It's extremely difficult to find the highest of high-risers when it comes to recruiting classes. That's why analysts have such thankless positions.

You comb through hours of film (the ones you have available), go to games, evaluate statistics and try to be 100 different places at once watching every kid you can. Then, the fan bases across the country tell you you're an idiot for having Player XYZ ranked too low.

It's the nature of evaluations, and it's not easy. But, sometimes, throughout the course of watching films and games, you see guys who you're like, "Oooh, that person is different. Why are they ranked so low?"

A couple of Georgia prospects have been on television early this season and made some jaw-dropping plays that caused a deeper look at some video. They're on here because of what we saw.

Then there are a few quarterbacks we believe are criminally low.

There are always players who surge up the rankings after showing out during their high school senior seasons, and we've identified a few guys who we believe fit the bill and are destined for big (maybe even bigger) things.

OL Will Black, Notre Dame Commitment

Notre Dame offensive tackle commitment Will Black recently already saw a huge uptick in his rankings when On3 decided to make him a 5-star prospect. Once others watched his film, they subsequently moved him up, as well.

There's no question the Fighting Irish are as good as any program out there in identifying, getting commitments from and developing offensive linemen. There is a blueprint there in South Bend, and it's become a destination spot for elite guys.

Black definitely is an emerging elite talent.

The 6'7", 295-pound Wallingford, Connecticut, lineman is currently the nation's No. 62-ranked overall player in the 247Sports Composite rankings, but that's too low.

There aren't seven offensive tackles in the '25 class who are better than him, and that will continue to show as he road-grades opponents. The only thing that will hurt him is playing against lesser competition in a state that isn't known for producing an abundance of players.

But Black's dominance cannot be overlooked. On3 has him as the nation's No. 2 overall player and the top tackle, and while that is too high, he belongs somewhere in the middle. He's already committed to play in the All-America Bowl, and he is a worthy invitee.

Black will settle somewhere higher in the rankings as he continues to shine.

LB Antoine Deslauriers, Syracuse Commitment

When Rabun Gap-Nacoochie (Georgia) School played Baylor School out of Chattanooga earlier this season, linebacker Antoine Deslauriers was all over the field and stood out among a bunch of elite players.

The Red Raiders, after all, feature players like Ole Miss running back commitment Shekai Mills-Knight and Tennessee wide receiver commit Joakim Dodson. But Deslauriers was a force on defense, surging all over the field and stopping the run.

He was a force throughout the game.

The attention then became about Deslauriers' on-field rather than his physical appearance. The picture above went a little bit viral when it came out because he is an absolute tank. The 6'1", 225-pound second-level defender has muscles that have muscles.

But the dude can flat-out play some football, and teams will continue to take notice. He's currently committed to play his college football at Syracuse for coach Fran Brown and defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson.

Just recently, he made 247Sports' Andrew Ivins' list of freaks, and other schools are probably going to turn up the heat on the No. 856-ranked player and 86th-rated linebacker in the class. That's far too low.

While the Orange may have a difficult time pulling him out of SEC country, Deslauriers is a Canada native who would actually be moving closer to home if he sticks in the ACC.

TE Brody Lennon, Ohio State Commitment

There was a slight uptick in Brody Lennon's rankings recently, but the Gates Mills, Ohio, native is still rated far too low.

You know when coach Ryan Day picks you to be the tight end weapon in the Ohio State Buckeyes' offense that you've got a ton of value and upside, and Lennon is staying home to play for the Big Ten powerhouse.

So, it probably doesn't matter much to him for rankings to get visible. But it certainly would be nice to earn a little more recognition. Lennon is deserving.

He is a 6'4", 220-pound tight end who has the potential to be a great all-around playmaker. Though he is rated the No. 297 overall player and the 14th-rated tight end in the 247Sports Composite rankings (where he's a 4-star player), he's just a 3-star on 247Sports.

Watch for him to have a big senior season and continue to climb. During the first week of the season, he grabbed four passes for 119 yards, and they even hand him the football sometimes, too.

Lennon is a college-ready player right now. Though he may need to add a little bit of strength, he has a bright future. There's no reason why he shouldn't continue to rise up the rankings.

DL Joseph Mbatchou, Florida Commitment

Things aren't going very well for the Florida Gators on the football field, but they are a little bit better in recruiting.

Coach Billy Napier has several excellent prospects in his 2025 class, and one of the most underrated is Loganville, Georgia, defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou, who plays at powerhouse Grayson High School.

At 6'4.5", 275 pounds, Mbatchou has the frame to add 30 or 40 pounds of muscle and still be explosive. That's why a "who's who" of SEC schools have offered him, such as Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and even new Big Ten program USC.

The native of Cameroon is brand new to football, and this is his first year on the gridiron, which means he has little idea what he's doing; he is raw but has a ton of potential. You don't get offered by schools like that unless you have a bunch of ability.

