Diamonds in the rough: Overlooked recruits who became stars for CSU football

The diamonds in the rough. The ones who were overlooked only to become program legends. Recruiting rankings can be fickle and not always surefire in predicting future success. College football programs are littered with fan-favorites and record-holders who rose to stardom after being overlooked on signing day. Last week, we looked at CSU's top-25 recruits in the modern (2001 and on) era of recruiting rankings. Now we look at those who were buried down the list as not such a big deal. These are the unheralded recruits who many didn't fuss about when they signed but became very big deals at Colorado State. The rankings really begin in 2000, so players who joined before them won't be included. Likewise, transfers such as Michael Gallup or Shaquil Barrett won't be on this list. In no particular order, here are some of the top unheralded recruits in CSU football's recent history. Rankings are based on 247Sports composite. Trey McBride, tight end Signing class: 2018 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8311 Notable: McBride was considered a solid recruit. A low-to-mid three-star with some solid offers. He was ranked sixth-best by 247 in CSU's 2018 class. None of those are bad, but they sure don't match his output. McBride won the 2021 John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end after leading all FBS tight ends in receptions, yards and yards per game. McBride then became a second-round pick in the NFL draft. Safe to say he far outshot his projection. Weston Richburg, offensive line Signing class: 2009 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7444 Notable: Richburg was ranked as little more than a piece of depth in a recruiting class. A mere two-star ranking is laughable now. He turned into a dominant offensive lineman (first-team all-Mountain West in 2013 and second-team in 2011) at CSU, then became a second-round pick in the NFL. Richburg had a strong NFL career from 2014-20 before retiring. He's a poster child for the "rankings don't mean much" crowd. David Anderson, receiver Signing class: 2002 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7667 Notable: Anderson was in the earliest days of the rankings system. His recruiting profile doesn't foretell a huge career. That would prove incorrect. Anderson left CSU (2002-05) as the program leader in receiving yards (3,634), a number that still stands No. 2. He was second all-time in touchdown receptions with 20, which now ranks fourth. Anderson was a seventh-round NFL pick and played in the league from 2006-11. Cory James, linebacker Signing class: 2011 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7593 Notable: A middling two-star ranking who became a nightmare in the backfield at CSU. James is fifth on CSU's career tackles-for-loss (41.5) list and fourth in sacks (24). He became a sixth-round pick in the NFL. Ty Sambrailo, offensive line Signing class: 2010 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7656 Notable: He was ranked as the 28th-best CSU signing in his class and 247 had him as the 260th-best player in the state of California. All Sambrailo did was become a two-time All-Mountain West offensive lineman and a second-round NFL pick. He was in the NFL from 2015-21. Rashard Higgins, receiver Signing class: 2013 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8059 Notable: A low three-star ranking and a label of the No. 269 player in Texas missed the mark by a wide margin. Higgins is CSU's all-time leader in receptions (239), receiving yards (3,649) and receiving touchdowns (31). His 2014 with 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns will forever be a legendary season at CSU. He was a fifth-round NFL pick and has 12 career NFL touchdown receptions. Kory Sperry, tight end Signing class: 2004 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7667 Notable: Sperry is another in CSU's long tradition of excellent tight ends, even if his recruiting ranking undersold him. Sperry left CSU second in program history in receptions by a tight end (141), and he was first at the time in tight end receiving yards (1,763) and touchdown receptions (20). Sperry went undrafted but played in the NFL from 2009-14. Manny Jones, defensive line Signing class: 2017 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7711 Notable: Jones had 23 players with better rankings than him in CSU's 2017 class, but he became a mainstay on the defensive line. He finished his CSU career with 33 tackles-for-loss (seventh in program history) and 13.5 sacks. He's now in the NFL. Garrett Grayson, quarterback Signing class: 2017 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8556 Notable: Grayson was a solid, mid-three star quarterback. Not a bad rating at all, but he wasn't the top QB in his class. That honor went to Pete Thomas (who is in the top-25 of CSU's ranking). Grayson ended up taking over for Thomas and having a huge career at CSU. He was the 2014 Mountain West Player of the Year and is CSU's leader in completions (688), yards (9,191) and second in touchdown passes (64). Zack Golditch, offensive line Signing class: 2013 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7685 Notable: He was considered the 21st-best player in Colorado in the class by 247, but Golditch became an all-conference offensive lineman for the Rams and played multiple seasons in the NFL after going undrafted. Guy Miller, defensive line Signing class: 2006 Star ranking: 2 Composite score: 0.7778 Notable: Miller was a two-star recruit as an offensive lineman. He turned into an excellent interior defensive lineman, earning all-conference honors. Fans likely still remember his 4.5-sack game against UNLV in 2010, which still is CSU's single-game record. Crockett Gillmore, tight end Signing class: 2010 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8333 Notable: Gillmore wasn't poorly ranked but still a relatively unheralded recruit out of Bushland, Texas, (along with Richburg) who became a star. It took a while before Gillmore was used as a tight end in high school, but he ended up leaving CSU in third (at the time) in receiving yards among tight ends. Gillmore became a third-round pick in the NFL draft and played in the league for several seasons. Ryan Stonehouse, punter Signing class: 2017 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8233 Notable: Stonehouse wasn't too poorly ranked as far as punters go but far out-kicked that ranking. He left CSU as the NCAA's career punt average record-holder (47.8) and has the top two single-season marks in school history. Stonehouse wasn't drafted but won the job in Tennessee as a rookie and proceeded to set the NFL's single-season punting average record. Jack Howell, defensive back Signing class: 2021 Star ranking: 3 Composite score: 0.8148 Notable: Don't count out the Howells. Jack's dad, John, walked on at CSU and became a star before then becoming a Super Bowl winner. Jack wasn't super lowly ranked but is well on his way to out-performing a low-three rating, which had him No. 13 in his CSU class. Howell was first-team All-Mountain West in 2022 as a sophomore. He'll likely be preseason all-conference ahead of the 2023 season. Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.