Published Feb 27, 2017
Class of 2018 Rivals100 update: New five-stars, same No. 1
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Mike Farrell  •  Rivals.com
Rivals National Columnist

MORE: 2018 Rivals100 rankings | Big movers

The latest Rivals100 for the class of 2018 has been released.

There are some major changes in our latest update, including five new five-star prospects, bringing our still-early total to 20. And while our No. 1 prospect remains the same with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the top 10 saw some shifting.

Lawrence, a Clemson commitment from Cartersville, Ga., has a very good chance of going bell-to-bell as our No. 1 prospect, but the competition is heating up in what could be the most talented class since the 2014 group, at least at the top. Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage cornerback Patrick Surtain jumped up to No. 2 this time around, followed by Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy defensive end Xavier Thomas, Fairfield, Ohio, offensive tackle Jackson Carman and Harrisburg, Pa., defensive end Micah Parsons (Penn State commitment) to round out the top five.

Los Angeles (Calif.) Augustus Hawkins wide receiver Jalen Hall slid a couple spots to No. 6, followed by Laurinburg (N.C.) Scotland County running back Zamir White and Long Beach (Calif.) Poly quarterback (and USC commitment) Matt Corral, who check in at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. New five-star offensive guard Jamaree Salyer from Atlanta (Ga.) Pace Academy is No. 9, and Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian safety Tyreke Johnson rounds out the top 10.

In addition to Salyer, new five-stars Lorenzo Lingard from Orange City (Fla.) University (Miami commitment), linebacker Palaie Gaoteote (USC commitment) from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, wide receiver Justyn Ross from Phenix City (Ala.) Central and Houston (Texas) Lamar cornerback Anthony Cook debut as new five stars.

Our team of analysts breaks down each of the new five-stars here.

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NEW FIVE-STAR PROSPECTS

Analyst's take: “Salyer has been in the five-star discussion since the initial rankings were released, and he finally got the bump after an excellent junior season and a dominating performance at the Future 50 event in Orlando. Salyer is a pure interior guy with impressive strength and technique beyond his years. With his impressive skillset it's not a surprise to see him earn five-star status. Georgia, Clemson, Alabama and others are battling to land his commitment.” – Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

Farrell’s take: Salyer is special as an aggressive interior lineman and reminds me a bit of Andre Smith (Alabama) from years ago because he’s so physical and nasty. Guards often don’t get this much love from us, but he’s rare.

Analyst's take: “A multi-time Rivals Camp MVP, Lingard always seems to show up when the competition is at its highest. He has nice size, but his versatility is what makes him special. He uses his change of pace well when carrying the ball but also when running routes. He creates mismatches when catching the ball out of the backfield. Lingard is committed to Miami.” – Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

Farrell’s take: I like Lingard a ton, and he could overtake James Cook as the top running back in Florida as he continues to develop. Lingard's versatility as a running back reminds me of Khalan LaBorn from last year, but Lingard is bigger.

Analyst's take: “Gaoteote is a tackling machine who covers ground so quickly, hits well and he just has tremendous playmaking ability. The Gorman linebacker can come down and make the big tackle, but he's special because he can also run with receivers and cover them up almost like a cornerback. In a long line of exceptional USC linebackers, Gaoteote could be one of the next special ones for the Trojans.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst.

Farrell’s take: Linebackers with great motors always get my vote, and Gaoteote never stops moving and covers a ton of ground. He could be a taller version of Jordan Anthony from last year with his ability to run down everything.

Analyst's take: “Ross put on a show at the Under Armour Future 50 and was the most impressive wideout at the event. He has solid size, but his sudden change of pace is what makes him devastating. Ross stretches the field with top-end speed but is also capable of turning short passes into large gains. Ross has a long list of offers and is thought to be the top target for both Alabama and Auburn.” - Cassidy

Farrell’s take: The best wide receiver from Alabama since Julio Jones? Could be. Ross is much more raw than Jones at the same stage and clearly not as strong or physical, but his ceiling is off the charts. A lot depends on how great he wants to be.

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Analyst's take: “Cook has played his way into five-star status after consistently impressing with his athleticism and ability to play with physicality. He is similar to the type of player that Jalen Ramsey was at this stage and has a clear knack for identifying passes in the air and making a clean play on them. He still needs to temper how often he uses his hands on receivers, but he has all the natural instincts you hope to see at his position. Cook recently attended the Texas junior day and will be at Clemson's upcoming junior day early next month.” – Nick Krueger, Rivals.com Texas Recruiting Analyst

Farrell’s take: Cook is physical, he has good size, he can play press or off and he likes to tackle. He’s a physical cornerback in a very good class at his position. I think we could look back at this cornerback class as one of the best in a decade, and Cook is a big part of that.