers’ No. 3 receiver, behind Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, and caught 46 of his 67 targets for 671 yards and 13 touchdowns. Marshall played seven games in 2020 before opting out of the remainder of the season. Despite missing three games, he still tied for second among SEC receivers with 10 touchdown receptions.

Marshall was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He was their No. 2 receiver this past season, behind D.J. Moore, and caught 28 of his 47 targets for 490 yards and a touchdown. 


12. RB Zamir White, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 89.6 (739 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 65.8 (40 snaps)

White suffered a torn ACL during the state playoffs of his senior season of high school before enduring another torn ACL during summer training camp of his freshman season, causing him to miss all of 2018. He was Georgia’s No. 3 running back as a redshirt freshman in 2019 before taking over as the starter in 2020. That year, his 50 carries that went for a first down or a touchdown tied for fifth among SEC running backs. The following season, he earned the third-highest grade among that group of players (87.5).

White was picked in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He rushed 17 times as a rookie for 70 yards. 


13. OT Jamaree Salyer, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 81.3 (1,600 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 69.8 (1,029 snaps)

Salyer was a backup guard for Georgia as a freshman and a backup tackle as a sophomore. He took on the starting left tackle role as a junior, though, and impressed, with his 81.2 grade in 2020 ranking fifth among SEC tackles. He then dominated as a pass protector in 2021 with a 1.4% pressure rate that ranked second among Power Five offensive tackles.

Salyer was taken in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. With Rashawn Slater missing most of the season with a ruptured bicep, Salyer started at left tackle for Los Angeles as a rookie. He more than held his own, as his 76.4 pass-blocking grade placed second among rookie tackles. 


14. QB JT Daniels, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 72.5 (1,880 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Daniels struggled as a true freshman starter at USC. His 26 turnover-worthy plays in 2018 were the second most among Power Five quarterbacks, and he didn’t have much of a chance to improve as a sophomore after tearing his ACL in the first game of the season. With true freshman Kedon Slovis excelling in his absence, Daniels transferred to Georgia in May 2020.

He served as mostly the backup quarterback to Stetson Bennett across his two years with the Bulldogs, earning an impressive 87.4 grade on 449 snaps. Daniels then transferred to West Virginia for the 2022 campaign and recorded more turnover-worthy plays (12) than big-time throws (11), which led to his benching in the 10th game of the season.

He’ll be playing for his fourth school next year after transferring to Rice in December. 


15. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 78.8 (1,725 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 90.2 (1,648 snaps)

St. Brown was USC’s No. 2 receiver, behind Michael Pittman Jr., in each of his first two seasons. He was once again the No. 2 receiver as a junior, this time to Drake London. Across his three years with the Trojans, he led all Pac-12 receivers with 2,270 receiving yards.

St. Brown was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He was their top receiver as a rookie and ranked fourth among all receivers in his draft class with 912 receiving yards. This past season, his 90.7 grade trailed only the Dolphins' Tyreek Hill.


16. EDGE Brenton Cox Jr., Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 81.8 (1,949 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Cox earned an impressive 74.1 grade as a true freshman, playing 277 snaps as the Bulldogs’ No. 3 edge defender. He was dismissed from the team the following August and transferred to Florida. He sat out all of the 2019 season before becoming a starter as a redshirt sophomore.

That year, his 47 pressures ranked third among Power Five edge defenders. In 2021, Cox’s 13 tackles for loss or no gain were third among SEC edge defenders. He played in eight games this past year before being dismissed from the team for an undisclosed reason but what head coach Billy Napier described as an accumulation of issues.

Cox went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Green Bay Packers.


17. S B.J. Foster, Texas Longhorns

  • Career College Grade: 62.0 (2,493 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Foster was a backup safety for three seasons at Texas. Still, he saw a healthy 1,526 snaps over those three years. He became a starter in 2021 and allowed only a 58.5 passer rating when targeted, fourth among Big 12 safeties. He struggled in the run game, though, as his 42.8 run-defense grade was the fourth-lowest mark in that same group.

Foster then transferred to Sam Houston State and recorded the third-most snaps among Bearkats’ safeties that season en route to a 67.1 grade.

