How were top Super Bowl players recruited?

Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl, but colleges didn’t think too much of him as a high school quarterback at Whitehouse High School in Texas.

None of the major programs in Texas or the Midwest offered, so he ended up at Texas Tech.

He’s not the only player in Super Bowl 58 who went under the radar during the recruiting process.

The game’s tight ends — Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and San Francisco’s George Kittle — both were two-star recruits in high school.

Before he was Mr. Irrelevant, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was a threestar recruit at Perry High School in Arizona.

Of course, not everyone was overlooked. 49ers defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey, Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones and Kansas City center Creed Humphrey all were among the top players in the nation at their respective positions during their senior year of high school.

Here’s a look at how some of the Super Bowl’s top players were recruited in high school.

49ERS TE George Kittle

The five-time Pro Bowl selection was ranked just a two-star recruit and the No. 235 receiver in the nation by 247Sports as a senior at Norman (Oklahoma) in 2012. Kittle opted to sign with Iowa — his father’s alma mater — over Air Force, Navy and others. Kittle was drafted by San Francisco in the fifth round in 2017.

RB Christian McCaffrey

The son of former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, Christian was a four-star recruit, the No. 1 player in Colorado and the No. 2 all-purpose back as a senior at Valor Christian in 2014. McCaffrey picked Stanford over Colorado, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA and others. The Carolina Panthers selected McCaffrey in the first round of the 2017 draft and traded him to the 49ers in 2022.

WR Deebo Samuel

Samuel was a four-star recruit as a senior at Chapman (S.C.). He was ranked the No. 5 overall player in the state and the No. 35 wide receiver in the nation according to 247Sports. Samuel signed with South Carolina over Maryland, N.C. State, North Carolina and others. San Francisco took Samuel in the second round of the 2019 draft.

LB Fred Warner

The three-time All-Pro was a threestar recruit and ranked the No. 57 outside linebacker in the nation by 247Sports as a senior at Mission Hills (California) in 2014. He signed with BYU over Arizona State, Cal, USC, Washington and others. The 49ers drafted Warner in the third round in 2018.

OT Trent Williams

Williams was ranked the No. 28 guard in the nation and the No. 63 overall player in Texas by Rivals as a senior at Longview in 2006. He picked Oklahoma over offers from LSU, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas A&M and others. Williams was drafted by Washington in the first round of the 2010 draft and traded to the 49ers in 2020.

Mr. Irrelevant: QB Brock Purdy

Purdy was a three-star recruit, the No. 10 player in Arizona and the No. 24 prostyle quarterback in the nation — behind Trevor Lawrence (1) and Will Levis (23) and one spot ahead of Zach Wilson — as a senior at Perry High School in 2018. He signed with Iowa State over Alabama, Texas A&M, UCF and others. The 49ers famously drafted Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 draft, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant.

Big Man on Campus: DE Chase Young

Young, a DeMatha Catholic (Maryland) graduate, was the No. 1 player in the state, No. 2 weakside defensive end and No. 7 overall player in the nation on the 247Sports composite and ranked the No. 176 all-time recruit. Young picked Ohio State from a list of more than 40 offers, including Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC. Young was drafted by Washington in the first round in 2020 and traded to the 49ers in November.

Road Less Traveled: CB Charvarius Ward

A handful of 49ers took the junior college route to the NFL, but Ward might have the biggest jump. Unranked as a senior at McComb (Mississippi) in 2014, he went to Hinds Community College (Miss.).

After two years at Hinds, Ward was rated a two-star recruit and the No. 363 overall junior college player in the nation. He picked Middle Tennessee State over East Carolina and Southern Miss. The Cowboys signed Ward as an undrafted free agent in 2018; the 49ers signed Ward before the 2022 season.

Florida-Grown: DE Nick Bosa

The St. Thomas Aquinas alum was the No. 2 ranked player in Florida, No. 1 strongside defensive end and No. 8 overall player nationally on the 247Sports composite. Bosa picked Ohio State over Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame and others. He was selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2019 draft.

CHIEFS C Creed Humphrey

The two-time Pro Bowl lineman was a four-star recruit, the No. 5 overall recruit in Oklahoma and the No. 3 center in the nation on the 247Sports composite as a senior at Shawnee High School. He signed with Oklahoma over Texas A&M, Alabama, Kansas State, Texas, UCF and others. Kansas City drafted Humphrey in the second round of the 2021 draft.

TE Travis Kelce

The NFL’s all-time record holder for postseason receptions was ranked a two-star athlete as a senior at Cleveland Heights High School (Ohio) in 2008. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder, who played quarterback in high school, signed with Cincinnati over offers from Pittsburgh, Akron and Miami (Ohio). Kansas City drafted Kelce in the third round in 2013.

RB Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco was a three-star recruit and the No. 9 recruit in New Jersey as a senior at Vineland South in 2018. He split time between quarterback, running back and cornerback in high school, which is why recruiting services were torn between whether Pacheco’s best position was in the offensive or defensive backfield. He signed with Rutgers over offers from Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina State, Pitt and others. The Chiefs drafted Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.

WR Rashee Rice

The rookie who led the Chiefs in receiving touchdowns this season was a three-star recruit and the No. 101 receiver in the nation on the 247Sports composite in 2019. Rice, who graduated from Richland (Texas) signed with nearby SMU over Arizona State, Cal, Colorado,

Missouri, Nebraska, Texas Tech and others. The Chiefs drafted Rice in the second round of the 2023 draft.

CB L’Jarius Sneed

Sneed was a three-star safety and the No. 87 player in Louisiana out of Minden High School in 2016. He picked in-state Louisiana Tech over Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Sneed played cornerback and safety for the Bulldogs and earned all-conference honors as a senior before being drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.

Two-time Super Bowl MVP: QB Patrick Mahomes

The reigning Super Bowl MVP had the pedigree — his dad, Pat Mahomes, was an MLB pitcher for more than a decade — but was rated only the 22nd-best prostyle quarterback in the Class of 2014. The Whitehouse High School (Texas) grad signed with Texas Tech over offers from Oklahoma State and Rice. The Chiefs traded up to draft him in the first round of the 2017 draft.

Big Man on Campus: DL Chris Jones

The five-time Pro Bowl selection was one of the premier recruits in the nation in the Class of 2013. The Houston High School (Mississippi) grad was rated a five-star recruit and the No. 2 defensive end in the nation behind Robert Nkemdiche — the consensus No. 1 player in the nation. Jones signed with Mississippi State over Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn and Florida. Jones was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2016 draft.

Road Less Traveled: DL Tershawn Wharton

Want under-the-radar? Look no further than the Chiefs’ backup defensive lineman who didn’t have interest from FBS programs as a senior at University City (Missouri) in 2016. Wharton signed with Missouri S&T, where he recorded 35.5 tackles and 57 tackles for loss. He signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

Florida-Grown: OT Jawaan Taylor

Kansas City’s starting right tackle was a three-star recruit and the No. 130 player in the state as a senior at Cocoa in 2016. Taylor signed with Florida over offers from Miami, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and others. The Jaguars drafted Taylor in the second round of the 2019 draft and he signed with the Chiefs as a free agent last March.