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Published Jun 24, 2024
Rivals Five-Star: Rankings storylines to follow for offensive standouts
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Adam Friedman  •  Rivals.com
Rankings Director and National Transfer Portal Analyst
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@RivalsFriedman

The Rivals Five-Star, the marquee football event of the offseason, takes place this week with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars playing host. With 104 of the best players in the country scheduled to compete, there are major rankings implications riding on their performances. Take a look at some of the biggest rankings for the offensive side of the ball ahead of the event.

Will another quarterback earn a fifth star?

Seven of the eight quarterbacks who will be in Jacksonville this week are in the 2025 class and USC commit Julian Lewis and Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair are already five-star prospects. Florida State commit Brady Smigiel is also a five-star and the lone 2026 quarterback scheduled to compete this week.

That leaves Texas commit KJ Lacey, Alabama commit Keelon Russell, Notre Dame commit Deuce Knight, Florida State commit Tramell Jones and Oregon commit Akili Smith Jr. as the four-stars who are looking to add their fifth. Russell, Knight and Jones are coming off impressive performances at last week's Elite 11 Finals. If they're able to continue to play at a high level against the increased talent and competition this week, there will be in-depth discussions about them moving into the five-star ranks.

Lacey, meanwhile, is the highest-ranked four-star quarterback scheduled to compete this week. Without the lengthy offseason resume of the other three, Lacey will have the chance to remind everybody just why he is ranked so highly at No. 25 in the Rivals250.Smith has the elite gifts that made his father a star. The on-field work in Jacksonville will provide a good test for him, which will allow the Rivals analysts to get an idea of just how much he has progressed as a prospect.

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Will the running back rankings get sorted out this week?

This battle has been brewing for a long time and now the No. 1 and No. 2 running backs in the Rivals250 will compete on the same field for the first time. The debate between five-star LSU commit Harlem Berry and uncommitted five-star Jordon Davison could be settled after their performances in Jacksonville. Berry's skillset lends itself to the camp setting a bit more than Davison but the California native has made some big strides as a pass catcher. We'll be watching to see how well Davison catches, runs routes, and moves in the open field compared to his previous in-person evaluation.

Don't be surprised if running backs Gideon Davidson, Byron Louis, Jabree Coleman, Anthony Rogers, Shekai Mills-Knight or Jasper Parker make some noise on Wednesday too.

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 Are the five-star offensive linemen ready for the big stage?

There haven't been many national events where five-star Douglas Utu has performed but all eyes will be on him once he steps on the field on Wednesday. The enormous offensive tackle has been a five-star for over a year thanks to his overwhelming strength, elite technical abilities, and impressive measurables. Getting another check to watch Utu work against the best in the nation will be a great test.

Ohio State commit Carter Lowe was awarded his fifth star earlier this year and this week will be his first experience at a national event. He brings elite athleticism, an aggressive style and the measurables one would expect from a five-star prospect. Lowe's abilities will be pushed like never before when he suits up on Wednesday.

Keenyi Pepe, a 2026 five-star, is no stranger to the camp setting but this will be his toughest test yet. Technique and athletic potential have never been the biggest questions for Pepe. His playing strength and ability to handle more aggressive defensive linemen will be closely watched this week.

Immanuel Iheanacho was elevated to a five-star in the 2026 class earlier this month after verifying his measurables this spring. The only camp experience of his career was at this year's Baltimore Under Armour camp so this will be a major step up in competition. Lucky for Iheanacho, he has a lot going for him. He'll likely be the largest prospect in attendance and brings strength and balance to the field.

While these four offensive linemen will command a lot of attention, the entire offensive line group is incredibly talented and it won't be a surprise if any of them grab the spotlight come Wednesday. Keep an eye on Owen Strebig, Micah Debose, SJ Alofaituli, Avery Gach, Ziyare Addison, Mario Nash Jr., Michael Carroll, Max Buchanan, Jayvon McFadden, Kevin Brown and Leo Delaney.

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Is there another five-star receiver?

The depth of talent at the receiver position coming to the Rivals Five-Star this week is outstanding. Winston Watkins is the only five-star but there are plenty of other pass-catchers hoping to join him at the top of the rankings. Jaime Ffrench, a Jacksonville local, has been on the cusp of five-star status for months. The same can be said of Oregon commit Dallas Wilson. Recent Georgia commit Talyn Taylor has been very impressive this spring and hopes to cap his offseason with a performance that vaults him up to a five-star. Each of these three receivers rank inside the top 30 of the Rivals250.

Donovan Olugbode, Naeshaun Montgomery, Cortez Mills, Daylan McCutcheon, Corey Simms and Travis Smith are some other 2025 receivers who could make the jump to a five-star with an excellent performance.

Aaron Gregory currently ranks at No. 21 in the 2026 Rivals250 and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt isn't far behind him at No. 34. Both of them are well within shouting distance of earning their fifth star.

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