Understanding UR Star Rankings
At the Under Recruited Athlete, we work to help student-athletes and their parents gain the necessary exposure and recruitment information they will need to be successful in their recruiting cycle. Being under-recruited merely means that, for some reason, you haven’t been noticed yet by college coaches, or you’ve been noticed but aren’t being recruited by coaches yet. You might have the athletic ability and the grades, but the right coaches haven’t seen you play or heard about you.
Our UR Star System is our way to identify and promote our athletes. Since the national system that 247 Sports.com, ESPN.com, and Rivals uses is based on the Top 2500 2-5 starred athletes (at QB, WR, TE, ATH, OT, IOL, RB, LB, CB, S, EDGE, DL) per class in the nation. UR System primarily focuses on the unrated, under-recruited athletes but will sometimes feature some 2-3 stars.
The Under-Recruited Athlete Star System
An under-recruited football athlete is a player who has not received as much attention or interest from college or professional scouts and coaches as other players. They may have the talent and potential to play at higher levels but have not yet been identified or offered scholarships by prominent college programs. Reasons for being under-recruited can vary, including lack of exposure, playing in a less competitive league or region, or not having standout statistics or physical attributes that immediately catch recruiters’ attention. Under-recruited athletes often need to actively seek opportunities, attend showcase camps, send highlight videos, build a social media brand, and network to gain visibility among college programs.
UR Two stars 
A two-star rating is awarded to athletes ready to play college at Division II and NAIA level football. They will be graded similarly to the 247 Sports.com system with a 79–75 rating.
Based on what a Division II or NAIA recruiter would recruit, two-star ratings are given to prospects who we believe have the size and measurables. These athletes could enter a Division II program and compete immediately for a starting position. Typically, these athletes are All-Conference, All-Area, and All-City performers.
Approximately 60 percent of the athletes will sign a National Letter Of Intent (NLI) during or after National Signing Day in February each year.
Three stars 
A three-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with an 80–89 rating. This Division-I FCS Mid-Major Athlete is broken down into three different levels:
High Three-Star (89-87): This recruit who has the potential to compete for a starting position as a true freshman. They played on varsity for 3-4 years and gained significant playing time as a starter in sophomore year.
Mid-Three Star (86-84): This recruit who has the potential to compete as a Red-Shirt Freshman for a starting position. They played on varsity 2-3 years and gained significant playing time as a starter his junior year.
Low Three-Star (83-80): This is a recruit who has the potential to compete for a backup spot as a Red-Shirt Freshman but lacks the football skil set to compete for a starting position. Often called a tweener athlete. They played on varsity for 2-3 years and gained significant playing time as a starter in his junior year.
Three-star ratings incorporate a wide range of ability levels and potential. Three-starred athletes would be All-County, All-Region, and All-Area performers. This is approximately 20 percent of the athletes we will profile who will sign at National Signing Day in either December or February each year.
Four stars 
A four-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with a 94–90 rating.
Four-star ratings are given to recruits who we believe are Division-I FBS – Group Five Recruits (Conferences: MAC, Sun Belt, American, C-USA, MWC). These recruits are ready to compete right away for a starting position. This is approximately 13 percent of the athletes we will profile who will sign at National Signing Day in either December or February each year.
Five stars 
A five-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with a 100–95 rating.
Five-star ratings are given to recruits who we believe are Division-I FBS – Power Five (SEC, BIG-10, ACC, PAC-12, Big-12) or are 3-star, according to 247 Sports.com. We see three-star athletes as under-recruited because many of these athletes don’t get recognized by the national media until they get their first FBS offer. This may be in the summer of rising senior year when they just get noticed, and they are steadily needing help to get more offers. This is approximately 7 percent of the athletes we will profile who will sign at National Signing Day in either December or February each year.
2-3 Started Athlete – 247 Sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, breaks it down as follows:
A 2-3 starred athlete is an athlete who is projected by the national media to be a Division I athlete based on their measurables, competitive schedule, skill set to players in State and Class, and accolades. 247 Sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, breaks it down as follows:
Two stars
A two-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with a 70–79 rating (.70–.79 Composite).
Two-star ratings are given to prospects who analysts believe can be potential Division I FBS-level players at the Group of Five level or a Division I FCS starter. These recruits generally have very limited NFL potential.
Three stars
A three-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with an 80–89 rating (.80–.89 Composite). 247Sports breaks these recruits into three categories:
High three-star (87–89): A recruit with significant NFL upside who analysts expect to be an impact college football player at the Power Five level.
Mid-three star (84–86): A recruit who analysts consider a capable starter for a Power Five team or an impact player at the Group of Five level.
Low three star (80–83): A recruit who analysts consider a potential contributor to a Power Five program, but more likely a Group of Five starter.
This is where the bulk of college football prospects are rated. Three-star ratings incorporate a wide range of ability levels and potential. The projections are based on freshman and sophomore performances and regional and national combines, camps, tournaments, and all-American bowls. 2-3 starred athletes are typically Second Team and Honorable Mention All-District, All-Metro, All-Region Athletes. Some athletes have received offers in their junior year and have garnered significant attention from multiple colleges.
4-5 Starred Athlete – 247 Sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, breaks it down as follows:
A 4-5 starred athlete, on the other hand, is a player who has received significant recognition and attention from college or professional scouts and coaches. They are typically highly sought after by colleges, and they may receive multiple scholarship offers from top programs. Starred athletes often have exceptional skills, physical attributes, and impressive statistics that make them stand out in their positions. They may also have participated in prestigious high school showcases, camps, or tournaments, boosting their visibility and desirability for college programs. 247 Sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, breaks it down as follows:
Four stars
A four-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with a 90–97 rating (.90–.97 Composite).
Four-star ratings are given to recruits who analysts believe will have successful college careers that likely result in being drafted. By National Signing Day, this number is generally in the range of 350 prospects, which is roughly the top 10 percent of prospects in a given recruiting class.
Five stars
A five-star rating is awarded to athletes who are graded with a 98–110 rating (.98–1.00 Composite).
For the 247Sports in-house ratings, five-star ratings are given to the top 32 recruits in each recruiting class to mirror the 32 first-round picks in the NFL Draft. These 32 recruits from each recruiting class are the players who 247Sports analysts believe are the most likely to be first-round NFL draft picks in the future. Any player with a rating of 100–110 is considered a potential “franchise player” and is not present in every recruiting class.
In summary, the key difference lies in the level of attention and recruitment each athlete has received. Under-recruited athletes have not yet garnered widespread interest and opportunities, while starred athletes are highly regarded and have a plethora of options for their future in football, including scholarships and potential professional careers.
