Published Feb 15, 2023
Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2024 QBs
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Adam Friedman  •  Rivals.com
Rankings Director and National Transfer Portal Analyst
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@RivalsFriedman

With the updated Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's now time to dive into the position rankings. The offensive position rankings are being released today, and up first are the quarterbacks.

NEW 2024 POSITION RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 Rivals250?

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

Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest Movers | Latest recruiting news on top 50 players

Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released

Thursday: Defensive position rankings released

Friday: State rankings released

Saturday: Roundtable

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No. 1 at the position: Dylan Raiola 

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Raiola finished this rankings update at the top of the quarterback rankings – and overall rankings – yet again. The former Ohio State commit has almost everything you’re looking for in a quarterback prospect. He has great size, incredible arm strength and enough mobility to keep defenses on their toes. He is consistently accurate and he sees the field very well.

Raiola's recruitment has been a little puzzling since he announced his split with the Buckeyes. Georgia immediately jumped out to the pole position, but the Bulldogs have yet to close on his commitment. With offensive coordinator Todd Monken leaving for the Baltimore Ravens and Georgia elevating Mike Bobo as the new OC in Athens it will be interesting to see how quickly Raiola‘s recruitment moves from here. Don’t be surprised if Nebraska, USC and a couple other schools have something to say before Raiola completely shuts down his recruitment.

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Two teams to watch: Georgia and Ohio State 

Georgia: Now that the offensive coordinator position has been ironed out it would make sense for Georgia to start to finalize some things with its quarterback situation in this class. Raiola will always be the top target for the Bulldogs, and it would make sense to see his recruitment move toward a commitment, but that might have to wait until he takes some visits this spring. With four-star Ryan Puglisi already on board, it will be interesting to see how the Bulldogs juggle a two-quarterback recruiting class moving forward.

Ohio State: The loss of Raiola certainly stings for the Buckeyes, but there are some other signal callers starting to emerge as targets for Ryan Day. Look for Ohio State to kick the tires on five-star Alabama commit Julian Sayin and former top target Jadyn Davis. Sayin seems to be locked in with the Tide at the moment and Davis hasn't shown much love for the Buckeyes since last spring. Puglisi has gotten some interest, thanks to some connections with the Ohio State staff. Don’t be surprised if the Buckeyes continue to buy time and wait for another top prospect to emerge.

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Three players in the spotlight

Jadyn Davis: Davis has kept everybody in suspense for months, and no end is in sight at this point. Michigan maintains the lead position in his recruitment, but the longer Davis holds out the less of a lock for the Wolverines he seems. North Carolina got him on campus last month and he enjoyed getting to meet new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. Clemson is still in the hunt and could be a team to watch moving forward after missing out on Rivals250 quarterback Walker White earlier this month. Where Davis decides to visit this spring will be a strong indicator about where his recruitment is headed.

CJ Carr: Carr has been committed to Notre Dame for months, but the departure of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for the same position at Alabama certainly raised some eyebrows in regards to Carr's recruitment. He is saying all the right things in public about his commitment, but it has to be concerning that Notre Dame continues to miss on offensive coordinator targets. It will be interesting to see how much longer Carr remains on board with the Fighting Irish if this trend continues.

Jake Merklinger: Georgia extended a new offer to Merklinger earlier this month, which surprised many around the country. Dylan Raiola has been considered a lock for the Bulldogs, but a new quarterback offer to an in-state quarterback while they wait for Raiola‘s commitment was surprising. All of this happening with Ryan Puglisi already in the fold added some more intrigue to the situation. What Merklinger does about this new offer and how seriously Georgia is taking him as a prospect should all be answered as the spring progresses.

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