He went undrafted in 2023 but was invited to the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie minicamp.


18. LB Palaie Gaoteote IV, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 65.2 (986 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Gaoteote played 760 snaps over his first two college seasons. However, he only saw 227 snaps in the following three years due to injuries, including only 129 snaps in his two seasons at Ohio State after transferring there in 2021. In 2019, his only year as a full-time starter, Gaoteote posted a 74.3 run-defense grade, which ranked third among Pac-12 linebackers.

He went undrafted in 2023 and remains unsigned. 


19. EDGE Adam Anderson, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 86.9 (588 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Anderson was mostly a backup edge defender across his four seasons with the Bulldogs. His 19.7% pressure rate in that span placed second among Power Five edge defenders with at least 290 pass-rushing snaps.

Anderson is facing two rape charges, to both of which he has pleaded not guilty. He is set to stand trial in late June. 


20. S Caden Sterns, Texas Longhorns

  • Career College Grade: 75.2 (1,843 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 68.8 (585 snaps)

Sterns was one of Texas’ starting safeties as a true freshman. That year, his four interceptions tied for the sixth most among Power Five safeties. However, he earned just a 68.4 grade over the following two seasons, ranking 165th in that same group.

Sterns was taken in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, where he spent his first two seasons as a backup safety and earned an impressive 81.3 coverage grade in 2022.


21. OT Jackson Carman, Clemson Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 79.7 (1,788 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 54.9 (673 snaps)

Carman was Clemson’s backup left tackle in 2018 before becoming a starter as a sophomore. His 74.2 grade in 2019 placed fifth among ACC tackles. The following year, he and Christian Darrisaw were the only tackles in the conference to earn 75.0-plus grades both as pass blockers and run blockers.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Carman in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he played 501 snaps at guard as a rookie and earned a 54.2 grade. He was the backup left tackle this past season, posting a 58.3 grade on 172 snaps.


22. OG Cade Mays, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 72.5 (2,131 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 62.6 (51 snaps)

Mays started for Georgia as a true freshman, playing mostly right guard. He was one of seven SEC guards that year who earned 70.0-plus grades as a pass blocker and a run blocker. He played at least 45 snaps at all five offensive line positions as a sophomore, spending the most time again at right guard. That shuffling ended up hurting him, as he earned just a 65.5 grade on the year.

Following his sophomore campaign, Mays transferred to Tennessee and was the Volunteers’ starting right guard in 2020, earning a 66.8 grade. He played right tackle as a senior and allowed just a 2.0% pressure rate, ranking third best among SEC tackles.

Mays, picked in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, was a backup right guard in his rookie NFL season.


23. DI Taron Vincent, Ohio State Buckeyes

  • Career College Grade: 59.7 (1,117 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Vincent played 100 snaps as a backup interior defensive lineman in his freshman year and missed the entire 2019 season with a shoulder injury. He was once again a backup as a redshirt sophomore before becoming a starter in 2021. That year, he earned a 61.4 grade. This past season, Vincent recorded a 62.1 grade.

He went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Los Angeles Rams.


24. CB Tyreke Johnson, Ohio State Buckeyes

  • Career College Grade: 62.7 (141 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Johnson played sparingly across his three years at Ohio State, seeing only 136 snaps as a backup outside cornerback.

His transfer to Nebraska didn’t change much in terms of playing time, as he logged just five snaps in 2021 and didn’t see the field at all this past season. In March, head coach Matt Rhule announced that Johnson was no longer with the program.


25. CB Derion Kendrick, Clemson Tigers

  • Career College Grade: 83.6 on defense (1,858 snaps), 62.0 on offense (291 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 43.7 (483 snaps)

Kendrick originally joined Clemson as a wide receiver and caught 14 of his 23 targets for 202 yards as a true freshman. He transitioned to cornerback the following year and started on the outside opposite A.J. Terrell. His 0.86 yards allowed per coverage snap in 2019 ranked third among ACC cornerbacks. Kendrick missed multiple games in 2020 for disciplinary reasons and earned a 69.0 grade that year. He was dismissed from the program in February of 2021 and landed at Georgia, where he subsequently put together the best year of his career. He ranked second among SEC cornerbacks in interceptions (four) and fourth in grade (83.2).

