Top 30 Most Overlooked High School Recruits to Go Pro Since 2000
By Zach Bigalke
Coming out of high school, Antonio Brown bounced from one school to another before settling at Central Michigan. An all-purpose athlete at Miami Norland High School, Brown had mostly played quarterback while moonlighting as a receiver and running back. He was most lethal as a return man, however, and yet he struggled to land a scholarship offer. A year at North Carolina Tech Prep did not help his prospects any more, and after trying to enroll at Florida State and Alcorn State he was expelled from his lone scholarship offer at Florida International.
Brown made his way to Mount Pleasant after Central Michigan reached out and offered him a chance to walk on to the team. Within a month, he was on scholarship and on his way to earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors. In three years with the Chippewas, Brown set a new school record with 305 receptions. He finished his college career with 31 total touchdowns (22 receiving, four rushing, five on returns) and waived his senior eligibility in favor of trying to go pro. Pittsburgh eventually took a chance on Brown with their sixth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and with the Steelers he has evolved into a perennial Pro Bowler and one of the most dangerous receivers in the league.