Top 2022 NFL draft prospects who started as unheralded college football recruits

Many of the names called during the opening round of the NFL draft will be familiar to recruiting fans, as they belong to former five-star and ESPN 300 prospects.

Big things were expected from and delivered by the likes of Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was the No. 1 overall player in the 2019 class, and Nakobe Dean, a top-three linebacker and Butkus Award winner in high school.

A few players selected early in the draft, though, will be prospects who garnered little buzz and had lower rankings. It serves as proof that there is not just one singular path from high school to the NFL.

Several players have greatly exceeded expectations and developed into top NFL prospects. Below are five players that went from under-the-radar recruits to top draft targets.

CB Ahmad GardnerCincinnati Bearcats Class of 2019 rating: Three stars

A consensus low three-star prospect, there were over 150 defensive backs rated ahead of Gardner, who now looks poised to be the first cornerback selected, even ahead of that class' No. 1 cornerback, Derek Stingley Jr.

Hindsight clearly indicates he was ranked far too low, but there were indicators that warranted some of the trepidation that led to a lower ranking. Gardner had a lean build and did not post ideal testing numbers, weighing in at 159 pounds and running a 4.74 40-yard dash at a Nike event back in spring of 2018.

He has since filled out his frame, gaining roughly 30 pounds and is an example of how certain key factors can be overlooked or tough to measure. He may have lacked in measurables, but was a highly productive high school player, with length and a confident passion for the game that can't be measured.

There were some areas of concern, but ultimately, his strengths as a prospect and physical