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Ask Farrell: Which OTs could finish with a fifth star?

The offensive tackle position is shaping up to be one of the more interesting debates in this recruiting cycle - and the spot where a ton of movement could happen in the months leading up to the early signing period.

Ohio State commit Paris Johnson Jr., has retained the top spot in the position rankings but Georgia pledge Tate Ratledge had an impressive summer and is now second among all offensive tackles. The only other five-star is Stanford commit Myles Hinton, but he will need a big senior season to stay so high in the rankings.

The group of players ranked at 6.0 - one spot away from being a five-star - continues to take shape and could see a ton of changes in the coming months.

MORE: Will Johnson or Ratledge end cycle as top OT?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team | State

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Georgia pledge Broderick Jones is the top offensive tackle in that ratings category followed by Notre Dame pledge Tosh Baker, Boston College commit Kevin Pyne, Nebraska commit Turner Corcoran, Clemson commit Walker Parks, uncommitted Andrew Gentry and former Penn State pledge Aaryn Parks, who’s now looking at Oklahoma, Mississippi State and others.

After their performances at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas, the two Parks moved up to 6.0 in the rankings.

Senior seasons are important but arguably even more crucial for offensive line rankings is to see how these players - in pads - perform against elite defensive linemen at the all-star events in late December and early January.

FARRELL'S TAKE

Walker Parks
Walker Parks (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell to prognosticate a little bit on which players have the best shot at earning a fifth star, which ones could lose a star and what he thinks of the group as a whole heading into the season.

“I think it’s a really, really strong group and I don’t see anyone losing a star barring a really bad evaluation. But who will be first, and how many five-stars will we have?

"Right now I’m leaning towards Ratledge finishing as the No. 1 prospect because he’s more physical than Johnson, but that will all be determined by senior evaluation and all-star games. Jones is a guy I thought would have his fifth star by now but he needs to show a lot of improvement his senior year.

"Who should we keep an eye on? Baker, Walker Parks and Gentry are the guys I see with the biggest ceiling and I’m anxious to see them this season and at all-star events. We are looking for athletic guys who are physical with great feet and who have frames that can fill out. There are plenty in this class.”

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