Rivals Rankings Week: Final five-star countdown for 2024 class
The final rankings for the 2024 class are being released this week and we kicked things off today with the Five-Star Countdown. We counted down all 31 of our five-stars with recruiting director Adam Gorney's take on each, finishing with the player who gets etched in Rivals history as the overall No. 1 prospect in 2024: Ohio State-bound Jeremiah Smith.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Final 2024 Rivals250 released | Biggest Risers | Gorney's final thoughts on 2024 class
Wednesday: Final offensive position rankings released
Thursday: Final defensive position rankings released
Friday: Final state rankings released
Saturday: Rankings Roundtable
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Gorney's Take: Jeremiah Smith has been one of the most dominant receivers in Rivals history and is arguably the best receiver since Julio Jones in the 2008 class. The Ohio State signee has it all – size, hands, playmaking ability, deceptive speed and so much more.
Something that’s not talked about enough with Smith is his competitive drive. He’s dominated so many events for years and always goes out to prove he’s the best.
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Gorney's Take: The five-star quarterback pulled one of the biggest surprises in recent memory, flipping from powerhouse Georgia to Nebraska but immediately becomes the favorite to start in Lincoln next season.
Dylan Raiola is almost the exact same height and weight as Patrick Mahomes and plays the game in a similar way. He makes tough plays look easy, throwing from different arm angles and playing with supreme confidence.
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Gorney's Take: Ellis Robinson is listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds but he has length and size. It looks like he wouldn’t be so smooth in coverage but he can do everything from the cornerback spot.
The Georgia signee was tested multiple times during his senior season and answered every call and then looked phenomenal again at the Under Armour Game. He plays with a quiet confidence and determination to be great. He uses his instincts and athleticism to back it up.
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Gorney's Take: Ryan Williams was so dominant and impressive at the Under Armour Game that it was at least discussed if he should be considered for the No. 1 receiver spot in the country. It was nearly impossible to move Jeremiah Smith since he’s been so impressive but Williams at least made it a discussion.
He is incredibly fluid, has phenomenal hands and is such a playmaker that he has superstar written all over him. After a long commitment to Alabama, Williams backed off that pledge as Texas A&M, Texas and Auburn have made a run at him. The Crimson Tide are still very much a strong contender.
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Gorney's Take: No defensive player had a more dominant showing than David Stone during the Under Armour week and then he continued to show he was unstoppable at the Polynesian Bowl with speed, power, length and a determination that he won’t be stopped.
The Oklahoma signee has all the tools to be an elite pass rusher for the Sooners and what stands out most than all those high-end physical qualities is a determination to be great each time he steps on the field.
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Gorney's Take: Julian Sayin had a quiet all-star season, opting not to participate in any of the games, but since then has been anything but quiet for the No. 2-ranked QB in the class. He was signed with Alabama, but when coach Nick Saban retired, Sayin entered the transfer portal. And now he's heading to Ohio State.
Prepared, cerebral and with the skills to attack on the field, Sayin is like a poker player who has aces. He is smart enough to lure everyone in and then take all their money. He’s been coached for years, he has all the tools both mentally and physically to be a star and he still has all the opportunities to be elite in Columbus.
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Gorney's Take: It is a testament to the greatness of this wide receiver class that Cam Coleman is third among the five-stars at his position. In any other recruiting cycle, the Auburn signee could easily be considered No. 1 at the spot with his size, length and playmaking ability against any cornerback.
Coleman doesn’t always separate but he has the size to go up and over anybody and the five-star, who flipped late from Texas A&M, has the ability to make really tough catches look easy.
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Gorney's Take: As the Under Armour week went on, Williams Nwaneri got better and better as he got used to the highest-end offensive tackles blocking him, but there’s no question about a few things when it comes to his game: The Missouri signee has elite length and size to come off the edge and cause a lot of problems.
He also has not reached his full potential and should only get better in the years to come. Nwaneri is exactly what a top-end, modern-day defensive end in the NFL looks like. If he puts everything together in the coming years he could easily be a first-round selection.
