6/23/2018 football Edit

2020 Team Rankings: Predictions

D.J. Uiagalelei (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Rob Cassidy • Rivals.com

Recruiting Analyst

Attempting to predict the future in recruiting is for suckers. That’s been long established. The whims of teenagers change with the wind, coaches are suddenly fired and high-profile assistants routinely bolt for greener pastures. Attempting to guess what may happen on Signing Day 2020 is probably doubly futile, but here we are anyway.

Below, Rivals.com’s resident sucker, Rob Cassidy, takes a few (probably misguided) guesses on how thing might unfold with the class 2020 and predicts which teams might come out looking the best.

USC WILL LAND THE BIGGEST FISH

Southern California products D.J. Uiagalelei (QB) and Justin Flowe (LB) rank No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, and landing just one of the two would be a victory for USC. Thing is, the Trojans could very well sign both. USC recruits its home state nearly as well as any school in the country and that shouldn’t stop in 2020. Add in the fact that the program has a reputation for producing NFL quarterbacks, and Uiagalelei has to see the appeal of the school in his back yard. In Flowe’s case, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida and others will be heavily involved, but they will need to overtake the Trojans as the presumed frontrunner.

TEXAS WILL END UP WITH A STAR RUNNING BACK

It’s a stacked running back class in the state of Texas, as the No. 1 and No. 3 prospects at the position are Lone Star State athletes. The Longhorns are in play for both, as No. 1-ranked back Zachary Evans and Jase McClellan, who carries the No. 3 ranking, both seem to be intrigued by Tom Herman’s program. It’s incredibly difficult to land two elite tailbacks in a single class, but it seems like a near certainty that the Longhorns will wrap up one of the two. Seth McGowan, who checks in at No. 6 at the position, also hails from Texas but is seen as a backup option for UT.

MIAMI WILL ONCE AGAIN HAUL IN THE SUNSHINE STATE'S BEST CLASS

Miami’s momentum in the Sunshine State is impossible to ignore. So barring a total collapse on the field, 2020 sets up nicely for the Hurricanes to win the state recruiting championship once again. New coaching staffs at Florida and Florida State have not matched UM’s recruiting allure in their first few months on the job, and it’s becoming apparent that Miami will need to stumble to open the door for the other in-state powers. The Hurricanes already have eight 2020 prospects in the fold, and six of those prospects are rated four stars or higher. Should UM win continue to win double-digit games, it’s going to be quite a task for Florida or Florida State to overtake them by 2020.

GEORGIA WILL LAND IN THE TOP FIVE

Kirby Smart has Georgia rolling. The Bulldogs won the 2018 recruiting title and will challenge for a top class in 2019, so it only stands to reason that UGA will keep the pace through 2020. There are, of course, other factors working in the Bulldog's favor. An impressive one-tenth of the Rivals100 hails from the Peach State, so Smart will have his share of opportunities to make waves in state. The larger picture is even more stacked in UGA’s favor, as 28 members of the Rivals250 attend high school in the program’s home state. Any way you slice it, things are setting up well for Smart, who many expect to be in the national title hunt for years to come.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Monday: Revealing the top 10 players | Making the Case: Three who could land in top 10 | Who is the toughest to rank in 2020?

Tuesday: New Rivals100 | Mind of Mike: Farrell reacts to new R100 | Who should be No. 1 in 2020? | Will No. 1 player in 2020 head to Clemson?

Wednesday: The initial Rivals250 for 2020 | Five teams that should be pleased the most with new R250 | Rival Views: Who should top DL be? | Godfather and Gorney Podcast

Friday: DL rankings | LB rankings | DB rankings | ATH rankings

Saturday: Team rankings breakdown