Published Jun 16, 2024
Rivals Five-Star: West prospects that can boost ranking at event
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Adam Gorney  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Director
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@adamgorney

The Rivals Five-Star is June 25-26 in Jacksonville, and the top high school football prospects from across the country will compete against each other in the summer's marquee event. Many of these competitors are known quantities after competing at other events, but others have had fewer opportunities against elite competition and will have a chance to boost their stock.

Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney spotlights five of these prospects below.

The 2026 duo of four-star quarterback Luke Fahey and four-star receiver Vance Spafford led the way at Mission Viejo, Calif., last season but Bell was still an integral part of the offense who maybe just needed more chances to shine.

This offseason at numerous events, the four-star receiver has shown himself to be a great playmaker with fantastic hands who might not blow by every defensive back but has physical tools and the ability to make things happen. USC, Washington, Colorado, Ohio State and a host of others all involved in Bell's recruitment.

Against some elite defensive backs in Jacksonville, Bell could push higher than No. 21 at receiver in the 2025 Rivals250 and further solidify himself inside the top 100.

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The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star receiver was on such a loaded offense last season at running back and receiver that the ball got spread around a ton but Dixon-Wyatt is absolutely one of the better 2026 receivers in the country.

He has size, length, awesome hands and surprising speed down the field to make things happen and while Mater Dei’s receiving corps actually got better heading into this season with the addition of five-star Chris Henry, Dixon-Wyatt should be leaned on even more as an established veteran.

In Jacksonville, the question will be answered whether Dixon-Wyatt, who has Texas, Ohio State and Alabama as his front-runners, should be more in the five-star discussion. Currently No. 34 overall in the Rivals250, the Mater Dei receiver is right on the fringe and this could be a really telling event for him.

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The four-star receiver led powerhouse Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei in receptions last season for a loaded corps of playmakers at that position and his ranking has been all over the map over the last couple years.

Still, Harris is a very talented receiver with big-time playmaking skills and he could use the Rivals Five-Star to move back up into the top 100. Last weekend, the four-star took a visit to UCLA as the Bruins have emerged as a serious contender and this weekend he took a surprise trip to Oklahoma so his recruitment - and his ranking - remains in flux heading into the summer.

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McDonald is already a top-50 prospect. He’s ranked as the third-best player in California. He’s No. 7 at cornerback nationally. But a big performance in Jacksonville could push the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout even further into the five-star discussion as he’s a strong, fast cornerback who recently committed to Alabama.

It’s going to be tough to push five-star Ohio State commits Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord off the top lines at cornerback but McDonald and Dijon Lee could battle it out until the end of the recruiting cycle for the top corner spot in the West especially if the Mater Dei standout does well at the Five-Star.

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The San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln four-star quarterback threw for 2,431 yards with 25 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. His father was the third overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. And the Oregon commit has had a solid offseason at numerous events.

Currently ranked as the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in the 2025 class, a bunch of players at his position ahead of him will also be in Jacksonville so a bunch of top quarterbacks will all have a chance to show their stuff in the same setting. Smith has elite size and arm ability and this could be his chance at the Rivals Five-Star to move even higher in the rankings.