#RivalsRankingsWeek has arrived and the Rivals100 for the class of 2019 is being released on Tuesday, with the top 10 players in the country unveiled on Monday. The Rivals.com analyst team is weighing in every day with their thoughts on the biggest questions surrounding the latest updates.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK (2019) SCHEDULE:
Monday: Top 10 players
Tuesday: New Rivals100
Wednesday: New Rivals250
Thursday: New offensive position rankings
Friday: New defensive position rankings
Saturday: Team rankings breakdown
Sunday: New state rankings
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Who was the hardest prospect to rank in this latest update to the 2019 rankings?
Rob Cassidy (Florida): "For me, it was cornerback Tiawan Mullen. We're projecting long term, so we always have to take physical attributes into account and Mullen lacks size. That said, he’s proven he can cover bigger wide receivers and it’s not as though there haven’t been smaller defensive backs in the NFL. He’s always caused an internal debate inside of my head because I’ve seen him shine up close but I also know that size is a massive factor at the next level. It’s why Mullen has spent his high school career to this point as a high three-star and hasn’t been able to break into four-star territory."
Mike Farrell (National): "For me the hardest to rank was Quarvaris Crouch because we just don’t know what position he will play at the next level. It reminds me a bit of Dylan Moses as he played offense and defense, and we weren’t sure if he’d grow into a defensive end or play linebacker or even be a running back. Crouch is super talented but hard to rank."
Adam Friedman (Mid-Atlantic): "Quavaris Crouch was easily the most difficult to rank. It was pretty clear that he was the No. 1 player in the country earlier in the rankings cycle but an offseason surgery has set him back. On top of that, Crouch is focusing on getting more comfortable at linebacker. The uncertainty regarding his position is one thing, but him not being in top form is another."
Adam Gorney (National): "Ryan Hilinski was the toughest prospect for me to rank this recruiting cycle. I knew he needed to move way up because he has been a completely different player this offseason. He has matured physically and he has been outstanding at every event where I've seen him and that means numerous 7-on-7 and camp settings. He had a very good junior season and now a fantastic offseason so he deserved a big move but I wasn't exactly sure how high. Is he in the conversation for being the best quarterback in this class? Is he right below those players? I wanted to give him his due but I also didn't want to go overboard. There is still time to get this right - including seeing him again at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas - plus his senior season. If he continues to perform so well, another bump in the rankings might be warranted."
Josh Helmholdt (Midwest): "River Rouge, Mich., defensive end Ruke Orhorhoro has added 50 pounds since playing his first season of football last fall as a junior. Seeing him in-person recently it is all good weight, but the difference physically is substantial. Combined with his relative newness to the game and steep learning curve, it is really difficult to pin down how to project Orhorhoro out to college right now. Two dozen schools offered him scholarships and he has a top four of Clemson, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan, but we are going to need to see his full senior season before feeling comfortable about his rating and will be conservative with it until then."
Nick Krueger (Texas): "The toughest guy to rank has been Grant Gunnell for the past few rankings cycles. In a quarterback class where there just isn't a ton of top-end talent, he is a guy who has put up huge numbers over the past few years at his high school. Technically, there are some things about his delivery that aren't perfect, but I have always been in the camp that his personality at the position and physical tools would be more than enough to make up for that. We'll get another chance to see him throw against top competition at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge later this month, so he'll have another great chance to change some opinions."
Chad Simmons (Southeast): "The hardest one for me is Christopher Hinton. He is a very good defensive end, but at the same time, he could have even more upside at offensive tackle. He has played both sides of the ball throughout his high school career and the Michigan commit is really set on the defensive side of the ball. He is a very good one, but with him being so good on offense, ranking him as a five-star defensive end has had me second-guessing myself a little at times. "
Woody Wommack (Southeast): "Injuries always make the evaluation process harder and that came into play with Quavarius Crouch. After having surgery in the offseason he's been forced to miss a lot of the events, giving other prospects the chance to shine in his absence. The question is, does he hold the top spot or cede ground to other prospects who have dominated in the spring? It was a tough question for us to answer."
