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Three Former Top 5-Star Recruits Went Undrafted

Originally posted on The Spun | By Daniel Bates | Last updated Apr 27, 2025 12:09 PM ET

In a draft that saw a former no-star recruit go first overall, three ex five-star prospects reportedly didn't hear their name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.

As much as recruiting ranks can matter when it comes to a players' success and chances of getting on the field — they're not the be-all end-all when it comes to predicting who can develop into a pro and who can't.

Miami's Cam Ward didn't have any fanfare coming out of Columbia High School in West Columbia, TX. But after enrolling at Incarnate Word, and parlaying that into a chance at Washington State and eventually Miami, Ward was able to turn himself into a No. 1 pick.

Among the 257 names drafted to the National Football League there was a mix of prospect grades. However, 247Sports' Brad Crawford pointed out that these three big names weren't among them:

QB DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State
WR Bru McCoy, Tennessee
OL Logan Brown, Kansas

Notable 5-stars who went undrafted ...

DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Florida State
Bru McCoy, WR, Tennessee
Logan Brown, OT, Kansas
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) April 26, 2025

In the case of DJU, his FSU tenure did him no favors after appearing to turn his career around at Oregon State the previous year.

As for McCoy, he was never really able to turn his elite physical traits into high-level production in college but it's hard to imagine a team not taking a flier on him down the line.

And when it comes to Brown, he only had one season of starting under his belt due to injuries and an "internal incident" that got him dismissed from the Wisconsin Badgers.

It's also worth noting that Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (an former five-star recruit himself) didn't receive any NFL interest either despite some of the big moments he's had in his Wolverines career.

Which of these players would you most be willing to take a chance on if you were an NFL GM?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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