Fact or Fiction: National crop of 2025 QBs is underrated
Rivals national recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson is joined by national recruiting director Adam Gorney, national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman, and Jason Suchomel of OrangeBloods.com to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. The state of Texas will have more than five five-star prospects in 2025.
Levenson's Take: FICTION. There are three prospects who are currently slated as five-star prospects who will almost certainly keep that designation long-term. That includes Dakorien Moore, Devin Sanchez and Michael Fasusi, all of whom are top-11 national prospects. Beyond that, there will be discussion to be had. Ty Haywood 's athleticism is an interesting topic and whether he possesses the traits to be an early contributor at the next level. Dorian Brew is just outside the projected five-star range, but he has not competed enough on a national scale to warrant a move up. A player such as wide receiver Andrew Marsh will certainly be in the discussion with his ability to separate and get open but does he have the top-end speed to project as a potential first-round pick?
On the offensive side of the ball, a potential massive riser who will garner elite status, but maybe not five-star is quarterback Keelon Russell. In my eyes, he is one of the top prospects in Texas, regardless of position. I also look at top 100 linebacker Riley Pettijohn as a potential riser.
Gorney's Take: FICTION. There’s going to be some serious discussion about Ty Haywood staying as a five-star and I’d like to see him this summer against some elite talent. We still don’t know if he’s a tackle long-term or guard so that’s going to have an influence. I would be very surprised if any of the other four don’t end up as five-stars although there are some questions about Jonah Williams being a safety or a linebacker and how that will play especially after Thursday night's first round NFL Draft where no safeties or linebackers were drafted.
Dorian Brew is a very talented cornerback, but he hasn’t done enough on the national level to really illicit a five-star ranking at this point. I’d like to see him at the Rivals Five-Star or somewhere else against national receivers to see just how good he is. Andrew Marsh is a very talented receiver that can get open against anybody and has great hands but from a physical standpoint, he’s lacking a five-star ranking right now. Texas stays around five with my mind open that others could certainly happen.
MORE: Texas state rankings
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2. The 2025 national crop of quarterbacks is underrated.
Levenson's Take: FACT. I have been able to see a number of the nationally recruited quarterbacks in the class of 2025 this offseason and one my main takeaways has been there are a number of signal callers who should see their rankings rise. There are already two five-stars with four more currently well within range to be considered for five-star status in the next rankings update. But it is the players down the list that make me feel the position is more loaded than I would have initially argued.
Quarterbacks such as Tramell Jones, Keelon Russell, Ty Hawkins, are three who find themselves in the back half the Rivals250 who I feel could very easily see their rankings rise a month from now. Kamario Taylor is another who is outside the Rivals250 that has an argument to enter the group.
While I don't think all of them will move up, there are conversations to be had for each of them, equating to what could be a very strong quarterback class.
Friedman's Take: FICTION. With nine quarterbacks in the top 100 of the Rivals250, it feels like the national crop of quarterback talent is just about correctly rated. There will certainly be movement within the quarterback rankings but don’t expect many more, if any additional quarterbacks, to land in the top 100. Julian Lewis and Bryce Underwood are exceptional talents at the top of the list. During the offseason camp circuit, KJ Lacey and Tavien St. Clair have solidified their standing as two of the top quarterbacks in the class. We’ve also seen impressive development from a number of other signal callers who are making a strong case to move up in the next rankings update.
MORE: 2025 QB rankings
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3. Four-star QB Keelon Russell will get an offer from Texas.
Levenson's Take: FACT. It would be a move that could cause some potential serious shuffling of the quarterback position around the country, but I believe Texas will offer eventually. Russell has had as good of a spring as any player in the state of Texas. For Steve Sarkisian and the rest of his staff, the idea of landing the Duncanville star looks to be a much bigger deal than it was before last season. Despite holding a commitment from top-100 quarterback KJ Lacey, there is a chance they shift their focus over to Russell, leaving Lacey's commitment status vulnerable. Alabama recently offered Russell and I don't believe Sarkisian and Texas will let the Tide potentially take away one of the top signal callers from the Lone Star State without a fight.
Suchomel's Take: FICTION. Russell visited Texas last weekend and there was some thought that an offer might be presented at that time, but the UT staff decided to hold off. There’s a chance that an offer could be extended at some point but at this point, Texas seems pretty set with current commitment KJ Lacey. As long as Lacey stays solid with his commitment, which I expect, the guess here is that Texas will be loyal to him and keep him as the only quarterback in the class.