Mbatchou is the 761st ranked player in the country and the 84th-rated defensive lineman. Obviously, that's because he's just now on the radar, but once he gets on the field and starts flashing that ability that has made top-tier programs want him, he could surge.

This will be one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire cycle. It isn't every year you've got a guy with this ability just learning how to play the game at this stage of his career.

QB Leo Hannan, Michigan State Commitment

If you've heard of Servite High School in Southern California, recently, it's because there are plenty of marquee playmakers in college football who prepped there.

The magnificent Arizona Wildcats foursome of quarterback Noah Fifita, receiver Tetairoa McMillan, linebacker Jacob Manu and tight end Keyan Burnett once roamed the field and played for Fifita's father. Elite Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham played at the Anaheim high school, too.

There's another name you may need to know soon enough, even if the rankings don't bear it out. Michigan State quarterback commitment Leo Hannan is a 3-star prospect from the school who is the No. 844-rated overall player and the 48th-rated quarterback.

The question is why? He's got the size at 6'4", 210 pounds. He has the arm strength and also had a handful of high-major offers when he decided to play for the Spartans. With Jonathan Smith at the helm, Hannan will certain develop in East Lansing.

Playing Murrieta Valley High School recently, Hannan flung five touchdown passes in less than a half and completed 88 percent of his passes. He has the size, plays quality competition and is putting up big numbers. Even if there are 47 better quarterbacks than him in this class (hint: there aren't), Hannan is going to move up in the rankings.

He is without question a 4-star talent, and Smith got a steal from out West. Don't be surprised if some West Coast teams don't at least try to get Hannan to listen down the stretch, but he's locked in with the Spartans for now.

QB Ty Hawkins, SMU Commitment

Sticking at quarterback, many more people know Ty Hawkins' name than Leo Hannan. He is a big, athletic signal-caller who plays for the most well-known high school football program in the country.

Though the SMU Mustangs once had a big-time commitment from Keelon Russell before he flipped to Alabama, coach Rhett Lashlee wound up getting a major playmaker once he was dealt that blow.

Hawkins is far from a finished product, but the 6'0.5", 195-pound dual-threat quarterback is an elite runner who eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards. Though he is still defining himself as a passer, he has a bunch of workable traits, despite being a smidgen undersized.

Hawkins isn't going to be a guy to stand in the pocket, look over the offensive line and survey the defense, but he doesn't need to be. He can move around with the best of them, throw on the run and make plays with his feet.

After moving from his San Antonio home to play for IMG Academy, he will play against some of the top competition in the country. He also will see a lot more visibility in his recruitment, and that could translate into an uptick in rankings.

He is currently the No. 171-rated overall player in the country and the 14th-ranked quarterback, but he recently scored four touchdowns in a battle against nationally ranked Bergen Catholic (New Jersey). Performances like that will get everybody's attention.

QB Mason Mims, Louisville Commitment

The third and final quarterback on this list has a story a bit like Leo Hannan's in that it's a bit puzzling why he is rated so low in this year's rankings despite already proving plenty on the field and on the camp circuit.

Louisville quarterback commitment Mason Mims didn't draw much attention from SEC programs, hailing from the battlegrounds of the league in Oxford, Alabama. But he is more than happy to head to Kentucky to play for Jeff Brohm's Cardinals.

Brohm has enjoyed quarterbacks putting up big numbers before, and Mims has that potential. The 6'2.5", 210-pound quarterback is more than big enough to play the game at a high level, and he's also a baseball star.

Though SEC programs like Vanderbilt and Mississippi State offered him, Mims found a home at Louisville, and it looks like a great fit for both parties. Surprisingly, he is the No. 485-rated overall player and the 33rd-ranked quarterback, but he has a lot of upside.

Playing against Carrollton (Georgia) Central High School in his senior season opener, Mims completed 28 of his 35 attempts for 442 yards and three touchdowns. A season ago as a junior, he completed 71 percent of his passes for 2,670 yards and 29 touchdowns to just three interceptions.

He is already rated a 4-star prospect on Rivals, and other services could take notice soon enough.

RB Jasper Parker, Michigan Commitment

When the Michigan Wolverines recruit you to play running back, you're probably a pretty big deal and a nice prospect. Jasper Parker wasn't exactly a top-tier recruit when he chose coach Sherrone Moore's team over a bunch of great offers this summer.

Miami, Alabama, North Carolina State and Oklahoma State also offered Parker and kept tabs on him, which is a great group of teams to have wanting you if you're a running back.

It's easy to see why if you watch Parker's film. The Louisiana prospect is a terrific athlete who is a great baseball player, too, and his athleticism plays on any level.

Big Blue went to the Bayou and thinks they got a big steal in Parker. Michigan also has a commitment from his Archbishop Shaw teammate, receiver Jacob Washington.

"(Parker) is a great kid going to a great program," Shaw coach Hank Tierney told NOLA.com's Spencer Urquhart. "They are the defending national champions, and their wide receivers coach (Ron Bellamy) played at Shaw 25 years ago, so the connection was there. They really hit it off."

