Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2020 quarterbacks
Rivals.com continues to roll out its updated rankings this week with a closer look at the pecking order at each position. Here we start with quarterbacks.
2020 RANKINGS: Pro-style quarterbacks | Dual-threat quarterbacks
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Rivals100 revealed | Mind of Mike | New five-stars
Wednesday: Rivals250 revealed | Analysts roundtable
Thursday-Friday: Updated position rankings
Saturday: Team rankings analysis
Sunday: Updated state rankings
TEAM WITH TOP COMMITS: LSU
LSU has already landed two of the top eight pro-style quarterbacks in the 2020 class and it’s one reason why the Tigers have the early lead in the team recruiting rankings.
Ponchatoula, La., four-star TJ Finley is a massive prospect with a huge arm who committed to LSU in May of his sophomore year. He’s currently rated as the eighth-best pro-style quarterback in the class. Finley’s pledge did not scare off Watkinsville (Ga.) Oconee County’s Max Johnson, who’s ranked No. 6 at pro-style QB and who picked LSU over more than a dozen other offers in late November.
Coach Ed Orgeron and his staff still might not be done at quarterback, either. No. 1 overall recruit D.J. Uiagalelei has his eyes on a visit to Baton Rouge, although many believe Clemson could be the team to beat with Oregon right there as well.
TEAM TO WATCH: Clemson
Clemson landed No. 1 overall prospect Trevor Lawrence in the 2018 class and he is already paying off huge for the Tigers, helping the ACC powerhouse to another national championship this season. Lawrence was so special that commentators were giving opinions about whether he would be the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft after his freshman season if he could leave school early.
The Tigers are right in the thick of the running for Uiagalelei, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound five-star quarterback who has super-special qualities and might be able to lead Clemson’s potent offense after Lawrence leaves for the NFL. Uiagalelei and his family will be back in Clemson for the spring game, the first trip there for his mother, and it could be important as the Tigers look for his commitment.
Oregon is also in the running and the five-star quarterback has also talked highly of LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma and others.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jay Butterfield
Jay Butterfield had a huge junior season where he threw for 3,294 yards with 43 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as Utah signee Sione Vaki was his favorite target and finished with more than 1,300 receiving yards.
The Brentwood (Calif.) Liberty standout visited Michigan during the season and he had an excellent time, plus it’s a huge plus that coach Jim Harbaugh played the QB position in the NFL. There is also an opportunity in Ann Arbor for Butterfield to possibly play early after Shea Patterson leaves after next season.
There is one twist here. Butterfield’s father, Mark, played at Stanford. The Cardinal have not offered the four-star quarterback yet but if that happens then the Pac-12 school could move quickly up his list of favorites.