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Rivals Names Best College Football Recruit Since 2000

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 5:34 PM ET

For the past 25 years, Rivals has handed out five-star grades to a plethora of college football recruits. However, there are a few in particular that stand the test of time.

With the 2025 college football season almost here, Rivals took a trip down memory lane to name the top 32 recruits since 2000. Plenty of notable names made this list, such as Jadeveon Clowney, Percy Harvin and Julio Jones.

The top five kicked off with former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. It’s safe to say he lived up to the hype, winning an MVP during his NFL career. The No. 4 recruit on this list was none other than Florida legend Tim Tebow. He won a Heisman Trophy and two national titles during his time in Gainesville.

Legendary NFL running back Adrian Peterson claimed the No. 3 spot in the all-time Rival rankings.

Where things really get interesting is the top two. Texas legend Vince Young was named the second-best recruit since 2000. There’s no doubt he left his mark on the Longhorns.

At the end of the day though, it was USC running back Reggie Bush who took home the No. 1 spot.

"While playing alongside future No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith at Helix, Bush established himself as one of the most electric high school players both in California and across the country," Rivals wrote. "As a senior in 2002, he ran for 1,691 yards on 140 carries (12.1 YPC) and 27 touchdowns despite missing four games due to injury. He ultimately signed with USC and was one of the country’s most dynamic players during the next three seasons, racking up 6,541 all-purpose yards and 52 touchdowns in the rushing, receiving and return game. Bush was a regular on SportsCenter’s top-10 highlights and took home the Heisman Trophy in 2005 before declaring for the NFL Draft. He was taken No. 2 overall by the New Orleans Saints but struggled to have the same success at the pro level. He did, however, earn All-Pro honors in 2008."

Do you agree with these rankings from Rivals?

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

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