The Rivals Five-Star is back next week in Jacksonville and some of the nation’s top defensive backs in the 2025 and 2026 classes will be working out.
Here are five storylines we’re watching heading into the premier summer event.
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1. Will a DB earn a fifth star in Jacksonville?
In the 2025 class, there are three defensive backs who are not far out from being a five-star prospect.
Local Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin safety Hylton Stubbs is currently ranked No. 27 in the Rivals250. There are currently 18 five-stars in the 2025 cycle and Stubbs was a recent riser of 13 spots in the latest update. It would not be shocking at all to see him put on a showing that would call for a fifth star.
Not too far down the list is Chris Ewald Jr. at No. 40. Ewald was at No. 13 just over six months ago, but has since dipped down a few times. He could prove in Jacksonville that he needs to rise back up in the Rivals250.
The third in the 2025 class who could sneak up on five-stars is Mater Dei's Chuck McDonald III at No. 50 overall. The California native has been a steady riser this offseason, rising close to 50 spots total.
In the 2026 class, there is a duo that is much closer than even their 2025 counterparts to five-star status. Carrollton (Ga.) safety Zelus Hicks finds himself at No. 12 currently. There are eight five-stars in the 2026 cycle and the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder is out to hunt his fifth star. Just six spots behind him is Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna athlete Derrek Cooper. The multi-position prospect will be able to show his versatility in Jacksonville.
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2. Can Omarion Robinson break his ranking slide?
Little Rock (Ark.) Park View four-star safety Omarion Robinson is the top prospect in the state of Arkansas in 2025. Despite maintaining his No. 1 spot in the state, he has steadily dropped in the Rivals250. None of the drops have been drastic, going from No. 75 to No. 121 over eight individual rankings updates.
So, for essentially the first time, can Robinson reverse this trend and see his ranking go up? He will have an excellent opportunity to show just that, and maybe find himself back in the top-100.
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3. Does Jett White belong in the Rivals250 once again?
Like Robinson above him, Jett White was once a top-100 prospect, but he now finds himself on the outside looking in at the Rivals250. The Maryland commit has an ideal frame for the position at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds, so we will be looking for him to flash some of the abilities that were seen earlier in his recruitment.
In his most recent season, as a junior, White reportedly had 23 pass breakups along with one interception. It is that level of passing disruption we are looking to see from White in Jacksonville.
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4. What position will it be for Derrek Cooper?
Derrek Cooper is the top-ranked athlete in the country in the 2026 cycle. What makes him special is he truly could ride the "athlete" designation to the end as he is a special talent at multiple positions. Cooper is an incredibly versatile prospect who could excel as a running back, receiver, linebacker or defensive back.
At the Rivals Camp Series in Miami he chose to participate as a running back and dominated the competition. Cooper’s speed, quickness, burst, cutting abilities, size, long arms and ball skills made it nearly impossible for linebackers to keep him in check.
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5. Where will Hylton Stubbs end up?Â
USC has suffered some big decommitments in the month of June and there are rumbles Stubbs could be next. The No. 27 overall prospect committed to USC on March 24, but has since taken official visits, along with USC, to Florida State, Florida and Miami.
Stubbs was once predicted by several to commit to Florida before he soon after made the choice to commit to USC.
It will be a heated battle between at least the four programs who have hosted for official visits, but being as highly touted as he is, there are likely to be others who work to stay involved. USC has a tough battle on their hands to hold on the Jacksonville native.
