Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. is joined by rankings director Adam Friedman, Marcus Benjamin of CanesCounty.com and 1stAndTenFlorida.com's Jason Higdon to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Auburn has the best defensive back class in 2025
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1. IMG Academy has the best offensive line in high school football.
Friedman: FACT. Give me the length and skill set of the IMG Academy offensive line in this battle. As prospects, it’s hard to get any better than what IMG is putting on the field this year. Keenyi Pepe is a borderline five-star tackle and his best football is certainly ahead of him. Alabama commit Michael Carroll is improving each and every time we see him and his versatility should be incredibly useful as his career progresses. The combination of Breck Kolojay, Mitchell Smith, Kayden Strayhorn and G’Nivre Carr should make IMG’s offensive line the most solid group in the nation right now.
Garcia: FICTION. Let's roll with Bishop Gorman here. Not only does the storied program bring the star-power with five-star Douglas Utu, who stands 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, it has another tackle with immense size in Alema Iosua at 6-foot-7, 292 pounds. Of course anchoring the middle is the nation's top-ranked center in SJ Alofaituli, along with Oregon commitment Alai Kalaniuvalu and Hawaii commitment KJ Hallums among those rounding out the group. It can contend with IMG's best on the prospect front, but the difference is chemistry and cohesion. Most of the Gorman linemen have worked together already, some for multiple seasons, which is ever critical up front. Similar size, yet more streamlined than IMG, Gorman has the best group in America.
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2. Miami has the best secondary haul in the class of 2025.
Benjamin: FACT. Under two cycles under head coach Mario Cristobal, there was a clear emphasis on building the roster from the trenches with recruiting. Miami added five offensive linemen (including five-stars Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola) with the 2023 class and flipped to the defensive side of the line in 2024, adding eight defensive linemen (including five-stars Justin Scott, Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount).
In this 2025 cycle, the focus has seemed to shift to defensive backs. Miami has six defensive backs committed, all of the blue-chip variety with one five-star in Hylton Stubbs. Miami recently added local four-star defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald to the mix, which vaulted the Hurricanes from ranking No. 7 to No. 5 in the nation in the Recruiting Team Rankings. None of the four teams ahead of Miami (Ohio State, LSU, Alabama and Georgia) match the Canes in numbers regarding the secondary. However, the Buckeyes have two five-stars to Miami's one. Miami will attempt to flip five-star DJ Pickett during the season to add another to its class. Auburn, ranked sixth just behind Miami, has six DBs committed, but two are three-stars and zero are five-star prospects.
Overall, Miami has the most talented DB group in the country, and it should stay that way.
Garcia: FACT. From the cornerback front, certainly Ohio State will have something to say with its duo of five-stars committed, with three other four-stars on board including top-50 recruit Faheem Delane. LSU has three blue-chippers on board led by top-10 prospect DJ Pickett. But Miami has star power and depth with a half-dozen prospects committed at the position, all four-stars or better. The last two in-state gets may be the best of the bunch, too, with five-star safety Hylton Stubbs as the headliner and top-100 corner projection Bryce Fitzgerald on board after his weekend pledge. The group has size and versatility within the rest, too, with big corners Timothy Merritt and Jaboree Antoine on board. Local stars Chris Ewald and Amari Wallace have as much experience as any varsity recruits at any position, nationally.
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3. Should top-100 wideout Naeshaun Montgomery pick Florida on Aug. 25, the Gators will challenge for the top wide receiver haul nationally.
Higdon: FICTION. While this trio would make for an exceptional haul for Billy Napier, the Gators would need to add a fourth wide receiver, someone who ranks in the top-50 range overall. Due to the lack of quantity but certainly not quality, I will go with fiction. While Florida could "challenge" for the top spot, I believe someone will show up with a few more higher-ranking guys at the position, keeping Florida from that top spot. Due to the lack of quantity but certainly not quality, I will go with fiction.
Garcia: FACT. The quality and versatility of the would-be trio would make for a formidable group in both their individual star power and their complementary nature to challenge for the top spot. Ohio State, Oregon and even a program like UCF has some claim to be among those in the discussion come later in the cycle, but UF's got a rock-solid argument here. Montgomery is a smooth, verified 4.4 speedster who can take the top off of a defense. Joshua Moore is a big, physical specimen with classic X traits and a ceiling he has not come close to reaching. Then there's Vernell Brown III, arguably the most electric player in the country with the ball in his hands, the type of wide receiver you manufacture touches for anywhere on the field.
