15 college football recruits who had the sickest high school highlight tape

3. Jadeveon Clowney

For many people, Jadeveon Clowney became a star at the moment he single-handedly ruined the Michigan Wolverines with one play, blowing up a run right at the handoff and making national highlight reels for the rest of his life. Before he ever suited up for the South Carolina Gamecocks, though, Clowney was doing things quite similar and perhaps just as impressive as that.

Clowney, coming out of South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, SC, was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2011 class and, just a couple of seconds into his high school highlight tape, there’s no questioning that. The defensive end was an overwhelming physical force, capable of bull-rushing any matchup and exploding past them with speed rare for any human being his size, much less an 18-year-old.

When he was done making life miserable for every high schooler he faced in his career, Clowney stayed in-state, as mentioned, to play for the Gamecocks. While he was panned for his lack of production in his final season, his sophomore campaign showcased everything we saw in high school from him as he put up 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss with South Carolina.

The Houston Texans eventually made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and, despite a rocky and injury-riddled start to his pro career, Clowney has emerged as a true star in the league, spending 2019 with the Seahawks. If he can stay on the field, the same physical dominance he displayed in high school has translated to the NFL.