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Gorney's Take: Micah Hudson took it easy during Under Armour week which is a little unfortunate because he had the opportunity to prove he’s the best receiver in the class. His film and production are unbelievable as the Texas Tech signee is the ultimate playmaker and game-breaker who can make things happen every time he touches the ball.
Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said on signing day that Hudson is the best receiver in the class. Of course, he was doing some politicking for his guy but maybe McGuire is right.
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Gorney's Take: The Texas signee missed Under Armour week with a high ankle sprain and it would have been great to see him. Still, Colin Simmons reminds us of a smaller version of Will Anderson – faster off the edge but not as powerful at the same stage – and the Longhorns could use him as a pure edge rusher or in space to make plays all over the field.
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Gorney's Take: The first thing that catches your eye about Justin Williams is that it looks like he was created in a lab to play linebacker. He has perfect size, he looks great just warming up and then through drills, one-on-ones and team drills, the Georgia signee made a huge impact.
Williams flies all over the field, he’s physical and fast. The five-star can do everything needed on the field. He should be great in the Dawgs’ defense.
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Gorney's Take: Off the field, Dominick McKinley is so soft-spoken and is almost shy during conversations. But when the LSU commit, who flipped from Texas A&M on New Year’s Day, steps on the field, the new five-star plays with physicality, toughness and he was pushing around offensive linemen at the Under Armour Game.
The Lafayette (La.) Acadiana not only has size and length at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, but he plays with a toughness and physical presence that’s not common.
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Gorney's Take: For someone who’s 6-foot-5 and more than 300 pounds, Justin Scott moves incredibly well and can be a real nuisance up the middle. The Miami signee is not just a big space eater along the defensive line. Scott can get skinny, can shoot gaps and then get into the backfield and cause problems.
There was often talk that Scott would be even more elite as an offensive tackle and we saw why at the All-American Bowl because of his athleticism and light feet. But as a defensive tackle Scott should shine as well.
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Gorney's Take: There was discussion heading into the all-star events that safety could be a position that sees a lot of changes but after the Under Armour and All-American Bowl weeks, KJ Bolden stayed on top and rightfully so.
The Georgia signee has length, ranginess, athleticism, and a knack to always be around the football. He’s a phenomenal athlete who can cover all over the field.
It’s no wonder he was such an excellent receiver at Buford, Ga., during his career because he’s someone who will make plays anywhere and everywhere.
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Gorney's Take: Terry Bussey spent the all-star weeks at the Under Armour Game and the Polynesian Bowl playing receiver and he showed he’s elite there as well. He would easily be considered among the five-stars at that position even if he plays defensive back long term.
The credo that coaches should put their best athletes on defense could have been written for Bussey because he should be a phenomenal defensive back since he’s such a terrific athlete. But, wow, it’s going to be tough to keep him away from contributing on offense as well.
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Gorney's Take: What’s so impressive about Joseph Jonah-Ajonye is that he’s all of 6-foot-5 and looks great but is also only 260 pounds so he has a frame to add weight and become even more dominant.
The Georgia signee was one of the best-looking prospects at the Under Armour Game and then he went out and won rep after rep. He has length and size, and he hasn’t maxed out physically yet. That’s usually a really good combination.
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Gorney's Take: No defensive player at the All-American Bowl was more impressive than Marquise Lightfoot, who plays the edge position like he was shot out of a cannon and has a reckless aggression to his game that cannot be taught. The Miami signee blasts off the edge, catching slower offensive tackles off guard, he has phenomenal speed to attack the backfield and then Lightfoot has a great motor to do it again and again.
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Gorney's Take: Eddrick Houston might not have the elite length of some other defensive ends in this class but what he lacks there, the Ohio State signee more than makes up for with power and toughness at the point of attack.
The Buford, Ga., standout can run through offensive tackles, he has a solid build that drives through the offensive line and then Houston has the speed to track down plays and make the tackle. Other defensive ends in the class might have that wow factor but Houston is a playmaker.
