Fact or Fiction: Mykel Williams is only five-star worthy DE in '22 class
Rivals National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney and recruiting analyst Adam Friedman along with Gary Ferman from CaneSport.com and Joseph Hastings of BuckeyeGrove.com tackle three topics in recruiting and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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1. Even with new offers from Georgia and Clemson, Miami should still feel confident it will land DE Nyjalik Kelly.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Georgia, Clemson and many others are showing significant interest in Nyjalik Kelly. But will the standout defensive end from South Florida show it in return or is he leaning more toward staying closer to home? My best guess based on Kelly not immediately scheduling trips to Clemson or Georgia yet and looking forward to that big visit to Miami on June 1 – plus the Canes' success getting both DEs Jaelan Phillips and Greg Rousseau in the first round of the NFL Draft – are playing big factors in Kelly’s thinking right now.
Ferman’s take: FICTION. A few weeks ago it looked like Kelly was in a prime spot for Miami. He decommitted from Florida State. He scheduled Miami's big BBQ for recruits June 1. But the truth of the matter is that his stock is rising and more schools are clearly becoming interested. That has made it a lot more complicated for the Hurricanes. Miami has not been winning these battles against schools like Clemson and Georgia for quite some time. But circle that June 1 date. That's Miami's big shot to make a move with Kelly scheduled to spend extended time on campus. After that visit, we should know a little more on where the Hurricanes stand.
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2. Mykel Williams is the only five-star worthy defensive end in the 2022 class.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Now that camps have taken place among many other events and the analyst team has seen a lot of action across the country, there are going to be massive changes at many positions. Defensive end is definitely one of them. Caden Curry, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Shemar Stewart, Omari Abor and maybe even Gabe Dindy will be in the five-star discussion as we move forward and then we cannot discount the importance of the edge rusher types at weakside defensive end, either. There should be lots of debate coming up in June.
Friedman’s take: FICTION. Mykel Williams is an awesome prospect but I don't think he's the only five-star in the class. Dennis-Sutton is one that could join his ranks later this year. The Maryland defensive end has outstanding speed off the edge, plenty of power, and a solid understanding of pass rushing technique. Dennis-Sutton already has a college body but there is still room for whatever team he ends up with to pack on more muscle mass. Georgia, Penn State and Alabama are slated for official visits in June.
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3. Tegra Tshabola is the most underrated offensive tackle in the 2022 class.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Tegra Tshabola has a great argument to move up in the position rankings as he showed power and the ability to dominate at Sunday’s Rivals Camp in Indianapolis but I have my eye on Texas A&M commit Patrick Williams Jr., who’s currently No. 18 at the position. Someone who could still easily gain 50-60 pounds through his college career and keep that athleticism have been the guys who ended up as first-round NFL Draft picks and so Williams has the talent and the frame to be something special in College Station. We also know he’s going to get coached up really well by Jimbo Fisher and his staff. So while he hasn’t filled out completely, it’s usually those types of recruits who have the highest ceiling and the guys we miss on the most when it comes to rankings.
Hastings’ take: FICTION. I absolutely believe Tshabola should be higher than the 17th-ranked player at his position. He showcased that on Sunday by earning MVP honors and a Five-Star Challenge invite at Sunday’s Rivals Camp Series event in Indianapolis.
The most underrated offensive tackle in this class, however, would actually be Kentucky commit Kiyaunta Goodwin. I know he’s No. 8 at his position, but I truly believe Goodwin is a five-star prospect. He has long arms, is very athletic/mobile for a 6-foot-8, 305-pounder, is stronger than anyone he goes up against, and will only get better as his body continues to develop. Goodwin already shot up from No. 222 to No. 54 overall in the rankings, and I can see him being a top-15 recruit and top two at his position. Both players are probably deserving of bumps in their rankings, but I’m going with Goodwin for this response.