2003 Football Recruits: The Next Generation of College Stars

The 2003 college football recruiting class was one of the most highly touted in recent memory. It featured a number of blue-chip prospects who were expected to make an immediate impact at the next level.

Many of these recruits lived up to the hype, becoming some of the best players in college football. Others struggled to adjust to the college game or were derailed by injuries.

Here is a look at some of the top 2003 football recruits and where they are today:

Quarterbacks

• Matt Leinart, USC: Leinart was the top-rated quarterback in the 2003 class and lived up to the hype. He led USC to two national championships and won the Heisman Trophy in 2004. Leinart went on to have a successful NFL career, starting for the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans.
• Vince Young, Texas: Young was another highly touted quarterback in the 2003 class. He led Texas to the national championship in 2005 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Young's NFL career was less successful than Leinart's, but he did have some memorable moments, including leading the Tennessee Titans to an upset win over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2007 playoffs.
• Adrian Peterson, Georgia: Peterson was a five-star recruit who played running back and defensive back in high school. He chose to play running back at Georgia and quickly became one of the most dominant players in college football. Peterson rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons in Athens and won the Heisman Trophy in 2007. He went on to have a successful NFL career, rushing for over 10,000 yards.

Wide Receivers

• DeSean Jackson, California: Jackson was a four-star recruit who quickly became one of the most dynamic receivers in college football. He led Cal to the Pac-10 championship in 2006 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Jackson went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh: Fitzgerald was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best wide receivers in college football history. He led Pitt to the Big East championship in 2004 and was named the Sugar Bowl MVP. Fitzgerald went on to have a Hall of Fame NFL career, playing for the Arizona Cardinals for 17 seasons.
• Santonio Holmes, Ohio State: Holmes was a four-star recruit who became one of the most reliable receivers in college football. He helped Ohio State win the national championship in 2002 and was named the Fiesta Bowl MVP. Holmes went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears.

Defensive Linemen

• Haloti Ngata, Oregon: Ngata was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best defensive linemen in college football history. He led Oregon to the Pac-10 championship in 2004 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Ngata went on to have a Hall of Fame NFL career, playing for the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.
• Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State: Bunkley was a four-star recruit who became one of the most productive defensive linemen in college football. He helped Florida State win the national championship in 2003 and was named the Orange Bowl MVP. Bunkley went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints.
• David Pollack, Georgia: Pollack was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best defensive linemen in college football history. He led Georgia to the SEC championship in 2002 and 2005 and was named the Sugar Bowl MVP in 2005. Pollack went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers.

Linebackers

• A.J. Hawk, Ohio State: Hawk was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best linebackers in college football history. He led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Hawk went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons.
• Ernie Sims, Florida: Sims was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best linebackers in college football history. He led Florida to the national championship in 2006 and was named the BCS National Championship Game MVP. Sims went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.
• James Laurinaitis, Ohio State: Laurinaitis was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best linebackers in college football history. He led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Laurinaitis went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins.

Defensive Backs

• Charles Woodson, Michigan: Woodson was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best defensive backs in college football history. He helped Michigan win the national championship in 1997 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Woodson went on to have a Hall of Fame NFL career, playing for the Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, and Oakland Raiders.
• Sean Taylor: Taylor was a five-star recruit who was considered one of the best defensive backs in college football history. He helped Miami win the national championship in 2001 and was named the Rose Bowl MVP. Taylor went on to have a successful NFL career, playing for the Washington Redskins.
• Tom Brady, Michigan: Brady was a four-star recruit who was not considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in the 2003 class. However, he went on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Brady led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl victories and was named the Super Bowl MVP five times.

The 2003 football recruiting class was one of the most talented in recent memory. Many of these recruits went on to become some of the best players in college football and the NFL.