East Spotlight: Five big rankings questions entering final 2024 update
Now that the all-star games are in the books, it's time to start thinking about final Rivals rankings for the 2024 class. The analyst team will get together soon to debate the final rankings with last-minute changes based on the games that were recently played.
Let’s take a look at some of the top East region questions on my mind heading into the meetings.
THIS SERIES: Five big Midwest rankings questions entering final 2024 update
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IS JOSIAH THOMPSON A TOP-50 PROSPECT?
Thompson was one of the prospects we were most excited to watch at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The South Carolina signee ranks inside the top 50 of the Rivals250 right now and deservedly so. Thompson showed up a lean 265 pounds but played with impressive strength. Everybody was wondering how he'd hold up against an strong group of defensive linemen. During the week of practice, Thompson surprised with how successful he was at the point of attack and how technically sound he was as a pass blocker.
In the game, however, it was a different story. Thompson allowed defensive linemen into the backfield on multiple occasions, providing little resistance at times. So, the question is: Do Thompson's elite traits keep him ranked in the upper echelon of the Rivals250 or does it seem like his learning curve is too steep to warrant such a high ranking?
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HOW HIGH DOES JORDAN SHIPP RISE?
Shipp showed up in San Antonio a day late but blew away the competition almost as soon as he stepped on the field. He doesn't have the elite size or speed that would automatically set him apart, but he is as productive as any high-level recruit and his skill set fits in just as well. The 2024 cycle features the best receiver class in recent memory but where should Shipp be ranked among these high-caliber pass catchers?
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WHERE DOES IFY OBIDEGWU LAND IN THE CORNERBACK RANKINGS?
It's a pretty wide-open cornerback class after the first few at the top of the rankings so Obidegwu has a chance to shoot up the rankings. At the Under Armor All-America Game and in the practices the week prior the Oregon signee made his presence felt in a variety of situations.
He showed great instincts, impressive quickness for his size and the length to disrupt nearly every pass thrown in his direction. Receivers had a difficult time creating the necessary separation to give quarterbacks the space to get them the ball when matched up with Obidegwu.
He currently sits outside the top 15 in the cornerback rankings but it's probably a good bet that Obidegwu will find himself at least inside the top 15 when the final rankings come out.
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IS COOPER COUSINS ONE OF THE 10 BEST OFFENSIVE LINEMEN?
One of the very best performances during all-star game season came from Cousins. The Penn State signee had not participated in offseason camps like many other top-ranked prospects so his participation at the All-American Bowl was highly anticipated. Cousins wasn't looking too show off for a bump up in the rankings. He just wanted to go out and dominate the competition.
He did just that and he will see his stock rise in the final rankings update. The question is just how much will he rise up the rankings?
Cousins is the No. 215 prospect in the Rivals250 and well outside the top 10 offensive linemen in the nation. Can he break into that upper echelon? That's a big ask but his dominant performance in San Antonio certainly got everybody's attention.
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WHAT TO DO WITH THE PLAYERS WITH LINGERING QUESTIONS?
The all-star games still give scouts the best apples-to-apples comparison for top-end recruits but this year there were many players that decided against participating for one reason or another. Because of that, scouts around the country are left with many unanswered questions heading into the final rankings update of the 2024 recruiting cycle.
Clemson linebacker signee Sammy Brown, Notre Dame offensive line signee Guerby Lambert, Florida State quarterback signee Luke Kromenhoek, Penn State running back signee Quinton Martin, Auburn linebacker signee Jamonta Waller, Tennessee quarterback signee Jake Merklinger, Florida State defensive back signee Cai Bates, Michigan offensive line signee Blake Frazier, Oregon defensive end signee Elijah Rushing and many others left questions on the table heading into the final rankings update.
Trying to figure out where to slot players such as them without perhaps the most valuable evaluation will not be easy.