The NFC Championship matchup between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Levi's Stadium will feature a surprising number of players that flew under the radar when it came to recruiting. The teams have a combined 24 players who weren't rated coming out of high school.
The 49ers have more zero-star recruits than any of the four teams playing on Sunday with 13 headlined by Brandon Aiyuk, Javon Hargrave and Charvarius Ward. Graham Glasgow, Kalif Raymond and Craig Reynolds were among the 11 on the Lions.
Both teams have three former five-star recruits. All three of San Francisco's starters on the defensive line in Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa and Chase Young were elite recruits while Benito Jones, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Amon-Ra St. Brown comprise Detroit's threesome.
Brian Branch, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff, Aidan Hutchinson, Frank Ragnow and Penei Sewell headline the 19 former four-stars on the Lions. San Francisco had the least amount of four-star recruits among the four remaining teams with 13. Some notable players include Aaron Banks, Deommodore Lenoir, Javon Kinlaw, Christian McCaffrey and Fred Warner.
Dre Greenlaw, George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams are among the 22 former three-star recruits on San Francisco. Detroit has 17 former three-stars led by Jonah Jackson, Sam LaPorta, David Montgomery and Cam Sutton.
Kayode Awosika and Derrick Barnes headline the four former two-star recruits on the Lions. Jaylon Moore and Elijah Mitchell were the only former two-stars on San Francisco.
Player rankings are via 247Sports. Players who are currently on injured reserve are not included on the list.
Note: Starters from the most recent depth chart are noted with an asterisk.
Detroit Lions
Quarterbacks (3)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 218 | Position rank: 15 (pro-style)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 101 | Position rank: 5 (dual-threat)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 328 | Position rank: 11 (dual-threat)
Running backs (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 1,240 | Position rank: 75
Stars: 4 | Class: 2020
Overall rank: 76 | Position rank: 8
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Fullback (1)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 832 | Position rank: 63 (ATH)
Wide receivers (6)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 11 | Position rank: 2
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 1,119 | Position rank: 158
Stars: 4 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 82 | Position rank: 13
Stars: 0 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 5 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 12 | Position rank: 1
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 350 | Position rank: 59
Tight ends (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 1,170 | Position rank: 55
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 71 | Position rank: 2
Stars: 0 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: N/A
Offensive line (8)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 57 | Position rank: 2
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,727 | Position rank: 172
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 314 | Position rank: 25
Stars: 0 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 163 | Position rank: 19
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 574 | Position rank: 46
Stars: 2 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 2,175 | Position rank: 178
Stars: 0 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: N/A
Defensive line (11)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 112 | Position rank: 6
Stars: 4 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 191 | Position rank: 18
Stars: 5 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 25 | Position rank: 6
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 262 | Position rank: 10
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 3 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 455 | Position rank: 31
Stars: 3 | Class: 2005
Overall rank: 238 | Position rank: 23
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 292 | Position rank: 22
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 638 | Position rank: 42
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 2 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 2,564 | Position rank: 122
Linebackers (6)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 2,675 | Position rank: 121
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 51 | Position rank: 4
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 662 | Position rank: 44
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,504 | Position rank: 32 (dual-threat QB)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 252 | Position rank: 17
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Defensive backs (10)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 569 | Position rank: 35 (ATH)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2020
Overall rank: 61 | Position rank: 3
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 42 | Position rank: 4
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,602 | Position rank: 121 (ATH)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 1,831 | Position rank: 126
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,556 | Position rank: 118
Stars: 0 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 229 | Position rank: 12 (ATH)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,266 | Position rank: 109
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,465 | Position rank: 113 (ATH)
Kicker (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: N/A
Punter (1)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 3,358 | Position rank: 30
Long snapper (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2006
Overall rank: N/A
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterbacks (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 839 | Position rank: 36 (pro-style)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 148 | Position rank: 5 (dual-threat)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 363 | Position rank: 8 (pro-style)
Running backs (3)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 91 | Position rank: 2 (all-purpose back)
Stars: 2 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 2,981 | Position rank: 417 (WR)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 1,676 | Position rank: 92
Fullback (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2009
Overall rank: N/A
Wide receivers (6)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 842 | Position rank: 112
Stars: 0 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 165 | Position rank: 6 (dual-threat QB)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 81 | Position rank: 6 (ATH)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,473 | Position rank: 212
Stars: 4 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 277 | Position rank: 36
Tight ends (3)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 1,519 | Position rank: 199 (WR)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 137 | Position rank: 25 (WR)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 1,381 | Position rank: 58
Offensive line (9)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2006
Overall rank: 385 | Position rank: 26
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 166 | Position rank: 17
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 520 | Position rank: 9
Stars: 3 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: 921 | Position rank: 76
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,594 | Position rank: 164
Stars: 2 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 2,215 | Position rank: 93 (TE)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2010
Overall rank: 729 | Position rank: 54
Stars: 0 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: N/A
Defensive line (9)
Stars: 5 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 7 | Position rank: 2
Stars: 5 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: 14 | Position rank: 1 (ATH)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 5 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 8 | Position rank: 1
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 1,181 | Position rank: 57
Stars: 4 | Class: 2016
Overall rank: 330 | Position rank: 30 (OT)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2011
Overall rank: 1,184 | Position rank: 58
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 107 | Position rank: 8
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 885 | Position rank: 41
Linebackers (6)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 842 | Position rank: 60 (S)
Stars: 4 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: 307 | Position rank: 27
Stars: 3 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: 615 | Position rank: 46
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 689 | Position rank: 38 (ATH)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,647 | Position rank: 114 (S)
Stars: 3 | Class: 2019
Overall rank: 837 | Position rank: 54 (ATH)
Defensive backs (10)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2014
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 3 | Class: 2008
Overall rank: 1,019 | Position rank: 85
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 64 | Position rank: 7
Stars: 4 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: 90 | Position rank: 12
Stars: 3 | Class: 2015
Overall rank: 1,030 | Position rank: 90
Stars: 4 | Class: 2009
Overall rank: 275 | Position rank: 27
Stars: 0 | Class: 2013
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: N/A
Stars: 0 | Class: 2017
Overall rank: N/A
Kicker (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2018
Overall rank: N/A
Punter (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: N/A
Long snapper (1)
Stars: 0 | Class: 2012
Overall rank: N/A