The 6'0", 189-pound Marrero native needs to add some weight to play the position in the Big Ten, but he easily has the frame to do that. He has breakaway speed and plays great competition in Louisiana.

He is the No. 287-ranked player in the nation and the 23rd rated running back (No. 9 prospect in the state) in the class, and with LSU having the nation's top recruiting class at the position, Parker is heading out of state. Michigan is a great landing spot.

ATH Antavious Richardson, South Florida Commit

Antavious Richardson is a dynamic playmaker whose name is known across the Group of Five as being a potential difference-maker, and there already has been plenty of movement in his recruitment.

He seemed all set on playing at Georgia State, but then he recently flipped to South Florida to play for coach Alex Golesh's upstart Bulls. The 6'0", 175-pound Greenville, Georgia, native is becoming a must-know name among bigger schools now, too.

He plays all over the field in high school, lining up as a quarterback, running back, safety and at other spots. The do-it-all ability is getting noticed, which is why he visited Alabama this past weekend for the Tide's game against Western Kentucky.

North Carolina, Notre Dame and Duke all have offered, too, and Richardson is about to see his recruitment stock blow up.

Sometimes, you don't have to shine at football camps to get noticed. Richardson won the Georgia A-Division II state champion in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes, and that type of speed plays in the highest annals of college football.

That's why everybody is taking notice, and it's why the Bulls are going to have to fight to keep him. Richardson is exactly the type of prospect who may be a great early find for a Group of Five team, but he doesn't stay "hidden" long.

EDGE Epi Sitanilei, UCLA Commitment

The West Coast seems to always have some little-known late-bloomers in the front seven that blossom into excellent college football players.

Teams like UCLA, Utah and Arizona, among others, are filled with players like this. One guy in this year's class who fits the mold is Epi Sitanilei, who played for powerhouse St. John Bosco before moving to Rancho Cucamonga this offseason.

At 6'5", 220 pounds, he has the type of build that is going to get a lot of teams' attention, which is why programs like the Bruins, California, Arizona, Arizona State and others came after him with offers. He can add 25-30 pounds and be a force on the next level. Ohio State had interest in Sitanilei, too.

Still, his recruiting rankings haven't caught up to his potential. He's the nation's No. 503-rated recruit in the 2025 class and the 36th-rated edge rusher. That's too low for a player with his explosive ability.

Sitanilei fell in love with UCLA on a visit this summer and believes in what new coach DeShaun Foster is building. He still has a lot of development left to do, and while he is no longer playing for powerhouse St. John Bosco, he will have plenty of visibility.

It's going to be interesting to see if he can rise all the way to a 4-star prospect with a big final season, but Sitanilei is certainly ranked too low and will have another opportunity to prove that this season.

WR Travis Smith, Tennessee Commitment

When Travis Smith decided to leave the Peach State and head to Tennessee rather than play for the Georgia Bulldogs, it was just the latest of a long line of incredible pass-catchers who decided they wanted to play in Josh Heupel's offense.

Smith followed in the footsteps of 5-star prospect Mike Matthews a year ago.

The 6'3.5", 199-pound Westlake High School prospect in Atlanta is the ideal outside receiver who can stretch the field, take the lid off defenses for big plays and also has the size to go across the middle and punish defenders.

What Smith has done so far his senior season has turned everybody's heads, and he could surge up from his current position of the No. 148 overall player and 16th-rated receiver. He's better than that and is proving why he was arguably the Vols' top target at the position.

All the kid does is make highlight-reel plays.

"I'm feeling amazing being a Vol," Smith told On3's Chad Simmons. "I'm most excited about getting touchdowns and getting wins when I get to Tennessee. Schools have stopped reaching out because they pretty much know what it is with me and my commitment."

The big-bodied, fast playmaker is just what the Vols need to help replace Bru McCoy and Dont'e Thornton next year.

LB Cameron White, UCF Commitment

Armwood (Florida) High School linebacker Cameron White is already locked-in with a commitment to a Power Four school in nearby UCF. If he sticks with the Knights, he can help coach Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Ted Roof rebuild that defense.

But others aren't stopping their pursuit of the 6'1", 225-pound linebacker, which is a testament to just what type of defensive playmaker he is. White is a sideline-to-sideline guy who plays for a good program in one of the nation's top states for high school talent.

Of course he's going to get noticed.

That's exactly what happened recently when Michigan extended an offer to White, and the interest from the defending national champions has the 3-star defender's attention.

White is better than the No. 694-ranked overall player and the 72nd-rated linebacker in the country, and teams everywhere are taking notice.

"Michigan is a great school and it means a lot for them to offer me!" White told On3's Steve Wiltfong. "I have committed to UCF and plan to stick with that decision but I am definitely interested in the National Champs and look forward to building a relationship with them."

He also mentioned that he plans to get to Ann Arbor for a visit, and there will be other programs who offer White, too. He may very well stick to his pledge to UCF, but Malzahn and Co. are going to have to work to keep him in the fold.