Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman is joined by national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr., Jeremy Birmingham of DottingTheEyes.com and Caleb Alexander of GamecockScoop.com to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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MORE FACT OR FICTION: Nebraska's spring game will springboard its 2025 class
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1. Pierre Dean is poised to make a big jump in the 2026 Rivals250.
Friedman’s take: FACT. The 2026 class has a lot of outstanding tackle prospects and Pierre Dean is one of them. The North Carolina native is already ranked No. 85 in the 2026 Rivals250 and No. 11 in the offensive tackle position rankings. He should find himself much closer to No. 50 in the Rivals250 when the rankings are updated next month. Dean isn’t a massive offensive lineman, but he has great strength, has a very solid build with no bad weight, long arms and outstanding technique. He could play right tackle at the next level and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him move to guard if he adds weight in college.
Garcia’s take: FACT. Dean has plenty going for him as far as the projection business goes. First, he has SEC bloodlines with his older brother playing along the offensive line at Georgia. Independent of that, he has become quite the versatile offensive lineman, able to work interior and exterior positions with similar success, something we saw first-hand in a fairly dominant Rivals Camp Series performance in Charlotte earlier this month. Beyond the obvious, Dean also carries minimal bad weight on a long and lean frame, meaning as he matures and grows into his body as he transitions to college, his obvious strengths should be plenty enhanced. Throw in a business-like demeanor and the type of raw athleticism that could project him at a number of spots, and Dean looks like a modern blue-chipper with a chance to wrap up the 2026 cycle among the very elite. The only true knock on his projectable game at this time, ahead of his junior season, is whether or not he is 100 percent suited to play left tackle at the next level and/or beyond.
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2. When he is drafted, Jeremiah Smith will be a higher pick than Marvin Harrison Jr.
Friedman’s take: FACT. Marvin Harrison Jr. was selected fourth overall on Thursday night and I fully expect Jeremiah Smith to get picked earlier than him when his time comes. Smith is the best wide receiver prospect to come out of high school in years and he’s already drawing major praise at Ohio State. It would be shocking if he didn’t make an impact on the field this year in Columbus and set the stage for what should be an awesome career.
Birmingham’s take: FACT. Harrison Jr. was the highest-selected wide receiver to ever hail from Ohio State, putting him above Terry Glenn, who went seventh in the 1996 NFL Draft. Ohio State is a program that can stake a very strong claim to WRU. Harrison has worked his way into this position through tireless effort and a dedication to his craft that is on a level distinctly different than anyone I’ve personally seen in Columbus. He’s also blessed with an incredible genetic starting point and the football IQ /development of a Hall of Fame father, Marvin Harrison Sr.
But Smith is different and as long as he doesn’t take himself off the path he’s on — through unfortunate injury or off-the-field shenanigans that would be out-of-character — it’s easy to see him being the first wide receiver to go No. 1 overall since Keyshawn Johnson in that same 1996 draft which, coincidentally, also included Marvin Harrison.
Smith’s physical tools and the ease with which he’s dominated every level he’s played at lead to crazy expectations and he’s shattered them at every stop. There are a number of highly respected people in Columbus who think he’s the best receiver in the Ohio State program right now and that reputation is only to going to grow.
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3. Anthony Addison is the most underrated prospect in South Carolina’s recruiting class.
Friedman’s take: FACT. South Carolina is off to a good start with their 2025 recruiting class and Anthony Addison could be the best of the bunch. The 6-foot-4 in-state defensive end commit had an excellent showing at the Charlotte Rivals Camp earlier this month. Addison’s physical traits should transfer to the next level well. He has great quickness at the snap, strong hands and a solid understanding of pass rushing techniques. The Gamecocks did a good job of prioritizing him early in the recruiting process and have put together a solid core of commits at this point in the recruiting cycle.
Alexander’s take: FICTION. While I think Addison has nice upside with his frame, and it was important for South Carolina to land someone with that potential in-state, my favorite prospect in these early stages is receiver Brian Rowe. I think new receiver coach Mike Furrey and the Gamecock staff found a gem early, and now we’ll see if they can hold on. With Georgia offering last week, he’s sure to get some increased attention, and with good reason. Rowe already catches the ball away from his body, knows how to high point it in traffic and routinely creates separation through his change of direction.