The Los Angeles Rams made Kendrick a sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he slotted in as one of their starting outside cornerbacks across from Jalen Ramsey. It was mostly a rookie year to forget for Kendrick, as his 43.7 grade was the second worst among NFL cornerbacks.


26. CB Olaijah Griffin, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 75.1 (1,129 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A (0 snaps)

Griffin was a backup cornerback as a true freshman before starting on the outside in 2019. His 67.7 passer rating allowed as a sophomore ranked third in the Pac-12. He was a member of PFF’s All-Pac 12 second-team as a junior, following a year in which his 81.5 coverage grade placed second in the conference.

Griffin went undrafted in 2021 and spent the past two seasons on the Buffalo Bills’ and New York Giants’ practice squads without seeing any game action. In April, he signed with the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons but didn’t see the field. Most recently, the Tennessee Titans extended a minicamp invite to Griffin in May.


27. RB Lorenzo Lingard, Miami (FL) Hurricanes

  • Career College Grade: 77.0 (113 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Knee injuries derailed Lingard’s time at Miami, as he played in only three games across two seasons with the Hurricanes. He finished with 17 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns, breaking seven tackles along the way. Lingard transferred to Florida following the 2019 season and again struggled to see the field. Across his three years as a Gator, he received 26 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown.

He transferred to Akron in December and will look to break out in his sixth season. 


28. RB Ricky Slade, Penn State Nittany Lions

  • Career College Grade: 65.7 (290 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Slade was Penn State’s No. 2 running back as a true freshman, behind Miles Sanders, rushing 45 times for 260 yards and six touchdowns. Despite Sanders heading off to the NFL, Slade fell to the No. 4 spot on the depth chart in 2019. He received 48 carries in 2019 for 211 yards and two touchdowns while adding 105 receiving yards on 11 catches.

Following his sophomore season, he transferred to Old Dominion but never played a snap for the Monarchs. In February of 2021, head coach Ricky Rahne announced that Slade was no longer a member of the program. 


29. LB Quay Walker, Georgia Bulldogs

  • Career College Grade: 69.5 (1,181 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: 51.9 (846 snaps)

Walker spent his first two college seasons as a backup linebacker before starting in 2020 and earning a 60.4 grade. As a senior, his 20 pressures tied for fourth among SEC linebackers. 

Walker was selected with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. His seven forced incompletions this past season were tied for fourth among all linebackers.


30. CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 67.3 (1,246 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A (0 snaps)

Taylor-Stuart played only seven snaps in his true freshman season due to a sprained ankle. He became a starter as a redshirt freshman and earned a 65.3 grade. Taylor-Stuart was once again a backup in 2020 before starting as a redshirt junior. In 2021, he earned a 67.1 grade.

Taylor-Stuart went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Dallas Cowboys, but he didn’t see any action as a rookie and was cut in April after failing his physical. 


31. WR Devon Williams, USC Trojans

  • Career College Grade: 76.2 (770 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A (0 snaps)

Williams was a backup as a true freshman, catching four of his nine targets for 87 yards and a touchdown. He played in just two games as a sophomore, catching one pass for 11 yards. That September, Williams transferred to Oregon and sat out the rest of the season while utilizing a redshirt.

He was the Ducks’ top receiver in 2020 and led all Pac-12 receivers with 2.83 yards per route run. Williams was once again Oregon’s top receiver in 2021 and ranked fourth in the Pac-12 with 18 catches of 15-plus yards.

Williams went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He was waived that August and most recently signed in March with the USFL's Philadelphia Stars. He has yet to play this season. 


32. OG Brey Walker, Oklahoma Sooners

  • Career College Grade: 67.9 (311 snaps)
  • Career NFL Grade: N/A

Walker started only three games across his five seasons at Oklahoma. His most playing time came as a redshirt freshman in 2019, earning a 66.6 grade on 178 snaps.

He announced in April that he was transferring to Texas State for his sixth season.

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