Video: Where remaining NFL playoff quarterbacks ranked in high school

Video: NFL playoff QBs - Blue Chip or No Chip?
See where the remaining NFL playoff quarterbacks ranked as high school recruits.

As high school recruits, six of the eight remaining starting quarterbacks in the NFL playoffs could be classified as "blue chip" or "no chip" — all or nothing — hit or miss.

The hits and blue chippers were definitely Peyton Manning (Broncos), Carson Palmer (Cardinals) and Cam Newton (Panthers). 

The misses and no-chippers were Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) and Alex Smith (Chiefs).

A brief look at each quarterback as high school football recruits.

Blue Chip

Peyton Manning
High School (year graduated): Newman (New Orleans), 1994
College: Tennessee
Opponent this weekend: Steelers
As a recruit: Manning was a 5-star recruit at Newman, where he went 34-5 as a starter, threw for 7,207 yards and 92 touchdowns in three years. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year and this week was voted the No. 1 player on MaxPreps' Top 25 all-time greatest high school football players list.

Cam Newton
High School: Westlake (Atlanta), 2008
College: Florida, Blinn JC, Auburn
Opponent this weekend: Seahawks
As a recruit: He was a five-star recruit by Rivals (No. 28 overall in the country) and the No. 62 recruit overall — No. 3 as a dual threat quarterback — by 247Sports. He helped Florida gain the No. 1 recruiting class in the country that year. He transferred from Florida to Blinn in Brenham (Texas) before playing one season at Auburn, earning the 2010 Heisman Trophy.

Carson Palmer
High School: Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 1998
College: USC
Opponent this weekend: Packers
As a recruit: Coveted by major colleges by the time he was a junior, Palmer was advanced physically and had prototypical NFL size in high school. He was a five-star recruit and landed at nearby USC, working with offensive guru Norm Chow and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002.

No Chip

Tom Brady
High School: Serra (San Mateo, Calif.), 1995
College: Michigan
Opponent this weekend: Chiefs
As a recruit: More of a baseball recruit than football, Brady didn't even start for his 0-8-1 JV team as a freshman. Big armed but slow footed, he was considered a 2- or 3-star prospect. Michigan was one of his few offers. See this story on his high school days.

Aaron Rodgers
High School: Pleasant Valley (Chico, Calif.), 2002
College: Butte Community College, Cal
Opponent this weekend: Cardinals
As a recruit: Out of high school Rodgers had little to no recruiting interest, largely because he had little size. He was 5-10, 165 pounds in high school. His only Division I offer was to walk-on at Illinois. He opted for Butte, where he grew to 6-2, 195 pounds and 247Sports ranked him then as a four-star talent and No. 2 pro-style JC QB in the country. Cal signed him after just one JC season and he started two seasons for the Golden Bears bypassing his senior year to enter the 2005 NFL draft, where he landed at the No. 24 spot to the Packers.

Ben Roethlisberger
High School: Findlay (Ohio) 2000
College: Miami University (Ohio)
Opponent this week: Broncos
As a recruit: Though a big arm and great size, Roethlisberger was barely on anyone's radar because he didn't play quarterback until his senior year at Findlay. A three-sport star, Roethlisberger played receiver his sophomore and junior years, giving way to the coach's son who played quarterback.

Alex Smith
High School: Helix (La Mesa, Calif.)
College: Utah
Opponent this week: Patriots
As a recruit: Though Smith had good tools — and speed — he was often overlooked at Helix because of the kid he was handing off to, Reggie Bush. Still, he did earn a 2-star rating, was ranked the 43rd best dual threat quarterback in the country and 1,638th best recruit overall by 247Sports. After a stellar career at Utah, Smith was selected No. 1 overall by the 49ers.

Russell Wilson
High School (years): Collegiate (Richmond, Va.), 2007
College: North Carolina State, Wisconsin
Opponent this weekend: Panthers
As a recruit: Largely because of his lack of height — he's 5-11 — and keen interest in baseball, Wilson scored a two-star rating from Scout and Rivals and had no rating from 247Sports. He had offers from North Carolina State, Duke, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin, and picked the Wolfpack, where he played for three seasons before spending one year at Wisconsin.