Rivals Rankings Week: Analysts discuss biggest debates

The rankings update for the 2026 class has wrapped up and there were plenty of big movers and controversial decisions that coaches, players and fans are discussing.

The national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Marshall Levenson and Greg Smith – sit down at the Rankings Roundtable and discuss.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be No. 1?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-star

Tuesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Position-by-position | Biggest risers

Wednesday: New offensive position rankings | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown

Thursday: New defensive position rankings | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown | Rivals Rankings Podcast

Friday: New state rankings | Who is No. 1 in each state?

Saturday: Rivals Rankings Roundtable

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Friedman: Dezephen Walker should be a successful running back in college when he does get there, but at No. 59 in the Rivals250, I was hoping Walker would have shown more this offseason. He didn’t really fill up the stat sheet as a sophomore, has posted inconsistent times on the track and didn’t do much this offseason to show that he has a better skill set than some of the other running backs in this class. Don’t get me wrong, I like what Walker can do on the field but his resume doesn’t scream “top 100 prospect” right now.

Garcia: Chris Henry has some of the freakiest physical traits at the wide receiver position. He is a legitimate 6-foot-5 or better, with long arms and the type of catch radius quarterbacks dream of – not to mention the NFL bloodlines. There is also plenty of polish to his game relative to his age to warrant a high ranking, but the No. 3 overall recruit and top-ranked skill prospect in the country is a lofty mantle for a recruit who still brings some questions to the table. Can Henry separate against elite defensive backs? Is he growing out of the wide receiver position? We're splitting hairs, and the positional value factors in due to lack of precedent, but that's the gig at the top of the rankings and Henry doesn't feel like the layup that Jeremiah Smith became in the 2024 class.

Gorney: Maxwell Riley is a very talented player and an elite offensive lineman who plays with power and speed. He isn't maxed out physically yet which we love but there are also some questions that need to be answered before I see him as a top-10 player in the class. At 6-foot-3, is the big-time Ohio State target going to have the length necessary to play offensive tackle in the Big Ten? At 265 pounds would he have the size and power to move inside? We would love to see Riley at some national events before punching a five-star ticket and he hasn't been on the circuit much this offseason. There's no question Riley is really talented but right now he's the first four-star outside the five-star range and that seems a little high.

Levenson: This will be based on personal experience of seeing him, but I would have liked to see more out of Jared Curtis this offseason. In my exposure of him in a 7v7 atmosphere, it was not the result he was hoping for and struggled at times. He is certainly talented, but No. 19 might be slightly too high for me right now.

Smith: Houston commit Keisean Henderson is one of our top-ranked athletes in the class of 2026. He’s got a lot of tools to like with his size and athleticism. However, he’s committed to Houston as a quarterback and is extremely raw at that position. There are other schools who liked him at safety or wide receiver. His ranking would be more justified in my mind as a safety.

Friedman: Donovan Murph should have made the Rivals250 but fell just short. The big-time receiver out of South Carolina has outstanding measurables, great track times and has a ways to go before he reaches his full potential. Murph is plenty productive at the high school level and he has a skill set that college coaches should love. He has the ability to be a successful outside receiver and he can do a lot of damage from the slot as well. Don’t be surprised to see Murph makes the next version of the 250.

Garcia: Jake Kreul, a pass-rush specialist, opened up as a four-star and jumped into the Rivals250 this time around, sitting at No. 246 nationally, but still may not be high enough. Kreul had 17 sacks in 2023 and has followed it up with gaudy camp efforts, taking home a gold ball at RCS Miami and earning offers from Michigan, Clemson and Auburn this camp season. The polish and wide array of tools he brings as a pass-rusher is as advanced as any edge player in the class. As Kruel continues to fill out his frame, he may be able to add even more power elements to an already deep bag at a premium position, which would command more jumps up the rankings in the cycle.

Gorney: Na'eem Burroughs has proven to be an elite playmaker and even if he's a little undersized, he could be the best slot receiver in the 2026 class. The Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles standout will be at the Rivals Five-Star in a few weeks to show off his abilities and while players like Chris Henry Jr., Aaron Gregory and other taller, longer receivers have drawn a lot of attention, there might not be a better shifty, small receiver in the class than Burroughs.

Levenson: I believe I had the same answer last update, but I am going with Southlake Carroll wide receiver Brock Boyd. Boyd has had a very strong camp season and has picked up double digit offers including Oregon, Arizona and Ole Miss. His best performances come against the top competition.

Smith: Davison (Mich.) offensive lineman Ben Nichols made his debut in the Rivals250 this time around. We still might have him too low. Nichols (6-5, 320) more than held his own at the camp I saw him at this spring. He was able to play both inside and outside which makes him more valuable to schools. Iowa and Notre Dame are a couple of the early schools standing out to him.

Friedman: The upside Tristian Givens has as a defensive end is really exciting. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound prospect out of Georgia has elite explosiveness at the snap, effective hand techniques, and shows off the balance and quickness that can make him a constant presence in the offensive backfield. Givens posted 10 sacks last season to go along with 12 quarterback hurries in addition to playing tight end on offense. That type of athleticism and production is really encouraging so it’s not surprising to see his recruitment takeoff like it has.

Garcia: Every time we see Derrek Cooper, a new Georgia commitment, he impresses just a little bit more. It has resulted in a steady rise up the Rivals250, where he now sits as the top-ranked ATH projection and within the top 20 overall. Having seen him in the spring, working the running back position with a combination of power and speed that can't be taught, the floor is rising with Cooper's projection. The ceiling has always been sky high, especially when talking about a potential defensive projection at safety or linebacker, but at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with truly blazing speed and natural football instincts – Cooper is an easy recruit to campaign for regardless of position.

Gorney: Madden Williams in the top 100 should end up being a really smart move. He had a solid if not spectacular sophomore season at powerhouse Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco but has now had maybe the best offseason of any receiver in the West if not the country. Williams is a big, physical receiver with deceptive speed down the field and he has emerged as an elite pass-catcher in this class. If he translates it on the field for his junior year then the four-star could move even higher on the list.

Levenson: A player who has had a massive offseason who deserved to have their ranking reflect it is offensive tackle John Turntine, who has awesome measurables at 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds with an 83-inch wingspan. He could be a guard in the future, but athleticism and lower half will allow him to play tackle if he chooses.

Smith: Jonas Williams has been a quarterback on our radar for a while now. Because he plays for a high-profile 7-on-7 team in Midwest Boom, we’ve gotten to see his development up close. This winter and spring we saw sharp improvement in his consistency. He’s got a lot of arm talent and plenty of mobility to extend plays with his legs. Williams was a huge riser this update and will make me look good moving forward.