Top 30 Most Overlooked High School Recruits to Go Pro Since 2000
By Zach Bigalke
Ryan Clady was a two-sport star at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California where he competed in the shot put and discus in addition to lining up at offensive tackle for the Golden Eagles. Clady was a first-team selection at the league, county, and state levels, yet he was nowhere to be found on the scouting lists of the nation’s top offensive line recruits. Rivals gave Clady just two stars. He received just one FBS scholarship offer, eagerly jumping at the chance to play for Chris Petersen at mid-major powerhouse Boise State.
Clady redshirted in 2004 before taking over the starting position at right tackle in 2005. He moved over to protect Jared Zabransky’s blind side as a redshirt sophomore in 2006. Starting all 13 games that season, Clady earned second team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated and was named as an All-WAC selection. That year Boise State capped a perfect season with its landmark Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma, and Clady had the key block on Ian Johnson’s winning two-point conversion. After displaying his skills on a national stage, scouts took notice during his last year in Boise. He became the highest-drafted player in Boise State history when the Denver Broncos selected Clady 12th in the 2008 NFL Draft.