Today is National Signing Day, the time when high school players across the country sign their letters of intent to college football programs.

It's also the next step toward the big leagues for a select few.

More than 1 million athletes participate in high school football, 6.5 percent of which go on to play at the college level. And according to the NCAA, only eight in 10,000 high school players make it to the NFL.

From the two-stars to the five-stars, here is a sample of Giants who overcame those odds and how they were coveted coming out of their respective high schools:

Victor Cruz
Class: 2004
High School: Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.)
Position: Wide Receiver
Rating: Two-star
Choices: UMass, Hofstra, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia
Committed: UMass

Eli Manning
Class: 1999
High School: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, La.)
Position: Quarterback
Rating: No. 17 QB
Choices: Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas
Committed: Ole Miss

Jon Beason
Class: 2003
High School: Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (Hollywood, Fla.)
Position: Linebacker
Rating: Four-star, No. 6 LB
Choices: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan State, Tennessee
Committed: Miami

Rueben Randle
Class: 2009
High School: Bastrop (Bastrop, La.)
Position: Wide Receiver
Rating: Five-star, No. 1 WR, No. 2 in Rivals 100, No. 10 in ESPN 150
Choices: LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Tennessee
Committed: LSU

Rashad Jennings
Class: 2004
High School: Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg, Va.)
Position: Fullback
Rating: Two-star
Choices: Marshall, Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech
Committed: Pittsburgh

Robert Ayers
Class: 2004
High School: Marlboro County (Bennettsville, S.C.)
Position: Linebacker
Rating: Four-star, No. 10 LB
Choices: Florida, Florida State, NC State, South Carolina, Tennessee
Committed: Tennessee

Weston Richburg
Class: 2009
High School: Bushland (Bushland, Texas)
Position: Offensive Tackle
Rating: Two-star
Choices: Colorado State, TCU
Committed: Colorado State

Prince Amukamara
Class: 2007
High School: Apollo (Glendale, Ariz.)
Position: Athlete
Rating: Three-star, No. 57 ATH
Choices: Nebraska, Colorado, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon State, UCLA, UNLV, UTEP
Committed: Nebraska

Justin Pugh
Class: 2009
High School: Council Rock South (Holland, Pa.)
Position: Offensive Tackle
Rating: Two-star
Choices: Syracuse, Akron, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Temple
Committed: Syracuse

Jason Pierre-Paul
Class: 2009
High School: Fort Scott C.C. (Fort Scott, Kan.)
Position: Defensive End
Rating: Four-star, Top 10 junior college player
Choices: South Florida, Arizona, Florida State, Kansas State, Nebraska
Committed: South Florida

Devon Kennard
Class: 2009
High School: Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Position: Defensive End
Rating: Five-star, No. 1 DE, No. 8 in Rivals 100, No. 14 in ESPN 150
Choices: USC, Arizona State, California, Florida, Miami, UNC, Oregon, Texas, UCLA
Committed: USC

Odell Beckham Jr.
Class: 2011
High School: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, La.)
Position: Wide Receiver
Rating: Four-star, No. 43 in Rivals 100
Choices: LSU, Auburn, Memphis, Miami, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oregon, SMU, Tulane, Southern Miss, Tulsa
Committed: LSU

Johnathan Hankins
Class: 2010
High School: Southeastern (Detroit, Mich.)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Rating: Three-star
Choices: Ohio State, Alabama, Bowling Green, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Toledo, Virginia, Wisconsin
Committed: Ohio State

Damontre Moore
Class: 2010
High School: Rowlett (Rowlett, Texas)
Position: Defensive End
Rating: Three-star, No. 32 DE
Choices: Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M
Committed: Texas A&M

Andre Williams
Class: 2010
High School: Parkland (Allentown, Pa.)
Position: Running Back
Rating: Three-star, No. 44 RB
Choices: Akron, Boston College, Temple, Vanderbilt
Committed: Boston College

 Today is National Signing Day, the time when high school  players across the country sign their  letters of intent to college football programs.

 

  It’s also the next step toward the big leagues for a select  few.

