Finding the next NCAA star

While college football fans have been enjoying the spectacular individual performances of the first two weeks of this young season, fans of recruiting are always on the lookout for who is next.

Who is the next star quarterback to emerge on the national scene? The next freshman sensation? The next small school hero?

MaxPreps takes a look at four of the hottest names in college football and the high school players who may resemble them at the next level.

The next Denard Robinson: Miles Shuler
Denard Robinson was one of the fastest players in the country his senior season, as he led Deerfield Beach (Fla.) to a 10-3 season. Most schools recruited him as an athlete, but Michigan targeted Robinson as a quarterback and was able to lure him to Ann Arbor.

As a senior at Long Branch (N.J.), Miles Shuler is in a similar position of offensive leadership. He lines up behind center in head coach Dan George's offense. The focal point of the team's offense, Shuler is a threat to score on any play.

His speed sets him apart from most players at the quarterback position. He captured gold at New Jersey's Meet of Champions in the 100-meter last spring, and posted a time of 6.35 seconds in the 55-meter race last winter, good for third in the country.

Schools like Rutgers, Florida, and Pitt are recruiting Shuler as a receiver or defensive back, and he seems to have no problem moving from quarterback at the next level. However, in an offense like Michigan's, Foster could fill a role very similar to Robinson's.

The next Keenan Allen: George Farmer
One of the biggest stories of the young college football season has been the sensational play of Cal receiver Keenan Allen.

A true freshman, Allen has 210 yards receiving and two scores in his first two games. He has also run for a touchdown. He starred at Northern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) where, as a senior, he recorded 53 total touchdowns playing a number of positions.

Serra (Gardena, Calif.) receiver George Farmer could make a similar impact in the Pac-10 next season. With his 6-foot-2 frame, his size is comparable to Allen, and he's endowed with the type of striking speed that has made Allen a hit in Berkeley.

As a junior, Farmer scored 17 total touchdowns, used primarily from the wide receiver spot. He has also seen time in the secondary, just like Allen, but does not figure to match the nine interceptions that Allen snagged a year ago.

The next Adrian Clayborn: Jason Meehan
Before he was leading Iowa's defense to a dominating Orange Bowl victory over Georgia Tech, Adrian Clayborn was a standout defensive end at Webster Groves (Mo.).

Now, he's one of the most feared defensive players in college football and a main reason why the Iowa Hawkeyes have received such early season praise.

Though he currently plays a different position, Jason Meehan may follow in Clayborn's footsteps. Meehan is an inside linebacker as Webster Groves and has sterling credentials thus far in his high school career.

As a junior, he earned MaxPreps All-American honors for his 145-tackle performance which also included six sacks and four forced fumbles.

In the early part of his senior campaign, he has continued his fine play. On Friday against DeSmet, he recorded 11 tackles and two interceptions to help Webster Groves to a 3-0 record.

On the next level, Meehan might play with his hand on the ground, just like Clayborn. He may not radiate NFL-potential right now, but watch for Meehan to finish up with an eye-opening senior season that leads to him blossoming into a difference maker somewhere in the Big 10 or Big 12 .

The next Kellen Moore: Tanner Mangum
With Boise State's impressive victory over Virginia Tech to open the season, fans across the country once again got to see Kellen Moore in action. The Broncos' outstanding signal caller threw 39 touchdowns versus only three interceptions last season in leading Boise State to an undefeated season.

Playing in in the southern part of Washington at Prosser (Wash.), Moore was under-recruited in high school, turned down by in-state programs like Washington and Washington State.

Eagle (Idaho) quarterback Tanner Mangum is etching a similar path.

The 6-3 Mangum plays in Idaho, which many big schools overlook on the recruiting trail. In his freshman and sophomore seasons, he threw for 2,855 and 1,995 yards respectively. Mangum has connections to the BYU program, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him land there. He could be the next quarterback from a non-BCS conference to become a household name.