Rivals national recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson is joined by national recruiting analyst John Garcia, national recruiting analyst Greg Smith, and EMAWOnline’s Kevin Fielder to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Clemson's recruiting rivalry with Tennessee is heating up
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1. Tramell Jones has done enough this offseason to warrant a rankings bump.
Garcia: FACT. Even though we have had Tramell Jones at Rivals250 status for nearly a year, we may still be too low on his pro-style quarterback ranking. There aren’t five passers who have registered a better offseason than Jones, punching his ticket to the Elite 11 finals and winning four club 7-on-7 tournaments to date. It’s not just about the results, though, as Jones has become known for his ball placement, ball protection and overall efficiency. He doesn’t overwhelm you physically, but most every other metric is there at a very high level for the Florida State commitment. Jones is a point guard on grass and this offseason he has leaned into that mold better than just about all others in the class of 2025.
Levenson: FACT. As Garcia points out, Jones has not only racked up accolades this offseason, but he has shown he possesses some elite traits to his game. Despite not having an overly imposing frame, Jones is able to put torque behind the ball, which stands out even more knowing the level of ball placement Jones has. While in a 7-on-7 tournament in Houston, Jones was so crisp in his accuracy and efficiency, he would go not just entire drives, but games without an errant pass. He also carries a confidence to his game that tell you those aspects of his game come naturally and easy to him. Projecting to the next level and beyond, his degree of accuracy and arm talent behind the ball bode well for a higher ranking.
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2. Dylan Raiola looked like a five-star in Nebraska's spring game.
Smith: FACT. The stats were definitely there for the five-star quarterback. He completed 16-of-22 passes for 239 yards, two touchdown passes and an interception. That interception should have been caught since it deflected off a receiver. Dylan Raiola's ability to make off platform throws that result in so many highlights was on display during the game. But the thing that makes Raiola a virtual lock to start Game 1 for Nebraska and had him live up to the hype are little things.
Raiola was the only quarterback on the field directing the offseason like a veteran. He was making audibles and protection changes. Raiola also makes the simple throws and plays look routine which is nice for Nebraska after struggling so much with that in recent years.
He's what a five-star should look like when we see him in action.
Levenson: FACT. Watching the replay of the Cornhusker's spring game, I will admit, I was surprised with how comfortable Raiola looked. Now, I'm also well aware it was a spring game, and there will surely be some uncomfortable moments this fall, but he looked like a day one starter. He looked in control, was making changes at the line, and most importantly, made the easy things look easy. He did not try to make something out of nothing and simply took what was there for him. He also had some very impressive throws, including his two touchdowns. We know what kind of arm he has, but to see the poise and processing, he is ready to be the man in Lincoln.
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3. Kansas State is the Big 12 favorite with the addition of Dylan Edwards.
Fielder: FACT. Kansas State were already a favorite for the Big 12 before they added Dylan Edwards. They had their quarterback of the future, a dominant RB1 and a defense that looked primed to follow up on last year’s success.
Adding Edwards to the offense gives them another dynamic weapon for an offense that already had so much potential. Teams now have to account for Avery Johnson, DJ Giddens, and Edwards’ ability to create big plays.
This is an offense that has the potential to cause any defensive coordinator a headache on game days, and their versatility and explosiveness should give them one of the best offenses in the country, let alone the conference.
Levenson: FICTION. Kansas State is going to have an excellent team, but I can't give them the full nod just yet, and for a few reasons. While Avery Johnson looks the part, we have to consider that Johnson has thrown 10-plus pass attempts just twice and has hit 100-plus yards passing once. While he has a chance to be a fantastic player, we still have to see it proven, especially after losing offensive coordinator Collin Klein this offseason. On top of that, Kansas State is 123rd in the country (37 percent) in returning offensive production. They return just 20 of 65 starts on the offensive line from one year ago, which gives me some hesitation. The Wildcats will surely field a capable unit, but will it be in time for them to hold off some quality opponents in the Big 12?
Despite a potentially strong squad, I look at teams like Oklahoma State and Utah, who each return over 70 percent of production on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys will look to follow the lead of Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon while the Utes will have star quarterback Cam Rising back in the fold.
