Rivals rankings director and national transfer portal analyst Adam Friedman is joined by Jeremy Birmingham of DottingTheEyes.com, Richie O’Leary of HappyValleyInsider.com and Jack Knowlton of TideIllustrated.com to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FRIEDMAN: Five potent transfer QB-WR combos to watch in 2024
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CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
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1. Ohio State fans should feel good about their chances of landing David Sanders Jr.
RELATED: Ohio State commit list
Friedman: FACT. Ohio State has made incredible progress with David Sanders Jr. over the last month and a half. The Buckeyes put themselves in position to be one of the favorites for the No. 1 offensive tackle in the Rivals250. They are essentially facing off with Tennessee at this point in the process but Georgia and Nebraska will also have hats on the table when Sanders announces his commitment on Aug. 17.
It's been an up and down few weeks for Ohio State on the recruiting trail, both landing and missing on some major targets. For Ryan Day and company, it seems like there are the top prospects they want and then the top prospects they want to go all in to get. Sanders appears to fit into the latter category and that bodes well for the Buckeyes.
Birmingham: FACT. If we went back in time six months it’s nearly impossible to believe that Ohio State would be a real player — let alone a top contender — for five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr.
But as the country’s top-ranked offensive lineman and his family buckle down and get into decision mode, it seems the Buckeyes, along with the Tennessee Volunteers, are leading the pack.
Sanders doesn’t seem to be in love with the recruiting process and has taken his time to make the best, most-informed decision he can and he’s gained a ton of insight into what Ohio State is all about from the budding relationship he’s developed with Paris Johnson Jr. Johnson’s family has been integral for Sanders and his family.
Ryan Day, Justin Frye and the rest of the Buckeyes coaching staff left no stone unturned at this point. Will that pay off come Aug. 17? It’s recruiting in 2024 and nothing seems like a guarantee but absolutely Ohio State is a very real contender.
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2. Zahir Mathis is on flip watch after taking a visit to Penn State last month.
RELATED: Penn State commit list
Friedman: FICTION. This is a tough call. Zahir Mathis thinks very highly of Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson. The two have built a strong relationship and remain in contact on a consistent basis. The same can be said for Mathis and Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes. Mathis took an official visit to Penn State in late June and that should definitely worry Ohio State.
The Nittany Lions have signed multiple players from Mathis’s high school in recent years and he has a current teammate in Jabree Coleman, who is committed to Penn State. The strong relationships Penn State has with Mathis and his inner circle should concern Ohio State but Johnson is an ace recruiter with a tremendous reputation as a defensive line coach.
“Flip watch” seems to be too strong a characterization of where Mathis’s recruitment stands at this point.
O’Leary: FACT. Penn State football didn't have many surprises on the recruiting trail this June, but the lone one was when Ohio State four-star defensive line commit Zahir Mathis decided to make the trip to State College for an official visit right before the dead period.
Now word coming out of that visit was that the Nittany Lions gained some serious ground in his recruitment and he’s heavily considering the idea of flipping.
This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as Penn State has been involved with Mathis since the beginning, as it was his first offer back in May 2021. Plus he’s built a very strong bond with PSU’s defensive line coach Deion Barnes, who is able to see the vision as he too was a Philly guy, went to Penn State and made the NFL.
On top of it all, one of his teammates and good friends, RB Jabree Coleman, just committed to the program and has been in his ear nonstop about joining the Nittany Lions' recruiting class.
Now things can change on a dime in today’s day and age of recruiting, but the Nittany Lions have flipped some in-state prospects late in the process before and could very well do it again here.
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3. Michael Carroll will be the biggest riser of Alabama's current commits in the next rankings update.
RELATED: Alabama commit list
Friedman: FACT. Michael Carroll’s development year over year is very encouraging and his most recent performance at the Rivals Five-Star in Jacksonville answered a lot of questions. Officially measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 316 pounds with 34-inch arms, Carroll possesses the physical and athletic traits to play tackle or guard at the next level. He has plenty of experience at guard, too. That versatility should help him in the rankings updated.
Of course, Carroll isn’t the only potential riser in Alabama’s recruiting class. Quarterback Keelon Russell has had a fantastic offseason thus far. Offensive tackle Jackson Lloyd is under the microscope as well. Carroll, however, has a chance to be the biggest riser of the bunch.
Knowlton: FACT. During the Rivals Five-Star, Carroll dominated against the best defensive line competition he's faced in his prep career. Carroll continues to add mass to his already extremely impressive 6-foot-6, 300-pound frame and plays with a ton of athleticism that should project him as a versatile fit at either guard or tackle in Alabama's offensive line when he reaches the collegiate level.
There's no doubt Carroll has home-run potential and has only added to his game this offseason. While several Crimson Tide commits should get a bump – including Keelon Russell who could potentially reach five-star status – Carroll will likely see the biggest rise from his current position at No. 185.
