Now a month into the college football season, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney takes a look back at the 2023 five-stars to see how they’re performing so far. This is a weeklong series looking at all the five-stars by year still playing college ball.
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FACT OR FICTION: Julian Sayin will compete for Bama QB job as a freshman
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The five-star quarterback who picked Texas over Alabama and Georgia in the summer before his senior season has not played yet for the Longhorns. That was the plan all along as five-star and fellow former No. 1 Quinn Ewers has been the starter.
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Tennessee beat out Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and Miami for Iamaleava in the spring before his senior season. Playing the backup role to Vols starter Joe Milton, the former Downey (Calif.) Warren star has played in two games and has completed 2 of 5 for 11 yards.
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On a loaded Texas A&M defensive line filled with other five-stars and high four-stars, Hicks has played in all four games so far with four tackles including one for loss. In one of the biggest surprises in recent memory, Hicks committed to the Aggies over Oklahoma early in his senior year.
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Moore has already earned the starting job at UCLA where he’s completing nearly 55 percent of his passes for 849 yards with eight touchdowns and two picks. The former Detroit (Mich.) Martin Luther King standout flipped from Oregon to UCLA after then-offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham left the Ducks to become the head coach at Arizona State.
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An early Notre Dame commitment, Keeley backed off that pledge heading into his senior season and chose Alabama over Georgia in December. He has not seen any action through four games.
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On an Ohio State receiving corps that features two probable first-rounders in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Ogbuka, Inniss has not seen any action yet this season. An early Oklahoma commit, Inniss backed off his pledge after Lincoln Riley left for USC. The Trojans were considered a major player along with Alabama but Ohio State won out.
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After four games, Branch leads an absolutely loaded USC receiving corps with 13 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns. The former Las Vegas Bishop Gorman standout is also USC’s main returner on special teams where he’s scored as well.
On Christmas Eve 2021, Branch committed to the Trojans over Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
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On the day before signing day, the five-star offensive tackle from Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk flipped from Iowa to Alabama after a visit to Tuscaloosa and rumors surfaced that the Crimson Tide would eventually land him. He’s started all four games at right tackle but has struggled at times.
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In the summer before his senior season, Downs committed to Alabama over mainly Georgia but also Ohio State, Notre Dame and North Carolina. He currently leads the Crimson Tide with 27 tackles and he has a forced fumble.
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Miami, Tennessee and Florida were the other finalists for M’Pemba but the five-star picked Georgia in early December of his senior season at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. On a loaded Bulldogs’ defense he’s played in three games and has totaled four tackles and two quarterback pressures.
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Alabama was a contender and then down the stretch this was a battle between Georgia and Ohio State as the Bulldogs won out on signing day for the Venice, Fla., standout. Wilson has played in all four games for Georgia’s loaded defense and has totaled two tackles.
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In a crazy recruitment, Bowen flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon on signing day only to not sign the paperwork and eventually land at Oklahoma. Through four games, Bowen has been an important key in the Sooners’ defense with 14 tackles and a team-high four pass breakups.
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After committing to Ohio State in the summer before his senior season, Tate was heavily pursued by Tennessee and strongly considered flipping but decided to stick with the Buckeyes. On a loaded receiving corps in Columbus, Tate has totaled four catches for 75 yards and a touchdown so far.
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Playing behind probable No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams and former four-star Miller Moss for now, Nelson has completed 1-of-3 this season. An early Oklahoma commitment, the Los Alamitos, Calif., five-star QB flipped to USC when Lincoln Riley came to the Trojans as they held off Texas A&M and others who tried to flip him late.
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Woods has played in all four games for Clemson this season with four tackles including one for loss. In the summer before his senior season, Clemson beat out Alabama for the Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson standout who also took a close look at the job Deion Sanders was doing then at Jackson State.
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Georgia was considered the front-runner for some time but Florida made a late push for the Jacksonville (Fla.) Westside five-star defensive tackle. The Bulldogs won out on signing day.
