Reality or Fiction: Rivals obtained the 2024 WR rankings proper
Rivals rankings director and nationwide switch portal analyst Adam Friedman is joined by nationwide recruiting analysts John Garcia Jr. and Marshall Levenson together with Scott Reed of DuckSportsAuthority.com to deal with three subjects and decide whether or not they consider every assertion is FACT or FICTION.
1. Rivals obtained the highest of 2024 large receiver rankings proper.
Friedman: FACT. It positive seems to be like our 2024 large receiver rankings had been proper. Jeremiah Smith completed the 2024 rankings cycle at No. 1 adopted by Ryan Williams after which Cam Coleman. Admittedly, every of those three receivers had been proficient sufficient to be the top-ranked receiver in just about another recruiting class so having to place them so as was actually difficult.
Jeremiah Smith, together with his measurement, pace, agility, ball abilities, and superior route operating abilities, had a generational ability set that propelled him to the highest of the receiver rankings and No. 1 within the Rivals250. Williams, who reclassified as much as the 2024 class, isn’t as bodily imposing as Smith or Coleman however his pace, quickness, route operating abilities, and ball abilities had been simply barely simpler on the sphere than Coleman, who was additionally glorious on the Beneath Armour All-America Sport.
With two and a half years till these three are eligible for the NFL Draft, there may be nonetheless loads of time for issues to vary. Coleman and Auburn will doubtless have a distinct quarterback behind heart subsequent yr so that might drastically change Coleman’s manufacturing and presumably how the highest three receivers from the 2024 recruiting cycle are considered.
Garcia: FACT. It is clearly early of their faculty journeys, however this was no strange large receiver class. We already thought that in the course of the 2023 season, as Jeremiah Smith cemented his standing because the top-ranked wideout and total recruit within the class. That transfer was about Smith’s generational standing no matter place, however the ground, construct, polish and total demeanor and/or mentality made his ascent all however a lock on the place and past.
Then Ryan Williams reclassified from the 2025 class, the place he was additionally the top-ranked wideout. His youth in fact created the advantage of the doubt, nevertheless it was nonetheless contested by late risers like Cam Coleman and longstanding elites like Micah Hudson and Mike Matthews.
We obtained to see all of these battling for No. 2 on the identical discipline, in opposition to elite competitors, at Beneath Armour All-America Sport week. Coleman was spectacular and the others had been regular, however Williams could have been the most effective participant on these follow fields at any place together with his mixture of polish as a route runner and his pure athleticism to make large performs look routine.
So within the historic wideout group that featured 4 within the prime 10 and and a fifth ending as a five-star, the order of Smith and Williams on the very prime was certainly the precise name.
2. Oregon is on the verge of signing the most effective pound-for-pound recruiting class ever.
Friedman: FICTION. There have been some extremely proficient recruiting lessons through the years. The most effective pound-for-pound recruiting class (aka the category with the best common star score per dedication) was USC’s 2013 class, which featured 5 five-stars and 7 four-stars. That common star score per commit of 4.42 is unlikely to be equaled. The subsequent two finest pound-for-pound recruiting lessons are USC’s 2007 class (4.22) and USC’s 2018 class (4.21). Georgia’s 2018 class (4.21) is subsequent on the checklist. That class featured eight five-stars (tied for essentially the most ever) and 26 whole signees.
Oregon, with its latest addition of five-star offensive lineman Douglas Utu, at present has 15 commitments and 4 of them are five-star prospects. The Duck at present have a mean star score per commit of 4.13, which might be ok for sixth-best all-time. It might be a stretch to see Oregon break into the highest 5, not to mention soar as much as No. 1. There simply aren’t many five- or four-star prospects let for Oregon to pursue that might push them up this checklist.
Reed: FICTION. I’m going to go along with fiction – however on a technicality highlighted beneath. The very best ranked class Oregon has ever signed in response to Rivals was the 2021 class which was ranked because the No. 3 class within the nation. That class was highlighted by five-star signees Kingsley Suamataia and Ty Thompson.
The 2025 class already has 4 five-star commits with a fifth commit in five-star territory. From a mean star score, the present class (4.13 common) already surpasses the 2021 (3.91 common) class in nearly each method besides for 2: they aren’t ranked as excessive nationally thanks to simply 15 whole commitments and the common weight per common star score is barely decrease.
As a result of I anticipate that the 2025 class will probably be smaller total, for now I’m going to say that the 2021 class has a greater ‘pound for pound’ common star score, but when we have a look at simply the highest 15 recruits from every class, the 2021 class has a mean star score of 4.13 whereas the 2025 class has a mean star score of 4.27 to date. The 2021class had two five-stars – neither of whom made an affect for Oregon with Suamataia leaving for BYU after his freshman season and Thompson sticking it out as a backup for 3 seasons earlier than shifting on to Tulane.
The 2025 class has somewhat higher selection on the prime and center of the category with strengths on the offensive line with Douglas Utu, Alai Kalaniuvalu and Ziyare Addison main the group whereas additionally getting a five-star receiver (Dakorien Moore), defensive again (Trey McNutt) and operating again (Jordon Davison) with one other receiver (Dallas Wilson) on the cusp of five-star standing. The depth of the highest 15 for every class favors 2025 what every is missing, although, is an elite defensive deal with group – which is a distinction maker for elite groups.
I do assume it’s a proven fact that Oregon will wind up with its finest ever common star score in 2025.
3. Indiana commit Byron Bladwin is ranked too low.
Friedman: FACT. A formidable offseason on the camp and 7-on-7 circuit noticed Byron Baldwin earn a four-star score. His peak, size, footwork and sense of timing made it very tough for receivers to search out any area when matched up with him. Quarterbacks who threw in Bladwin’s route shortly discovered he was in a position to attain throws they didn’t anticipate. He’s in a position to flip and run with receivers in man protection and he has the instruments to excel in zone protection. Baldwin isn’t afraid to play bodily in protection and he’s an efficient tackler when offenses attempt to run his method. The Indiana commit is probably not a burner, receivers discover it tough to run away from him on the sphere. Baldwin’s four-star score appears correct at this level however he might discover his method into the Rivals250 earlier than all is alleged and performed.
Levenson: FACT. Baldwin is accurately rated as a four-star prospect however after a dwell analysis in opposition to a powerhouse program in Duncanville in addition to movie evals within the early weeks of the season, a simple case may be made for the Indiana decide to work his method into the Rivals250. Baldwin stands out within the secondary with an impressively pure really feel in protection to go along with enough pace to stay in section always. He additionally does a wonderful job of not solely defending vertically, however has the vary and pursuit capacity to trace throughout the sphere and navigate visitors to make a play on a ball provider. Whether or not he’s at nook or security, he seems to at all times preserve his eyes up and has the short twitch muscle mass to blow up and break in any route he wants.
He gives a flexible ability set, enjoying to outdoors, within the slot, as properly on prime of the protection at instances. The pure really feel and command within the backend he has displayed makes him a simple candidate to see his inventory rise.
