Rivals Rankings Week: Fifteen biggest risers in the Rivals250
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The postseason update to the 2023 Rivals250 just came out and there are a lot of new names and some familiar ones that made big moves up the rankings. Here's a closer look at a handful of players that made notable moves.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars | Latest recruiting news on five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest Risers | Gorney's thoughts | Teams that should be pleased
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released
Friday: State rankings released
Saturday: Roundtable
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Mathews is the biggest mover in this rankings update, returning to the Rivals250 at No. 46 overall. The Ohio State commit has shown spectacular development over the last year. His technical understanding of the position has progressed and his added experience has helped him to play faster, which allows him to maximize his impressive physical traits. Mathews plays with an aggressiveness, confidence and patience not seen very often at the high school level and his transition to the next level should go smoother as a result.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Hobbs is an outstanding athlete who should be able to give Tennessee's defensive staff a lot of flexibility once he arrives in Knoxville. The defensive lineman has the ability to play pretty much every position along the defensive front because of his speed, quickness, balance and strength. Hobbs, who also plays basketball, has a natural athleticism that allows him to beat blockers and get to the ball carrier in a variety of ways. He also makes a lot of plays as a tight end. Look for Hobbs, who landed at No. 55 in the latest Rivals250, to make a major impact at the next level once he adjusts to the size and strength of SEC offensive linemen.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Hall is a dominant defensive tackle who has a skill set college coaches covet. He is very quick at the snap and can get into the backfield before offensive linemen know it. Hall has impressive upper body strength and has no problem moving offensive linemen out of his way en route to the backfield. His hand techniques are effective but his overall pass rushing moves aren’t overly developed. Once Hall puts his athletic traits together with refine techniques, he could be a major force at the next level.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
There aren’t many receivers with Leacock’s physical profile, on-field production and track background. The Tennessee commit finished his senior season with more than 1,700 receiving yards on 82 catches and hauled in 23 touchdown catches. Leacock has very good straight line speed and has the strength to battle defensive backs that try to knock him off his route. He also has a lot of success in jump ball situations. Leacock is very tough to bring down in the open field and will be used in the screen game frequently at the next level.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Carter isn’t the biggest linebacker but he is a very sure tackler and has sideline-to-sideline speed. He is instinctual and plays with an explosiveness college coaches are looking for at the linebacker position. Carter, despite being a little undersized, is pretty physically developed and shouldn’t have too much trouble adjusting to the size and speed of the college game. His ability to quickly read and react to the play and then flow to the ball carrier are skills that should translate to the next level.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Culliver is an explosive receiver that can line up on the outside or in the slot. He does an excellent job getting open on downfield routes and has a good sense of timing on jump balls. Culliver can take short passes and turn them into big gains because he is so slippery and explosive in the open field. He isn’t the strongest receiver but he does a nice job of getting free releases off the line of scrimmage. Once Culliver is in his route, it’s been very difficult for defensive backs to disrupt his timing with the quarterback.
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Previously ranked: No. 187, Moved up 112 spots
Williams is an outstanding offensive line prospect with a very high ceiling. He might be one of the top two or three run blockers in this class. The Penn State commit shows unique athleticism for an interior lineman. Williams has no problem driving his man off the line, making key blocks at the second or third level, and is excellent at finding a defender to block when in space. Williams has very little experience as a pass blocker so he could see his ranking rise even more once those skills are put on display.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Limar may be a little small but he is a very capable back. He’s a tough back that could see upwards of 15 touches per game at the next level. Limar’s vision and quickness allow him to find running lanes and then he can turn on the jets to outrun the defense. Look for Limar to physically mature at the next level before seeing regular action.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Quarterbacks love receivers that effortlessly catch the ball and that’s what they’ll be getting in Gray. He is a smooth route runner that has no trouble getting open, regardless of who is covering him. Gray’s coaches at the next level will surely use him a lot in the short and intermediate passing game. He isn’t physically imposing but he is still hard to tackle in the open field.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Wilcox is a tough runner with the speed to score from anywhere on the field and an aggressive style. He put up huge numbers this season against very good competition. Wilcox is hard to bring down in the open field because of his strength but he can make defenders miss as well. He has the ability to be a factor in the passing game but he’s primarily a runner and will be used that way at the next level.
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Previously ranked: No. 210, Moved up 105 spots
Hall is a very physical linebacker who racks up tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage. He’s also an asset in coverage, thanks to his spatial awareness and overall speed. Hall does a good job taking on and shedding blockers on his way to the ball carrier. He has the speed to track down ball carriers on runs to the outside too. Look for the Michigan State commit to see action fairly early in his college career.
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Previously ranked: No. 199, Moved up 99 spots
Green is one of the best defensive linemen in this class. His quickness will give him an edge over nearly every offensive lineman he’ll face at the next level. There are some elements of Green’s game that are raw but once he adjusts to the college game he has a chance to be dominant. Clemson has churned out impressive defensive linemen in the last few years and Green could continue that trend if he develops as expected.
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Previously ranked: No. 123, Moved up 91 spots
Speed, power and vision set Baxter apart from most of the other running backs in this class. The Texas commit can run over or around nearly every defender he comes across. Baxter does a good job seeing the running lanes open in front of him and is nimble enough to slip through small openings in the line. It will be interesting to watch his game develop at the next level and to see how he adjusts to the speed of college defenders.
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Previously ranked: Outside the Rivals250
Paige is a massive offensive lineman who moves surprisingly well. He has plenty of experience as a run and pass blocker that college coaches will build on once he arrives on campus. Paige can play with a mean streak and has very little trouble landing blocks at the second level of the defense. The speed of the college game can cause some issues with the development of offensive linemen but it shouldn't be a huge hurdle for Paige.
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Previously ranked: No. 150, Moved up 87 spots
Cobb is an explosive back who can run effectively between the tackles or toward the outside. He may not run over many defenders but he has the quickness to make the miss or to simply outrun them. Cobb also does a good job catching the ball out of the backfield. Expect to see a lot of that once he gets to the next level. Cobb will see plenty of physical development before getting regular playing time.