In two games this season, Hall has totaled four tackles.
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Originally from American Samoa, Mauigoa started at San Bernardino (Calif.) Aquinas and then landed at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy where he chose Miami over Tennessee and USC with Florida and Oregon also in the mix. The five-star offensive lineman has started all four games for the Hurricanes at right tackle this season.
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The Lakeland, Fla., five-star cornerback was expected to sign with Miami during the early period but that never happened. He took his recruitment into January and the Hurricanes were still expected to land him, as Florida also made a major push, but McClain decided to sign with Colorado and coach Deion Sanders. So far, McClain has played in two games this season with two tackles.
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Faulk has played in all four of Auburn’s games this season totaling nine tackles, including one for loss, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. After an early commitment to Florida State, the Highland Home, Ala., five-star defensive end flipped to Auburn late.
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Uiagalelei has played in all four games this season with seven tackles and one pass breakup. Ohio State was the long-time favorite for the Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco standout and then it was USC as signing day got closer but when it came to decision time, Oregon beat out the Trojans and the Buckeyes.
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Oklahoma was the long-time favorite for Adebawore, whose brother played at Northwestern. Missouri and LSU were also involved in his recruitment. He committed to the Sooners in the summer before his senior season. In four games this season, Adebawore has four tackles (2.5 for loss) with a sack, a pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
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After an early commitment to Texas A&M, Hill backed off that pledge and about a month later Texas completed the flip of the five-star linebacker from Denton (Texas) Ryan. Hill is already an integral part of the Longhorns’ defense with 16 tackles and two sacks in four games.
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With new coach Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby in place, Arnold made an early commitment to Oklahoma over Ole Miss, TCU and Notre Dame. Playing backup to Dillon Gabriel for the Sooners this season, Arnold has completed 13 of 15 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns so far.
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In four games this season, Cook has three catches for 77 yards averaging a team-high 25.67 yards per reception. A five-star receiver from DeSoto, Texas, Cook always had the Longhorns as the front-runner but Oregon, Ole Miss and Michigan were all involved.
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Playing in three games so far this season, Robinson has eight receptions for 186 yards (third on the team) with one touchdown. The five-star tight end is second on the team averaging 23.25 yards per catch.
Nearly two months after the second signing day, Robinson chose USC over Georgia and others as he also considered a future in baseball.
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In his senior season, Williams picked Florida State over Pitt and Texas A&M, which was considered the early front-runner in his recruitment. In four games, the former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Stranahan standout has caught one pass for nine yards.
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Early in his senior season at Monroe (La.) Neville, Heard committed to LSU over Nebraska, Florida, Florida State and Houston. He earned his five-star ranking following the Under Armour All-America Game.
So far this season, he played a decent amount at right tackle against Grambling and some against Mississippi State as well.
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Two days after naming his finalists – Miami, Florida, Alabama and Michigan State – Okunlola committed to the Hurricanes. He has played sparingly this season along the Hurricanes’ offensive line.
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In a second signing day decision, Harbor committed to South Carolina over Oregon, Maryland and Michigan in what was seen as a decision for his football and track future. So far, Harbor has played in three games and his one catch went for a 7-yard touchdown.
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A reclass from 2024, Ricks picked Alabama over LSU (considered the front-runner for some time) and Florida on signing day. He has not yet played for the Crimson Tide through four games.
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The cousin of former Alabama star Courtney Upshaw, Pierre committed to Alabama in the spring of his junior year over Auburn, Florida and Georgia. He has not seen any action yet this season in Tuscaloosa.
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The Raleigh, Miss., five-star linebacker made an early commitment to Ole Miss but Alabama tried to flip him all the way up to signing day. The Rebels, though, held them and others off.
Through four games, Perkins is tied for fourth on the team with 18 tackles. He has a team-high three sacks and three pass breakups.
