Rivals Rankings Week: Final 2020 LB rankings
Rivals Rankings Week rolls along with debut of the new position rankings. While most people pay close attention to the Rivals100 and the Rivals250, plenty of moves happen across the board, especially at various positions. Today, we take a look at the new rankings at inside and outside linebacker and look at some of the biggest storylines at the position.
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Final 2020 Position Rankings: Inside linebackers | Outside linebackers
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
2020 RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Top 10 released
Tuesday: Rivals100 released | Breaking down the new five-stars | Mind of Mike
Wednesday: Rivals250 released
Thursday/Friday: Final position rankings released
Saturday: Team rankings breakdown
Sunday: Final state rankings released
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TEAM WITH THE HIGHEST-RANKED COMMIT: Oregon
The Ducks actually have the nation’s top two ranked linebackers in Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell, who each finished the cycle ranked in the Top 10 of the overall prospects. Flowe, who was ranked as high as No. 2 overall during the various updates for the 2020 class, missed the All-American Game in San Antonio, but reminded everyone of his dominance at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii. Flowe is the complete package and a perfect fit for the modern defensive game. He should have every opportunity to see the field early in Eugene. Flowe and Sewell, along with four-star Jackson LaDuke, make quite the linebacker haul for the Ducks in 2020.
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TEAM TO WATCH: Clemson
Linebacker is a position of need for the Tigers, and they did a good job filling that need with a solid haul at linebacker in the 2020 class. The group is highlighted by five-star Trenton Simpson, who Clemson reeled in with a strong late push in December. The move also helped Oregon land Flowe in a domino effect that could have major reverberations over the next few years in college football.
Joining Simpson at Clemson is a pair of Georgia linebackers in Sergio Allen and Kevin Swint. Both are ranked as high three-stars, but Clemson fans will be quick to point out that so was Isaiah Simmons, who is likely to be a first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
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PLAYER TO WATCH: James Thomas
There aren’t a lot of prospects left on the market at any position, and linebacker is particularly thin when it comes to available options. That’s where Thomas comes into play, as he’s become a popular prospect among coaches. Right now, West Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee are all battling to land Thomas when he announces his commitment on signing day in February.
He’s already taken an official visit to Morgantown and next up are trips to Columbia and Knoxville. The Vols will get the last crack at him and will have a chance to lock him up late. There is some discussion that Thomas could end up in the junior college ranks and the schools in the mix here could also be laying the groundwork for another recruitment down the road.