Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the updated ATHs
RANKINGS: Athletes
Following a long spring of camps, 7-on-7s and combines, the Rivals’ rankings for the 2020 class have been updated and several big changes took place. We conclude our position-by-position look at the updated athlete rankings.
Rivals Rankings Week
Monday: Top 10 revealed | Who could break into final top 10? | Who is No. 1 TE?
Tuesday: Updated Rivals100 revealed | New five-stars | Mind of Mike | Three in line for fifth star
Wednesday: Updated Rivals250 revealed | Analyst roundtable | Teams that should be pleased | Who could break into Rivals250?
Thursday: New offensive position rankings revealed
Friday: New defensive position rankings revealed
Saturday: Team rankings breakdown
Sunday: New state rankings revealed
TOP CLASS: Florida State
The athlete position saw several players move out to new positions, while several new additions took their places. When it all shook out, former No. 1 Arik Gilbert moved out to the tight end position, and Cartavious “Tank” Bigsby ascended to the top of the position rankings. South Carolina and Georgia are two programs regularly cited among the top contenders for the versatile offensive weapon. There is only one team with multiple commits in this ranking, however, and that is Florida State. Both of the prospects pledged to the Seminoles at this position – Jadarius Green-McKnight and Demorie Tate – are rated four stars and rank in the top 25 at the position.
PLAYER WHO MADE NOISE: Mookie Cooper
Sitting just behind Bigsby in the No. 2 spot in this ranking after he climbed in the Rivals100 is St. Louis (Mo.) Trinity Catholic product Mookie Cooper. It has been an eventful few months for Cooper since the athlete position rankings were last updated. In mid-February Cooper announced a commitment to Texas, but just a few weeks later rescinded that pledge after realizing it was premature.
Cooper continued to impress on the camp and 7-on-7 scene throughout the spring, primarily at slot receiver, but also lining up as a defensive back at times. His showing at the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas in May earned the four-star a spot in Atlanta for the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge, and he capped off an eventful spring by naming a top five of Illinois, Miami, Ohio State, Texas and USC on June 4.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jordan Watkins
One of the fastest-rising prospects this spring was Louisville’s Jordan Watkins, who debuts at No. 23 in this ranking and the highest three-star at the position. The 6-foot, 180-pound Watkins has the frame that could plug in at several positions in college, and the skill set to match. Wide receiver is the position he primarily plays now, however, and where we saw him most this off-season … and we saw a lot of Watkins this off-season. The Butler High standout was always ready to compete and showcase his talent, and that attitude helped spur a string of offers that saw his list increase from just one school entering the spring, to one that now numbers double-digit schools including the hometown Louisville Cardinals, which just offered on June 2.