Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith is joined by Tyler James of InsideNDSports.com, Jeremy Birmingham of DottingTheEyes.com and national recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. James Flanigan is Notre Dame's most underrated commit.
James: FICTION. If you asked me before the latest Rivals250 came out, I probably would have agreed. But now that James Flanigan is just inside it at No. 245, I feel he’s closer to where he belongs. However, I’d certainly buy stock in Flanigan as someone who could continue to rise as a well-rounded, physical tight end.
But my choice for Notre Dame’s most underrated commit is cornerback Mark Zackery, who’s just ahead of Flanigan at No. 241 in the Rivals250. Zackery should be closer to a top-100 prospect, in my opinion. He’s been a playmaker at cornerback and wide receiver for his high school and possesses the athletic traits to be a top-end cornerback during his Notre Dame career. Zackery doesn’t have elite height at 6-foot, but his long arms allow him to be even better in coverage. Zackery changes directions well and has quickness that allows him to blanket receivers.
Smith: FACT. This one comes down to a pair of Midwest prospects for me. Both tight end James Flanigan and cornerback Mark Zackery have the best case in mind. Being forced to pick I would go with Flanigan. It’s interesting because he’s the No. 10 tight end in the country, which is a good ranking. However, this is a very good tight end year where many players at the position are going to big-time programs.
Flanigan is a two-way player for his football team and a multi-sport athlete who competes in track and field events and plays hockey. His athletic profile says that he’ll be an impact player in college and is going to a program that produces NFL tight ends.
The Wisconsin native has a strong case here.
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2. Tavien St. Clair is the best quarterback commit Ohio State has had in the last 10 years.
Birm: FICTION. This is an interesting question for a number of reasons but primarily because Ohio State’s recent run of quarterback signees and commitments make this much harder to answer for the Buckeyes than it would be any other program in the nation. Justin Fields was a five-star prospect when he left high school and had incredible hype and expectations foisted upon him in Columbus. He delivered on all of them. CJ Stroud won the Elite 11 and was rated by some as a five-star prospect. Kyle McCord was a five-star prospect from a prep powerhouse in Philadelphia.
But ultimately it’s hard to overlook Quinn Ewers. He was the highest-ranked prospect in the country and by some accounts the highest-ranked prospect ever, literally regarded as a “perfect” prospect. Tavien St. Clair has comparable rankings to Ewers and may have a little edge from a physically-ready-for college standpoint but when it comes to arm talent, level of competition and the aura around him, Ewers still gets the edge.
Smith: FICTION. This is really a two-horse race between St. Clair and Quinn Ewers. Even though Ewers didn’t spend much time with the Buckeyes he did sign with the program so he counts. If things hold where they are, both prospects will finish their recruiting cycle as the No. 1 quarterback and overall prospect in their class.
I’ll give the slight edge to Ewers here. He played better competition during his high school career. He was considered the total package coming out of high school and a generational talent by many. St. Clair may be a future first-round pick but he’s not viewed as highly as Ewers was.
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3. Ryan Montgomery is the best quarterback we aren’t talking enough about.
Levenson: FACT. There are a few options in this class that can get the nod but as of right now, I will say that Ryan Montgomery is indeed the best quarterback that isn't getting a lot of attention. Montgomery is a three-year starter who has thrown for more than 7.500 yards and is closing in on 100 touchdowns, so we know he is talented. But he has certainly been overlooked to some degree over his career.
At the Elite 11, Montgomery thoroughly impressed in his Pro Day session as well as the drills taking place where he was able to display plenty of arm strength and accuracy. With the level of talent Georgia walks out with at wide receiver and tight end, it would be foolish to think the Bulldogs can't run an elite offense with Montgomery at the wheel in the future. Did people think Stetson Bennett was going to lead the Dawgs to a national title? Absolutely not. Did people think Carson Beck was going to be a potential first-round pick? Absolutely not. Montgomery has been viewed similarly.
Now, Montgomery saw a significant rise in the recent update to reflect his impressive summer. So, he is getting his credit from Rivals. But at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and headed into that arsenal of weapons in Athens, he might just follow suit at Georgia and become a household name.
Smith: FACT. It’s weird to think that a quarterback committed to play for Georgia has gone under the radar but that’s exactly what’s happened with Montgomery. This started with Georgia’s pursuit of JuJu Lewis and the initial perception of going from the then No. 1 prospect in the Rivals250 to Montgomery. However, as the offseason has progressed Montgomery has done nothing but shown he’s a top-flight quarterback in the class.
The Ohio native is pinpoint accurate, has good size and is a coach's dream at the position mentality wise. We should be watching how his career at Georgia unfolds with great interest since we know he’ll play in his fair share of big games for Kirby Smart.
