Hidden Gems: Three-Star Prospects You Need on Your Devy and C2C Radar

Every year in Devy and C2C, the recruiting industry tells us who matters. The five-stars dominate the headlines. The four-stars get the hype. And the three-stars? Most of them get ignored before they even step on a college field.

But at TDR, we’ve always believed that traits, opportunity, development, and situation matter more than stars next to a player’s name. Last June, we put that philosophy to the test when we wrote our first “Three-Star Players to Watch” article. And because accountability matters here at TDR, we wanted to revisit some of those names before diving into this year’s group.

Not every call was a smash hit, and that’s part of the process. Kansas quarterback David McComb ended up transferring after failing to carve out a long-term role with the Jayhawks, but he now lands at Miami RedHawks where he has a legitimate shot to compete for a starting job. Illinois quarterback Carson Boyd is currently battling transfer QB Katin Houser, and the physical tools continue to flash. Illinois coaches have openly praised Boyd’s arm talent, mobility, and growth within the offense. It would not be shocking if he forces his way onto the field sooner rather than later.

At running back, there were flashes as well. D’Shaun Ford saw action in six games at ULM and is currently in the portal, while Jaylen McGill started earning more opportunities late in the season and now has a chance to carve out a bigger role in Bobby Petrino’s offense. Tyvonn Byars quietly impressed at Rice, averaging explosive chunk plays in limited touches and now competing for the RB2 role heading into 2026. Meanwhile, Javin Gordon turned into one of the better calls from the group after showing real promise at Tulane before transferring to Tennessee Volunteers. Gordon already flashed versatility, contact balance, and pass-catching ability during Tulane’s CFP run, and the upside is obvious in Knoxville.

The biggest wins, though, came at wide receiver. Malachi Toney exploded into one of the top young receivers in the country and now looks like a future top-five Devy asset. Lotzeir Brooks immediately made an impact at Alabama, contributing as both a receiver and returner while flashing the explosiveness we believed in coming out of high school. Jayvan Boggs showed enough as a freshman to keep the breakout hype alive heading into next season, and even deeper names like Jaivon Solomon and Eli Johnson still have developmental paths worth monitoring. Johnson may have redshirted, but he’s also an Iowa tight end, and history tells us that position group deserves patience. If you want to read last year’s breakdowns, you can find them here.

That’s the fun of this exercise. Some of these players will transfer. Some will disappear. Some will become league-winning assets before the market fully catches up. But identifying these profiles early is where real edges are created in Devy and C2C. So with that in mind, let’s dive into this year’s crop of three-star prospects who could be next.

Quarterbacks

Quarterback is easily the hardest position to project when hunting for three-star gems in Devy and C2C. The hit rate is low, the development curve is longer, and most of these players are already fighting uphill battles the second they arrive on campus. Unlike running backs or wide receivers, quarterbacks usually need both talent and timing to break through. They need coaching, reps, opportunity, and in many cases a little chaos in front of them on the depth chart.

That’s why with these quarterbacks, I’m not chasing polished products. I’m chasing traits and pathways to early playing time. Arm talent. Mobility. Playmaking ability outside structure. The flashes that make you stop and think, “If this guy ever gets a real shot, there might be something here.” These are still longshots, and that’s important to acknowledge upfront. Most three-star quarterbacks won’t become meaningful Devy assets. But when you do hit on one early, the payoff can completely shift the trajectory of a roster in C2C formats.

The two quarterbacks in this section fit that exact mold. Both have intriguing physical tools, developmental upside, and potential opportunities to see the field earlier than people expect. They’re not safe bets. They’re swings on upside, traits, and situations worth monitoring before the market catches up.

Terry Walker III, QB, Duke Blue Devils

Terry Walker III is exactly the type of quarterback bet I like making late in deep Devy and C2C formats. The production profile is raw, the completion percentage is ugly in spots, and there’s still a ton of development needed. But when you dig deeper into the traits, tools, and overall upside, it’s easy to see why Duke took a chance on him.

Walker is a legit athlete at the quarterback position with real dual-threat upside. He’s an Elite 11 finalist with a live arm, impressive pocket mobility, and the ability to create outside of structure when plays break down. His background as a basketball player shows up constantly on tape with the way he moves, changes direction, and extends plays. He’s dangerous once he escapes the pocket, and there are flashes where he looks like a completely different level of athlete than the defenders around him.

What makes Walker especially intriguing in Devy and C2C is the ceiling if the mechanics and consistency ever come together. He can drive the football vertically, flick throws to the perimeter with ease, and create explosive plays both through the air and on the ground. The accuracy still comes and goes, and he’s absolutely a feast-or-famine passer right now, but the upside traits are hard to ignore for a three-star quarterback.

The path to playing time is also worth monitoring. Duke’s quarterback room is far from settled after Darian Mensah unexpectedly entered the portal. Walker Eget was brought in, but injuries limited him throughout spring, while Dan Mahan reportedly took a large share of first-team reps. That leaves the long-term future of the room fairly open, especially if Duke struggles to find consistency at the position over the next year or two.

Walker is still a long-term developmental swing. The torn ACL slowed momentum entering his senior season, and there’s a realistic chance he never develops into a major fantasy asset. But in deep formats, these are the exact quarterback profiles I want to stash early. The athleticism, arm talent, off-script ability, and upside are all there. If the game slows down for him and the accuracy stabilizes, Terry Walker III has the tools to eventually emerge as a multi-year starter with fantasy upside.

Mike Mitchell Jr., QB, Stanford Cardinal

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