Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, Chris Jones among 13 former five-star recruits playing in AFC Championship on Sunday.
There will be plenty of former big-time high school football recruits on the field when Cincinnati and Kansas City tangle at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday on CBS. There also will be some players who flew under the radar as prep athletes.
The two teams have a combined 13 five-star recruits, while there are 28 players rated as a two-star or lower during their high school careers.
Headlined by All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, Juju Smith-Schuster and Trey Smith, Kansas City has the most former five-stars of the four remaining teams with seven. Cincinnati has six former five-star recruits led by Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins and Vonn Bell.
Some notable four-star recruits among the 16 on the Bengals include Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Sam Hubbard and Eli Apple. Kansas City has 14 former four-star recruits led by Creed Humphrey, Willie Gay, George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie.
Patrick Mahomes was a three-star recruit and heads up 20 players on the Chiefs who had that distinction coming out of high school. Cincy kicker Evan McPherson is among the 22 3-stars for the Bengals.
Some notable two-star recruits include All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce for Kansas City and Cincinnati's two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The two teams combined for 14 former two-star recruits. The Bengals have eight, while the Chiefs have six.
Cincinnati has four players that were not ranked coming out of high school including starters Hayden Hurst, Alex Cappa and Hakeem Adeniji. Kansas City has 10 players that had no stars but the only starter is defensive tackle Khalen Saunders.
The player rankings are based off 247Sports composite rankings and it excludes players who are currently on injured reserve. The starters from the most recent depth chart for both teams are noted with an asterisk.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterbacks (2)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 280 | Position rank: 8 (dual-threat)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 354 | Position rank: 8 (pro-style)
Running backs (4)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 19 | Position rank: 1 (all-purpose back)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 244 | Position rank: 14
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 313 |
Position rank: 8 (all-purpose back)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 338 |
Position rank: 9 (all-purpose back)
Wide receivers (6)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 84 |
Position rank: 15
Stars: 5 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 19 |
Position rank: 2
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 125 |
Position rank: 14
Tight ends (4)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,498 | Position rank: 54
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 77 | Position rank: 3
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 658 | Position rank: 23
Offensive Line (10)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 17 | Position rank: 2 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 3,109 | Position rank: 233 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 1,239 | Position rank: 83 (offensive guard)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 5 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 17 | Position rank: 2 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 62 | Position rank: 3 (offensive guard)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 2,234 | Position rank: 177 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 1,440 | Position rank: 116 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 101 | Position rank: 5 (offensive tackle)
Defensive line (10)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 192 | Position rank: 13 (athlete)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 373 | Position rank: 18 (offensive guard)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 1,121 | Position rank: 55 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 2,159 | Position rank: 101 (weak-side defensive end)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 2,590 | Position rank: 123 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 1,184 | Position rank: 80 (defensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 130 | Position rank: 3 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 186 | Position rank: 11 (weak-side defensive end)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 39 | Position rank: 3 (defensive tackle)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 3,843 | Position rank: 178 (strong-side defensive end)
Linebackers (6)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 3,208 | Position rank: 377 (wide receiver)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 396 | Position rank: 29 (safety)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 2,156 | Position rank: 82 (inside linebacker)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 1,033 | Position rank: 39 (inside linebacker)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 991 | Position rank: 58 (outside linebacker)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,213 | Position rank: 74 (outside linebacker)
Defensive backs (11)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 52 | Position rank: 7 (cornerback)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 26 | Position rank: 2 (safety)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,741 | Position rank: 124 (safety)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 743 | Position rank: 60 (athlete)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 975 | Position rank: 57 (running back)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2008
Overall rank: 651 | Position rank: 40 (athlete)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 14 | Position rank: 1 (safety)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 1,070 | Position rank: 75 (safety)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 3,337 | Position rank: 274 (cornerback)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 1,116 | Position rank: 66 (running back)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,931 | Position rank: 193 (cornerback)
Special teams (3)
Kicker
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,486 | Position rank: 1
Punter
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 767 | Position rank: 1
Long snapper
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterbacks (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 398 | Position rank: 22 (pro-style QB)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2004
Overall rank: 18 | Position rank: 3 (pro-style QB)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 182 | Position rank: 3 (dual-threat QB)
Running backs (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 665 | Position rank: 30
Stars: 3 | Class: 2010
Overall rank: 1,489 | Position rank: 111
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 40 | Position rank: 4
Fullback (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2010
Overall rank: N/A
Wide receivers (9)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 21 | Position rank: 3 (athlete)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 1,545 | Position rank: 218
Stars: 5 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 12 | Position rank: 1 (athlete)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 421 | Position rank: 25 (athlete)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 2,348 | Position rank: 217 (cornerback)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 2,240 | Position rank: 304
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 282 | Position rank: 41
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,712 | Position rank: 243
Tight ends (3)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2008
Overall rank: 1,583 | Position rank: 85
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,462 | Position rank: 68
Stars: 4 | Class: 2010
Overall rank: 66 | Position rank: 1 (dual-threat QB)
Offensive line (10)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 453 | Position rank: 36 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 1,498 | Position rank: 129 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 294 | Position rank: 3 (center)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 14 | Position rank: 4 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 2,011 | Position rank: 193 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 113 | Position rank: 9 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 843 | Position rank: 11 (center)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2010
Overall rank: 2,182 | Position rank: 167 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 314 | Position rank: 22 (offensive tackle)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 578 | Position rank: 50 (offensive tackle)
Defensive line (9)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 59 | Position rank: 4 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 5 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 18 | Position rank: 2 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 692 | Position rank: 42 (athlete)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 2,005 | Position rank: 95 (weak-side defensive end)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2007
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 97 | Position rank: 7 (defensive tackle)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 154 | Position rank: 4 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 10 | Position rank: 3 (weak-side defensive end)
Linebackers (6)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 70 | Position rank: 3 (outside linebacker)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,114 | Position rank: 39 (inside linebacker)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2007
Overall rank: 14 | Position rank: 2 (strong-side defensive end)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 3,005 | Position rank: 200 (outside linebacker)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 639 | Position rank: 35 (athlete)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Defensive backs (10)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 126 | Position rank: 12 (cornerback)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 366 | Position rank: 21 (safety)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 676 | Position rank: 53 (athlete)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 1,968 | Position rank: 141 (safety)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 129 | Position rank: 10 (safety)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 210 | Position rank: 21 (cornerback)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: N/A
Special teams (3)
Kicker
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 1,094 | Position rank: 3
Punter
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,818 | Position rank: 8
Long snapper
Stars: 0 | Class: 2008
Overall rank: N/A
