In the wild world of college football recruiting, getting slapped with a 5-star rating is like earning the golden ticket. It’s not just hype—it means the nation’s top evaluators believe you’ve got the tools to not only dominate college ball but possibly go first-round in the NFL Draft.
But how exactly does a high school athlete reach that kind of elite status? That’s where four major recruiting services—247Sports, Rivals, ESPN, and On3—step in, each with their own method to scout future stars.
The Criteria Behind a 5-Star Rating
247Sports
247Sports uses a numerical grading system from 0 to 110, and to crack the 5-star tier, players must earn a grade between 98 and 110. Only the top 32 players in each class get the 5-star label—mirroring the number of first-round picks in the NFL Draft. It’s a system designed to project future pros.
Their evaluations break down traits like athleticism, raw talent, positional value, and performance against elite competition. In short, if you’re ranked that high, they believe you’re a future NFL starter, if not a star.
Rivals
Rivals take a two-pronged approach with a star system and a Rivals Rating (RR) ranging from 5.2 to 6.1. To be considered 5-star, a prospect needs a perfect 6.1 RR. These players are seen as future college game-changers with serious NFL upside.
Rivals scout players through in-person evaluations, film study, and performance at combines and camps. They place heavy value on physical gifts, refined technique, and how consistent a player is under pressure.
ESPN
ESPN gives recruits a grade from 0 to 100. Anyone rated between 90 and 100 earns 5-star status. These are the rare prospects ESPN says can flip games on their own and start as true freshmen.
Their 5-stars are expected to earn All-American honors and potentially go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Evaluators focus on athletic profile, high school production, and long-term upside.
On3
On3 takes a broader view, blending data from all the major recruiting services into its Industry Ranking. It also runs its own in-depth scouting and assigns 5-star grades to players with top-tier production, physical talent, and professional-level potential.
Their analysts dig into athleticism, positional dominance, and input from college coaches and even NFL scouts. If you’re a 5-star on On3, it means you’re elite across the board.
How the 5-Star Evaluation Process Really Works
Every service has its own unique method, but they all focus on similar pillars:
- Athleticism—Speed, power, explosiveness, and body control.
- Skill Set—Positional mastery, football IQ, and how a player adapts in real-time.
- Performance – Dominance against strong competition, consistency, and big-game presence.
- Potential – Projection of how far a player can go physically and mentally with development.
- Character and Work Ethic—Leadership, coachability, and how much time a player puts into improving.
Scouts collect data from all angles—film, live games, camps, combines, and conversations with coaches. The goal is to create a complete picture, not just of who a player is now, but who they’ll become in 2–3 years.
What Being a 5-Star Really Means
Landing a 5-star rating can be a game-changer. It often leads to dozens of offers from Power Five schools, a wave of social media attention, and even NIL opportunities before a player steps on campus. Expectations are sky-high, and recruiters stay locked in on every move.
And the 5-star stamp isn’t just flash—it comes with results. According to On3, 81.3% of its 5-star prospects from recent classes were selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. That made them 24 times more likely to hear their name called on draft day than a 2-star or unrated prospect.
That level of accuracy shows that the scouts are doing more than just chasing hype—they’re finding the future stars.
Earning a 5-star label in high school football is no joke. It means you’ve been studied, scouted, and compared to the best of the best—and still came out on top.
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Each service—247Sports, Rivals, ESPN, and On3—might do things a little differently, but all of them agree on one thing: a 5-star is someone who can shift the course of a college program and possibly change the game on Sundays.
For fans, coaches, and even future teammates, understanding how those rankings work adds an extra layer to following recruiting and predicting who might be the next big name under the Saturday lights—and, eventually, the NFL spotlight.
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