Super Bowl LIX: How the Chiefs and Eagles Were Ranked as Recruits

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What were the recruit rankings for players on the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles? This is one of the most talked-about topics as we approach Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

No surprise here: Both teams are filled with blue-chip recruits.

According to the industry-standard 247Sports Composite, 42% of the players on the active 53-man rosters for both the Chiefs and Eagles were rated either five or four stars coming out of high school.

Now, you might be thinking, “Forty-two percent isn’t even close to half!” But keep in mind, only about one out of 12 FBS recruits (8.3%) — assuming around 2,500 players are ranked each year — qualify as blue-chip prospects.

The stats become even more remarkable when focusing solely on five-star prospects. There are typically just 32 every recruiting cycle, comprising only 1.25% of FBS signings. Nevertheless, this Super Bowl features an impressive 13 five-star players, representing 12.2% of the rosters.

These five-star athletes are some of the standout players for each team.

For Kansas City, the spotlight shines on superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is widely regarded as the best overall defensive player in the NFL, along with Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith.

The Eagles are similarly packed with top-tier recruits, prominently featuring all-pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

It’s worth noting that the 13 five-star athletes mentioned do not even include Top247 five-stars such as A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, and George Karlaftis. Each of these athletes had four-star rankings in the 247Sports Composite when they entered high school, demonstrating that 247Sports did an excellent job evaluating talent compared to other platforms.

Turning to the quarterbacks featured in this matchup, both come from the Lone Star State.

Mahomes entered the scene as a three-star prospect out of Whitehouse (Texas) High School, with some uncertainty surrounding his commitment to football over a potential baseball career impacting his rating.

On the other side, Hurts was recognized as a four-star recruit from Channelview (Texas) High School.

However, it’s crucial to note that the presence of former blue-chip recruits alone won’t define the outcome of the 2025 Super Bowl.

Many players who were rated lower in high school have risen to NFL stardom. This group includes two-star quarterback Travis Kelce, who is now regarded as perhaps the best tight end in NFL history, and no-star JUCO quarterback and Pro Bowl offensive tackle Lane Johnson.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the recruiting stars for each roster:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Five-stars: 6
Four-stars: 13
Three-stars: 22
Two-stars: 2
Unrated: 10

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Five-stars: 7
Four-stars: 18
Three-stars: 17
Two-stars: 6
Unrated: 5

(Note: All rankings are based on the 247Sports Composite.)

CHIEFS

QB: Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech (three-star) — 88 rating, No. 22 pro-style QB in 2014 class
RB: Kareem Hunt, Toledo (three-star) — 80 rating, No. 108 RB in 2013 class
WR: Xavier Worthy, Texas (four-star) — 97 rating, No. 8 WR in 2021 class
WR: Marquise Brown, Oklahoma (four-star) — 89 rating, No. 2 WR in 2017 JUCO class
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC (five-star) — 99 rating, No. 3 athlete in 2014 class
TE: Travis Kelce, Cincinnati (two-star) — 77 rating, No. 85 TE in 2008 class
LG: Mike Caliendo, Western Michigan (three-star) — 81 rating, No. 101 OG in 2016 class
LT: Joe Thuney, NC State (two-star) — 80 rating, No. 131 OT in 2011 class
C: Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma (four-star) — 90 rating, No. 2 C in 2017 class
RG: Trey Smith, Tennessee (five-star) — 99 rating, No. 4 OT in 2017 class
RT: Jawaan Taylor, Florida (three-star) — 85 rating, No. 46 OG in 2016 class
DE: George Karlaftis, Purdue (four-star) — 97 rating, No. 4 SDE in 2019 class
DT: Tershawn Wharton, Missouri S&T (unrated) — not ranked in 2016 class
DT: Chris Jones, Mississippi State (five-star) — 99 rating, No. 2 SDE in 2013 class
DE: Mike Danna, Michigan (three-star) — 80 rating, No. 94 WDE in 2015 class
LB: Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame (four-star) — 90 rating, No. 21 safety in 2014
LB: Nick Bolton, Missouri (three-star) — 85 rating, No. 39 ILB in 2018 class
LB: Leo Chenal, Wisconsin (three-star) — 88 rating, No. 35 athlete in 2019 class
DB: Trent McDuffie, Washington (four-star) — 94 rating, No. 12 CB in 2019 class
DB: Jaylen Watson, Washington State (three-star) — 85 rating, No. 13 CB in 2020 JUCO class
DB: Justin Reid, Stanford (three-star) — 89 rating, No. 21 safety in 2015 class
DB: Bryan Cook, Cincinnati (unrated) — not ranked in 2017 class

