NFL stars come from out of nowhere sometimes, and you never know when a late-round draft pick could end up becoming a franchise player. Sometimes, those players were unknown heading into college, too.
After two weeks of play the debate is already on for offensive and defensive rookie of the year awards. Many of the names you'll hear were big-time recruits in high school. But some of the top rookies in the league didn't get a lot of looks as high school players.
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Here's a look at a few rookies who will play major roles for their teams in 2017 after making it all the way to the NFL from a 2-star or worse ranking as a high school recruit.
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Corey Davis, WR — Tennessee Titans
Recruit Rating: 2-Star
The fifth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft started his college football career at Western Michigan after he was rated a 2-star recruit out of high school, 247's No. 319 wide receiver in the country in the class of 2013. The top ranked receivers in the class included 5-star wide receivers Laquon Treadwell, Robert Foster and Robbie Rhodes. Davis has 7 catches for 73 yards in two games for Tennessee so far.
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Haason Reddick, OLB — Arizona Cardinals
Recruit Rating: Unranked
Reddick was completely unranked in the class of 2012, behind top-rated outside linebackers Josh Harvey-Clemens, Janari Ruffin and Noor Davis. He was the 13th overall pick in the draft out of Temple and has started both of Arizona's games so far this year, recording 8 tackles.
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Charles Harris, DE — Philadelphia Eagles
Recruit Rating: 2-Star
A 2-star recruit in high school before enrolling at Missouri, Harris eventually earned a spot in the first round of the NFL Draft. He was the No. 120 weak side defensive end in the 2013 recruiting class, which was led by Carl Lawson, Tim Williams and Taco Charlton (talk about a loaded group).
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Ryan Ramczyk, OT — New Orleans Saints
Recruit Rating: Unranked
Another first round draft pick in 2017 who was unranked out of high school, Ramczyk took an odd path to the NFL. He enrolled at D3 Stevens Point before transferring to Wisconsin and playing one year with the Badgers. He became the first Saints' rookie since Jim Dombrowski in 1986 to start at left tackle in a season opener. The top offensive tackles in his recruiting class (2013) included 5-star prospects Laremy Tunsil and A'Shawn Robinson.
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Cooper Kupp, WR — Los Angeles Rams
Recruit Rating: Unranked
In a 2012 recruiting class that featured 5-star wide receivers Dorial Green-Beckham, Stefon Diggs and Thomas Johnson, Cooper Kupp was unranked. He went to FCS Eastern Washington, broke all the records, and was a third-round pick by the Rams. He has 7 catches for 109 yards and a TD through his first two NFL games.
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Keny Golladay, WR — Detroit Lions
Recruit Rating: 2-Star
A 2-star recruit by 247 Sports in the same recruiting class as Kupp, Kenny Golladay played a year of college ball at FCS North Dakota and then transferred to FBS Northern Illinois before he was drafted in the third round by Detroit. He has 4 catches for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns in two games so far.
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Tarik Cohen, RB — Chicago Bears
Recruit Rating: Unranked
Not ranked in high school, Tarik Cohen also went the FCS route at North Carolina A&T. The Bears took a shot on him with a fourth round pick, and he has nearly 200 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown through two NFL games. The top ranked running backs in the class of 2013 included Alvin Kamara, Ryan Green and Ty Isaac.
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NEXT: NFL Stars Who Were 2-star Recruits or Worse
