McDonald managed to become a first-team all-state pick at Waukesha North High School in Wisconsin despite not playing until his junior year. He played in four games (three tackles, one sack) before taking a redshirt in 2018. McDonald played in all 13 games the following year, racking up six sacks among his 15 tackles and switching from linebacker to defensive end during the season. He still didn't start a game in 2020 but grabbed first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors by tying for the FBS lead with 10.5 sacks among his team-high 13.5 tackles for loss and 33 total stops in 12 games. McDonald beat his own school record with 11.5 sacks in 2021 (tying for seventh in the FBS) and tied for fourth in the FBS with a school-record-tying five forced fumbles. He was named a third-team Associated Press All-American and the Big 12 Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year for his efforts in 13 games with 11 starts. McDonald started all 12 games in 2022 (36 tackles, 7.5 for loss, team-high five sacks, four pass breakups), again being voted a first-team all-conference performer. -- by Chad Reuter

Wisconsin grabbed the Indiana Mr. Football Offensive Lineman out of Bishop Dwenger High School. He played in two games as a redshirt freshman in 2020 before taking the reins of the offense in 2021, starting 11 of 12 games played at center to garner honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference recognition. Big Ten coaches voted him honorable mention again in 2022, as he started 12 games in the pivot before opting out of the team's bowl game. -- by Chad Reuter

Warren picked Pitt over many suitors as one of the top prospects out of New Jersey in the 2017 class. After redshirting his first year on campus, he did not play at all in 2018. Warren started all 13 games at left tackle in 2019. He began eight of nine games played in 2020 and then earned second-team All-ACC recognition in 2021 after starting all 14 games on the blind side. Warren started the first four games of 2022 at left tackle before suffering a season-ending injury. -- by Chad Reuter

Abanikanda (pronounced ah-banna-can-dah) was the New York State Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Brooklyn's Abraham Lincoln High School. He was also a two-time gold medalist in the 100-meter dash at the New York Mayor's Cup Race and a bronze medalist at the state track meet in that event. Abanikanda joined the Panthers in 2020, playing in seven games off the bench (28-95-3.4, one TD rushing; 2-11-5.5, one TD receiving), and led the team in rushing yards as a sophomore (123-651-5.3, seven TDs; 24-197-8.2, one TD receiving; 7-206-29.4, one TD kick return in 13 games, six starts). He burst onto the national scene as a junior, garnering third-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-ACC honors after leading the Panthers with 1,431 rushing yards (239 carries, 6.0 per), tying for the FBS lead with 20 rushing touchdowns and ranking seventh with 1,805 all-purpose yards (12-146-12.2, one TD receiving: 12-228-19.0 kick returns) in 11 starts. Abanikanda opted out of the team's Sun Bowl game to prepare for the draft. His father, Saidi, was born in Nigeria, ran track at Georgia Tech and was eventually asked to join the football team. His brother, Michael, played football at Buffalo and Temple. -- by Chad Reuter

Barnes signed with Western Michigan after starring at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Illinois. He played in all 13 games as a reserve as a true freshman (15 tackles) and started four of 11 appearances the next season (29 tackles, 3.5 for loss). Barnes missed the 2020 season due to injury but rebounded to earn second-team All-MAC recognition with a team-high 68 tackles (seven for loss with 2.5 sacks) in 13 starts. He led the Broncos with 93 tackles (4.5 for loss with one sack) and three fumble recoveries in 12 starts, also intercepting a pass and tying for the team lead with eight pass breakups as a senior to ascend to first-team all-conference status. -- by Chad Reuter

Bernard-Converse added his stepfather's surname to his name before the 2019 season, and it was added to his Oklahoma State jersey in 2020. Bernard-Converse started all 13 games in 2019 (54 tackles, two for loss, one interception, five pass breakups), one year after earning the team's outstanding newcomer award (named after former offensive tackle Russell Okung) by starting the final nine games of the year (59 tackles, 3.5 for loss with two sacks, one interception in 13 appearances). He posted 32 tackles and seven pass breakups in 2020, starting all 11 games. In 2021, Bernard-Converse led the Cowboys with 11 pass breakups in 14 starts (also recording 51 tackles, two for loss with 1.5 sacks) and received first-team All-Big 12 Conference accolades. He entered the transfer portal after the season, signing with LSU. He played in 13 games with nine starts for the Tigers, tying for the team lead with two interceptions while posting 44 stops and breaking up three passes. -- by Chad Reuter

Kuntz's father, Francis, played football at Maryland and his brother, Christian, played at Penn State. Zack starred for Camp Hill High School in football (1,060 yards, nine TDs receiving as a senior) and track (state title in the 110-meter hurdles). He redshirted for Penn State in 2018 (1-8-8.0 in one appearance), played in 13 games in 2019 (2-18-9.0) and then did not catch a pass in seven games in 2020 before deciding to transfer. Kuntz moved on to Old Dominion and was a first-team All-Conference USA pick in 2021, leading the Monarchs with 73 receptions (692 yards, 9.5 per) and tying for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns in 13 games. After starting strong in the first five games of 2022 (12-144-12.0, two TDs), Kuntz missed the rest of the season due to injury. -- by Chad Reuter