Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2020 defensive backs
Rivals.com’s position-by-position look at the updated 2020 rankings rolls forward with an examination of how things shook out at defensive back, a position that includes multiple five-star prospects and a handful of blueblood programs battling it out for their commitments.
2020 RANKINGS: Cornerbacks | Safeties
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Rivals100 revealed | Mind of Mike | New five-stars
Wednesday: Rivals250 revealed | Analyst roundtable
Thursday-Friday: Updated position rankings
Saturday: Team rankings analysis
Sunday: Updated state rankings
TEAM WITH TOP COMMIT: LSU
LSU made waves with a massive out-of-state get, when California-based five-star Elias Ricks committed to the Tigers on Christmas 2018. LSU will have to hold on, sure, but as things stand now Ricks’ decision is as a massive feather in the cap of proven recruiter Ed Orgeron and his staff. Ricks’ blend of size and speed isn’t readily available, so Orgeron pulling him way off of the West Coast is a coup to say the least. It’s also a pain in the side of Pac-12 programs that sometimes have trouble keeping elite talent home.
PROSPECT TO WATCH: Kelee Ringo
There are multiple reasons to keep an eye on Ringo, a five-star cornerback out of Arizona. The first is obviously the fact that he’s enormously talented and considering a long list of major colleges. At this point, Washington, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Georgia seem to be the most likely landing spots, but other programs are also involved. The second reason to watch Ringo is the fact that he continues to make a push for the top spot in the cornerbacks rankings. Currently No. 2, he’s tasked with the job of chasing down fellow five-star Elias Ricks. The gap between them is extremely small.
TEAM TO WATCH: USC
Things may not be great at USC after a 5-7 finish a season ago, but an opportunity still exists in this class. Four Rivals100 defensive backs hail from either California or Arizona, giving the Trojans a solid shot of landing a couple impact prospects should they get things straightened out of the field. Players such as Ringo, Ricks, Clark Phillips and Lanthan Ransom are all in play for USC but could also fan out across the country should things in LA fail to stabilize. Either way, it’s a situation to monitor.
