Rivals Camp Series: Predictions for Atlanta this weekend

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

RCS WASHINGTON, D.C.: Commitment checkup | Prospects now on the radar | The Friedman Awards | Thoughts from the sideline | Prospects that earned their stripes | Teams that should be pleased | Players predict where elite prospects will land

The Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas is back in Atlanta, a location that is viewed as arguably the strongest stop on the tour in terms of depth. This is going to be a little different set up this year, with it being the first camp held at night under the lights. The stars will be out and after looking over the players that are signed up for the event on Friday, here are some predictions about what might occur at the camp.

Will there be a new top prospect in the state of Georgia when rankings are updated later this spring? The top two prospects, five-stars Arik Gilbert and Myles Murphy, will be competing Friday night, and many eyes will be on them.

Gilbert is a five-star athlete who is expected to make the move to tight end when rankings are updated. Murphy is a defensive end. Both will have many opportunities to showcase their skills and why they should be the top talent in the Peach State. Both prospects as rising juniors and earned invites to the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas last year, so Rivals thinks highly of Gilbert and Murphy.

Entering the camp, Gilbert is No. 7 and Murphy is No. 11 in the country. Will the order stay the same or will it be flipped after this event? It will be fun to watch as it plays out.

This is a big period of time when new players rise and fall in the rankings. When we update rankings again, it will be toward the end of camp season, so not only will we have seen players at camps across the country, but we will see many in 7-on-7 tournaments, spring practices, spring games, team workouts and other events. There will be some changes.

All players will come in with the chance to improve their stock, but some have already created a buzz over the last month that could be ready to make a big move. Georgia commit Broderick Jones was in the five-star discussion after his performance at the Future 50 in January, so he is one to know. There are plenty others, including wide receiver Ze’Vian Capers (Arkansas commit), linebacker Wesley Steiner, running back Kobe Pryor and cornerback Brian Branch.

Those are just some names we have seen already this spring that we know are making cases for bumps when the rankings are updated, but there will be more, and likely a surprise or two as well.

Trevor Lawrence won the national championship as a freshman at Clemson. Jake Fromm took Georgia to the national championship game as a freshman in 2018. Justin Fields is expected to start at Ohio State, Davis Mills will lead Stanford and there are plenty other quarterbacks from Georgia on major college rosters that will make impacts in the coming years.

Who’s next? There could be some future stars on the field competing Friday at the quarterback position. From top to bottom, it is a very strong group with two already committed to play in the SEC.

In 2020, Tennessee commit Harrison Bailey and LSU commit Max Johnson lead the way. Then you have four-star CJ Dixon, three-stars Tee Webb, Mike Wright, Blaine McAllister and Griffin Brewster as names to know from Georgia. All have Power Five offers.

Tucker Melton will make the trip over from Alabama. He won a state title last season and this will be a big spring for him. Expect new offers to come in.

Looking ahead to 2021, Brock Vandagriff, Aaron McLaughlin and Carlos Del Rio are three of the best in the country. All three have major offers, and Vandagriff, as a freshman, won the MVP for this position last year in the rain.

There are some strong offensive playmakers in the 2020 class that will be running between the lines and making plays, but there are some underclassmen that may not be as well known yet that could make names for themselves.

Dacarri Collins, Chauncey Magwood, Jaquez Smith and Jayden Thomas are four wide receivers from Georgia in the 2021 class that have major offers. You have guys such as Collins and Thomas, two bigger receivers who are built to play on the outside, then you have Magwood, an ideal slot receiver and Smith, who can line up anywhere and make plays. All four have major offers and will only add more.

There will be freshmen, too. Janarian Bonner, Syveion Ellis and Jake Johnson are close to finishing up their freshman year, but you wouldn’t know by their size, skills or offer lists. Ellis just committed to Florida last weekend.

Do you know Amarius Mims? Unless you are a Georgia fan who loves recruiting or maybe someone who follows Georgia Tech recruiting, then you likely don’t.

You likely will soon.

Mims is a 2021 offensive tackle out of Bleckley County High School in Cochran, Ga., and he has offers from Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee. Many more are to come.

Before heading to Athens for the Georgia spring game Saturday, Mims will take part in the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas. He has not been out to compete at many camps, so this may be new to him, but look for him to flash his athleticism and draw some praise from competitors, coaches and analysts.

The 6-foot-7, 300-pounder has played defensive end and tight end much of his high school career, and he missed some time last season due to an injury, so he is far from polished at offensive tackle. But he will make a name for himself under the lights Friday night.