8/19/2018 football Edit

Rivals Rankings Week: Class of 2019 Midwest states

Josh Helmholdt • Rivals.com

National Recruiting Analyst

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

In the final updates for the latest rankings release, we take a closer look at the storylines related the new state rankings. Here we look at the Midwest region.

1. Several states looking for separation at the top

Iowa, Minnesota and even Ohio have pretty clear No. 1 players topping their state rankings, but who will finish as the top guy in several other states across the region is anything but clear. One of the murkiest is Illinois, where the top three players are separated by just 17 spots in the Rivals250. Crystal Lake South offensive tackle Trevor Keegan has been the No. 1 player in the state since the beginning, but Iowa State running back commit Jirehl Brock and Alabama tight end commit Jahleel Billingsley are right on his heels. Additionally, Minnesota commits Jason Bargy and Tyler Nubin are high three-stars who could jump into that discussion with strong senior seasons.

Wisconsin does not have any four-star rated prospects in its 2019 class, but it has three 5.7 Rivals-rated prospects at the top including Wisconsin Badger commits Leo Chenal and Julius Davis. We will be looking for separation among that group this fall, as well as in Michigan and Indiana. Three offensive tackles top the state of Michigan’s 2019 state rankings, lead by Wisconsin Badger Logan Brown, and there are five players in the state who reside in the Rivals100 including Michigan State commits Devontae Dobbs and Julian Barnett. In Indiana, four-star David Bell is coming off a knee injury, and has Ohio State commit Sampson James and Purdue commit George Karlaftis, among others, aiming for his spot atop the state rankings.

2. Elite quarterbacks

Overall the quarterback position in the class of 2019 appears down across the country, with just 21 ranked four-stars or higher, whereas 30 reached that tier in the 2018 class. The Midwest contributes three of those quarterbacks, but two are the top-ranked prospects within their states, while the third ranks in the Rivals100.

Wisconsin commit Graham Mertz extended his lead as the No. 1 player in the state of Kansas after this update, moving up 19 spots in the Rivals100 after a strong summer showing that included an appearance at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas. TCU commit Max Duggan was No. 250 after the spring update and just gets nudged out of that ranking with a few more players moving in, but he remains the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Iowa’s 2019 class. Meanwhile, Dwan Mathis flipped his commitment from Michigan State to Ohio State in June, and even though he is not the top-ranked player in the state of Michigan, he is top five and ranked No. 90 in the Rivals100.

3. Potential star jumpers

Every prospect across the Midwest who suits up this season will be re-evaluated, but a few specific prospects are on the cusp of the next star rating and could tick up a tier with strong performances as seniors. Offensive tackle Logan Brown out of East Kentwood, Mich., is actually the highest-ranked four-star prospect in the 2019 class, checking in at No. 29 overall. Close behind are fellow Midwest offensive tackles Devontae Dobbs of Belleville, Mich., at No. 36 and Quinn Carroll of Edina, Minn., at No. 42.

Meanwhile, Midwest prospects at the top of the 5.7 three-star range include Missouri wide receiver commit Maurice Massey, Lakeville, Minn., offensive tackle Bryce Benhart, Michigan offensive tackle commit Zach Carpenter, Minnesota defensive end commit Jason Bargy and Iowa outside linebacker commit Jestin Jacobs.

4. First state ranking in Minnesota

It has taken a surprisingly long period of time to determine an initial top five in the state of Minnesota, even in a year when the state has a pair of nationally-recruited offensive line prospects. Behind Notre Dame four-star commit Quinn Carroll and Lakeville North high three-star Bryce Benhart, there really is not that sure-fire Power Five talent in the state.

Minnesota has taken commitments from three in-state prospects, but in each case they were the only Power Five offer for those prospects. Cole Kramer, though, is a gamer and gritty dual-threat quarterback commit for the Gophers. He has been a three-star prospect from the beginning and sits in the third spot in this initial ranking for the state. Minneapolis North cornerback Omar Brown and St. Paul Cretin-Derham Hall receiver Peter Udoibok, both two-star prospects, round out the five.

5. Missouri teammates dominate state ranking

A unique situation has developed in the state of Missouri with this 2019 class that points to the concentration of talent at certain high school programs. Out of the top 30 in the state, 20 of those prospects have teammates who are also in the ranking. The school with the most representatives is St. Louis Trinity Catholic with five, including the top two prospects in the state – athlete Isaiah Williams and wide receiver Marcus Washington.

St. Louis Cardinal Ritter has the third- and fourth-ranked prospects in the state with four-star wide receivers Jameson Williams and Cam Coleman, while St. Louis Lutheran North has the second most representatives in the ranking with three, including Minnesota defensive end commit D’Vion Harris. The highest-ranked prospect without a teammate in the ranking is Kansas City Rockhurst four-star offensive tackle Danielson Ike, who ranks sixth.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Monday: Who could land in new top 10? | Top 10 players revealed | Who is top wide receiver? | Could McCoy make push for No. 1?

Wednesday: New Rivals250 released | Rival Views: Nolan Groulx | Five schools that should be most pleased with new rankings | Players who could finish in Rivals100

Friday: DL rankings | LB rankings | DB rankings | ATH rankings

Saturday: Team rankings breakdown | Ask Farrell: Team rankings