With the updated Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to look at the updated position rankings. The offensive position rankings were released Wednesday and today the defensive position rankings are in the spotlight. Up first is the defensive line.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Strongside DE | Weakside DE | Defensive tackle | Offensive tackle | Offensive guard | Center | Tight end | Wide receiver | Running back | All-purpose RB | Pro-style QB | Dual-threat QB
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals250 revealed | Biggest risers | Gorney's position-by-position
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings revealed | Teams that should be pleased | Recruiting update on top 25 players | QB rankings spotlight | RB rankings spotlight | WR/TE rankings spotlight | OL rankings spotlight
Thursday: Defensive position rankings revealed
Friday: State rankings revealed
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NO. 1 AT THE POSITION: Colin Simmons
Simmons kicked off his junior season with an outstanding nationally televised performance. We've come to expect nothing less from the five-star and No. 4 prospect in the Rivals250. Simmons has elite athleticism and has advanced pass rushing and hand techniques that allow him to slip by blockers on his way into the backfield.
If this past weekend's game is any indication, Simmons is going to be an even bigger terror for offenses this season than he was last season.
As for his recruitment, Simmons isn't rushing the process. Texas, Alabama, LSU and Oregon are just four of the programs making their presence felt in his recruitment right now. Look for him to visit Texas when Alabama makes the trip to Austin.
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TWO PROGRAMS TO WATCH: Alabama and Oklahoma
The Sooners and new head coach Brent Venables are casting a wide net for defensive linemen in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Top 25 prospect David Stone is very close to the top of their wish list. Despite playing at IMG Academy in Florida, the Sooners still stand a good chance of getting Stone to come back to his home state. Williams Nwaneri is another Rivals250 prospect that holds the Sooners in high regard. Keep an eye on Oklahoma as they pursue players like Hevin Brown-Shuler, Nigel Smith, Elijah Rushing and Kavion Henderson. The Sooners are also very high on Nigel Smith but they are facing stiff competition in his recruitment.
In addition to Simmons, Alabama is also in the mix for Smith. The Crimson Tide are a real threat in the recruitment of top-15 prospect Eddrick Houston. Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson and Tennessee are just a few of his other suitors. Alabama is doing a good job of making an impression on Kamarion Franklin and Elijah Rushing too.
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THREE PROSPECTS TO WATCH
Houston was already a borderline five-star after the last rankings update and now he is the highest-ranked four-star in the nation. The No. 13 prospect in the Rivals250 has had a dominant start to his junior year and his development will be under a microscope as college coaches and scouts try to determine if he'll remain a traditional defensive end or play more as an outside linebacker at the next level.
Georgia, Clemson, Alabama and Tennessee look like the main contenders in his recruitment at the moment.
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Willor is already making his presence felt after transferring from the Baltimore area to IMG Academy. After a jaw-dropping pick-six in his first game for his new team, it's clear the national spotlight isn't too big for him. Even on a loaded defense at IMG, Willor could be one of the biggest defensive line stories to follow this fall if he keeps playing like this.
His recruitment is in the very early stages but keep an eye on Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland.
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Another highly-ranked defensive lineman playing in a new environment, Cunningham moved from Georgia to Los Alamitos High School in California this offseason. The massive defensive lineman has a ton of potential and the eyes of college coaches and scouts are fixed on him for his junior season. With exceptional physical gifts, the ceiling is high for Cunningham and so are the expectations. Earning his fifth star in the next update isn't out of the question but it all depends on how he does on the field this season.
