Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman – along with Jason Suchomel of OrangeBloods.com and Jed May from UGASports.com – tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Oklahoma is the team to beat for DL Williams Nwaneri
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After seeing Winston Watkins again at the Rivals Camp in Miami, he should be the No. 1 receiver in the 2025 class.
Gorney’s take: FACT. This is going to be a heated debate through the 2025 rankings cycle because Alabama commit Ryan Williams is spectacular and has done absolutely nothing to drop from the No. 1 spot. Watkins should definitely not only be in the conversation but an easy argument could be made for him to take over the top spot. The Colorado commit had more touchdown catches than five-star Ohio State signee Carnell Tate did at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy last season. He was excellent at OT7 Phoenix. He dominated at the Miami Rivals Camp. I have nothing at all against Williams as he has surefire five-star potential as well, but Watkins is pushing for No. 1 without a doubt.
Friedman’s take: FICTION. I’m a huge fan of what Watkins can do on the field and he seems to be on track for a very impressive career at the next level. He isn’t nearly as small as he used to be and he plays much stronger than he looks, so size isn’t as big of a concern as it was. Watkins has outstanding hands and makes acrobatic catches look routine. Getting an up-close look at him again this past weekend in Florida gave me even more confidence in him going forward. Thankfully, we don’t have to make a final decision on who should be the top receiver yet. Watkins is putting together a strong case for the lofty ranking, but I’m not ready to say he should be No. 1 at the position.
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The Nebraska visit went well. USC is a real threat. But Georgia should be considered the frontrunner for five-star QB Dylan Raiola.
Gorney’s take: FACT. This one is close and an argument could be made for each of the three schools, but I get the feeling that Georgia has the slight edge. I get all the reasons why Raiola would go to USC and play under coach Lincoln Riley since he’s had so much success developing quarterbacks. I understand the reasons why Nebraska makes sense, although I do think it’s the riskiest pick. But when it comes down to decision time, the Bulldogs have so many advantages that cannot be ignored. The way coach Kirby Smart runs his system, the offense, the playmakers Raiola would be surrounded by, the biggest stage in the SEC, the national title run. There’s too much to ignore there.
May’s take: FACT. Georgia, Nebraska and USC have seemed to be the frontrunners ever since Raiola decommitted from Ohio State. At this point, Georgia has momentum just based off Raiola’s most recent visit to Athens. The Bulldogs' coaching staff has done a fantastic job of selling Raiola on Georgia and his fit in the offense, particularly given the offensive coordinator transition from Todd Monken to Mike Bobo. I’d pick Georgia if I had to bet the house on it today, but all three schools are still very much battling it out and will be until Raiola signs.
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Colin Simmons had another great visit to Texas over the weekend and the Longhorns should be considered the team to beat now.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. If there is one team that’s surging up the list for the five-star edge rusher it’s Texas after another excellent visit to Austin, but let’s not confuse a post-visit high with an outright leader. The Longhorns are far more in this race than only a few months ago, but Simmons has always had something for LSU and the Tigers are also making him a top priority. I would also watch Georgia and other SEC powers since he’s intrigued by playing in that conference. Good news for him and Texas is that the Longhorns will be moving to the SEC once Simmons gets to college, so that should only benefit them if that’s playing into his decision-making process.
Suchomel’s take: FICTION. I certainly believe that Texas helped its position with last weekend’s visit and the Longhorns are squarely in the mix for Simmons, but I’m not yet ready to put Texas in the driver’s seat. This one will take some time to play out and Simmons will take several other visits this spring (not to mention official visits) so there will be plenty of opportunities for movement as Simmons works through his recruitment. LSU and Georgia will provide tough competition, but Texas did a really good job of impressing both Simmons and his mother. The Longhorns are in a strong position, but I’m not sure I’d call them an outright leader.