EAGLES

QB: Jalen Hurts, Alabama/Oklahoma (four-star) — 93 rating, No. 3 dual-threat QB in 2016 class
RB: Saquon Barkley, Penn State (four-star) — 95 rating, No. 13 RB in 2015 class
WR: A.J. Brown, Ole Miss (four-star) — 98 rating, No. 4 WR in 2016 class
WR: DeVonta Smith, Alabama (four-star) — 97 rating, No. 9 WR in 2017 class
WR: Jahan Dotson, Penn State (four-star) — 92 rating, No. 36 WR in 2018 class
TE: Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State (unrated) — not ranked in 2013 class
LT: Jordan Mailata — did not play in college
LG: Landon Dickerson, Alabama (four-star) — 98 rating, No. 4 OT in 2016 class
C: Cam Jurgens, Nebraska (four-star) — 92 rating, No. 7 TE in 2018 class
RG: Mekhi Becton, Louisville (three-star) — 88 rating, No. 42 OT in 2017 class
RT: Lane Johnson, Oklahoma (unrated) — not ranked as JUCO recruit in 2009 class
DE: Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech (two-star) — 78 rating, No. 127 SDE in 2017 class
DT: Jordan Davis, Georgia (three-star) — 89 rating, No. 29 DT in 2018 class
DT: Jalen Carter, Georgia (five-star) — 99 rating, No. 4 DT in 2020 class
LB: Nolan Smith, Georgia (five-star) — 100 rating, No. 1 overall recruit and WDE in 2019 class
LB: Zack Baun, Wisconsin (three-star) — 85 rating, No. 83 athlete in 2015 class
LB: Oren Burks, Vanderbilt (three-star) — 86 rating, No. 46 OLB in 2013 class
LB: Josh Sweat, Florida State (five-star) — 99 rating, No. 1 WDE in 2015 class
DB: Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo (three-star) — 83 rating, No. 159 CB in 2020 class
DB: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Florida (four-star) — 98 rating, No. 4 CB in 2016 class
DB: Reed Blankenship, Middle Tennessee (three-star) — 82 rating, No. 132 safety in 2017 class
DB: Darius Slay, Mississippi State (three-star) — 82 rating, No. 160 WR in 2009 class

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9. Romeo (16-2)
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10. Sterling Heights Stevenson (12-2)
Stevenson is riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Anchor Bay twice on Saturday and mercying Dakota on Monday. The Titans will meet Dakota again on April 30 and May 1 before a brief pause, then face Utica Ford on May 5.
11. Hudsonville (12-2)
The Eagles wrapped up last week with a strong 5-1 record, including victories against Jenison and Rockford. Hudsonville is set to take on Rockford again on May 1 before hosting a doubleheader against Maple Valley the following day.
12. Jenison (8-2)
The Wildcats dominated Muskegon with a 15-0 win but narrowly lost to Hudsonville 9-8 last week. They split a doubleheader against Caledonia on Tuesday (W, 10-0; L, 3-2), with a rubber match scheduled for May 1.
13. New Boston Huron (16-0)
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14. Detroit Catholic Central (10-6)
The Shamrocks are currently on a four-game winning streak, most recently sweeping Portage Central on Tuesday. Up next, Detroit Catholic Central will face St. Francis de Sales in a doubleheader on April 30.
15. West Bloomfield (8-3)
The Lakers split a doubleheader with Rochester last week and followed that up with back-to-back wins against Groves, including an 8-1 victory on Tuesday. West Bloomfield will meet Groves once more on May 1 before taking on Stoney Creek on May 3.
16. Dexter (13-6)
The Dreadnaughts have struggled recently, dropping four of their last six games, including both matches in a doubleheader against Ann Arbor Skyline on Monday. They have another opportunity against Skyline on April 30 before heading to Adrian on May 3.
17. Woodhaven (15-5)
The Warriors have secured consecutive victories after experiencing two losses in a row, with their latest triumph coming against Dearborn Edsel Ford, winning 2-1 in a dramatic nine-inning game on Monday. Woodhaven’s upcoming opponents include Wyandotte on April 30, followed by Taylor on May 1.
18. Rochester Adams (15-4)
Rochester Adams holds a 2-2 record over its last four games, having recently suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Stoney Creek on Tuesday. The Highlanders have another chance to face Stoney Creek on May 2 before taking on Grosse Pointe North in a doubleheader on May 3.
19. Trenton (13-3)
The Trojans went 2-1 at the 9th Bob Kreszyn Classic on Saturday, achieving victories over Wayland and Flint Powers Catholic, with their only setback against Utica Ford. Additionally, Trenton triumphed over Taylor on Monday, and their next matchup is against Dearborn Edsel Ford on April 30.
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21. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (9-5)
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep faced a tough doubleheader against Flushing on Saturday, resulting in two losses, but bounced back on Monday with a solid 9-2 win over U of D Jesuit.
22. Detroit Western (13-5)
After a 12-7 win against Grosse Pointe North on Saturday, the Cowboys suffered an 8-3 loss to Grosse Pointe South later that day. However, they regained their momentum with a 5-2 victory over Cass Tech on Tuesday. Detroit Western is set to face Livonia Stevenson next on April 30.
23. Grand Ledge (13-5)
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24. Mattawan (8-2-3)
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25. Allen Park (8-5)
The Jaguars managed to avoid a third consecutive loss by overpowering Lincoln Park with a decisive 15-0 win on Monday. Allen Park will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to host Taylor for a doubleheader on April 30.
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