 

  More than 1 million athletes participate in high school  football, 6.5 percent of which go on to play at the college level. And  according to the NCAA, only eight in 10,000 high school players make it to the  NFL.

 

From the two-stars to the five-stars, here is a sample of  Giants who overcame those odds and how they were coveted coming out of their  respective high schools:



Victor Cruz

  Class: 2004

  High School: Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.)

  Position: Wide Receiver

  Rating: Two-star

  Choices: UMass, Hofstra, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia

  Committed: UMass


Eli Manning

  Class: 1999

  High School: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, La.)

  Position: Quarterback

  Rating: Three-star, No. 17 QB

  Choices: Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas

  Committed: Ole Miss


Jon Beason

  Class: 2003

  High School: Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (Hollywood, Fla.)

  Position: Linebacker

  Rating: Four-star, No. 6 LB

  Choices: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan State, Tennessee

  Committed: Miami

Rueben Randle

  Class: 2009

  High School: Bastrop (Bastrop, La.)

  Position: Wide Receiver

  Rating: Five-star, No. 1 WR, No. 2 in Rivals 100, No. 10 in ESPN 150

  Choices: LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Tennessee

  Committed: LSU


Rashad Jennings

  Class: 2004

  High School: Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg, Va.)

  Position: Fullback

  Rating: Two-star

  Choices: Marshall, Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech

  Committed: Pittsburgh


Robert Ayers

  Class: 2004

  High School: Marlboro County (Bennettsville, S.C.)

  Position: Linebacker

  Rating: Four-star, No. 10 LB

  Choices: Florida, Florida State, NC State, South Carolina, Tennessee

  Committed: Tennessee


Weston Richburg

  Class: 2009

  High School: Bushland (Bushland, Texas)

  Position: Offensive Tackle

  Rating: Two-star

  Choices: Colorado State, TCU

  Committed: Colorado State

  Prince Amukamara

  Class: 2007

  High School: Apollo (Glendale, Ariz.)

  Position: Athlete

  Rating: Three-star, No. 57 ATH

  Choices: Nebraska, Colorado, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon State, UCLA, UNLV, UTEP

  Committed: Nebraska


Justin Pugh

  Class: 2009

  High School: Council Rock South (Holland, Pa.)

  Position: Offensive Tackle

  Rating: Two-star

  Choices: Syracuse, Akron, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Temple

  Committed: Syracuse


Jason Pierre-Paul

  Class: 2009

  High School: Fort Scott C.C. (Fort Scott, Kan.)

  Position: Defensive End

  Rating: Four-star, Top 10 junior college player

  Choices: South Florida, Arizona, Florida State, Kansas State, Nebraska

  Committed: South Florida


Devon Kennard

  Class: 2009

  High School: Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)

  Position: Defensive End

  Rating: Five-star, No. 1 DE, No. 8 in Rivals 100, No. 14 in ESPN 150

  Choices: USC, Arizona State, California, Florida, Miami, UNC, Oregon, Texas, UCLA

  Committed: USC

  Odell Beckham Jr.

  Class: 2011

  High School: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, La.)

  Position: Wide Receiver

  Rating: Four-star, No. 43 in Rivals 100

  Choices: LSU, Auburn, Memphis, Miami, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oregon, SMU, Tulane, Southern Miss, Tulsa

  Committed: LSU

Johnathan Hankins

  Class: 2010

  High School: Southeastern (Detroit, Mich.)

  Position: Defensive Tackle

  Rating: Three-star

  Choices: Ohio State, Alabama, Bowling Green, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Toledo, Virginia, Wisconsin

  Committed: Ohio State


  Damontre Moore

  Class: 2010

  High School: Rowlett (Rowlett, Texas)

  Position: Defensive End

  Rating: Three-star, No. 32 DE

  Choices: Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M

  Committed: Texas A&M


Andre Williams

  Class: 2010

  High School: Parkland (Allentown, Pa.)

  Position: Running Back

  Rating: Three-star, No. 44 RB

  Choices: Akron, Boston College, Temple, Vanderbilt

  Committed: Boston College