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Gorney's Take: For a long time, the people at powerhouse Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco said Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa could end up as the best defensive player in program history and the Notre Dame signee has proven it time and again.
He’s mature and serious about what he wants to accomplish on and off the field. Viliamu-Asa goes out and delivers every single time. Whether he’s blitzing, dropping in coverage or running sideline-to-sideline, the five-star linebacker can do it all. He could be special in South Bend.
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Gorney's Take: Kamaron Franklin decided against participating in any of the all-star events which was unfortunate because he has not experienced a lot of national competition. But a few things are for sure when it comes to the Ole Miss signee. The five-star defensive end was highly productive during his high school career, he was a sack machine and there are legitimate comparisons to another former five-star from Mississippi in Jeffery Simmons.
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Gorney's Take: Perhaps Jaylen Mbakwe is not the most polished cornerback in this class but his speed and athleticism are off the charts and he has incredible playmaking ability. Mbakwe also played all over the field in high school and that type of versatility cannot be taught.
If he’s not a Day 1 starter for Alabama, fans must be patient because as he gets more time playing the position, Mbakwe is only going to get more comfortable. He has the speed of an elite cornerback. He showed that all week during the Under Armour Game.
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Gorney's Take: Over the years, Jordan Seaton has proven he can play anywhere along the offensive line and that type of position versatility is so important for potential first-rounders. At the Under Armour Game, the Colorado signee showed that not only is he massive and a wide-bodied offensive lineman but that he can move really well, be physical, tough and can handle speed on the outside. With Colorado’s deficiencies along the offensive line, Seaton has a chance to see early playing time in Boulder.
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Gorney's Take: Xavier Filsaime plays like a cornerback but in a safety’s body. The Texas signee who flipped late from Florida is filled out, physical and can hit. But what’s most impressive about the new five-star is that he can cover so well. Whether jamming at the line of scrimmage, running with a receiver through his route or making a play on the ball, Filsaime has all the qualities of an elite defensive back. We felt it was only right to move him up to the highest status.
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Gorney's Take: Dylan Stewart did not have a great week at Under Armour as he struggled against some offensive linemen during one-on-one drills but the South Carolina signee showed flashes of what he could be on a consistent basis. He might be the best-looking prospect in the entire class – all of 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds with a frame that could add more weight and keep his athleticism.
Stewart has special physical qualities and if rankings are a projection to his expected college performance and his NFL Draft position then Stewart belongs among the five-stars.
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Gorney's Take: For years at Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, Zabien Brown has been a shutdown cornerback with length, size and speed, and played with tremendous technique and instincts.
At the All-American Bowl, the new five-star showed all of those qualities against some of the best receivers in the 2024 class and he shut them down as well.
The Alabama signee was really the only corner who gave five-star receiver Jeremiah Smith some serious competition so that was definitely noteworthy.
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Gorney's Take: The reclassified defensive end from 2025 to 2024 opted out of the all-star events and that was not good news because it would have been great to see him against players in his new class to compare him with those guys on a national level.
Still, Armondo Blount has a college-ready frame and can use power to beat offensive tackles. He doesn’t have the length of some other elite defensive ends in this class, but the Miami signee who flipped late from Florida State can bend and get to the outside well.
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Gorney's Take: Brandon Baker only competed at the Polynesian Bowl but we’ve seen the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei right tackle dominate for years against the best high school competition in the country. The Texas signee is not overly physical where he just relies on mashing defensive linemen into the ground. He’s technical, smart, patient and waits for the edge rusher to come to him.
Baker can handle speed to the outside because he’s light on his feet or he can anchor down and handle power coming right at him. He hardly ever loses a rep.
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Gorney's Take: DJ Lagway had such a phenomenal senior season that it was impossible not to move him up to five-star status. He struggled a little during the Under Armour Game finding chemistry with receivers and some balls that needed more zip on them, but Lagway is a gamer and he could be a future star in Gainesville.
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Gorney's Take: Myles Graham has an NFL pedigree, he’s grounded, super mature and has a laser focus to bring Florida football back among the nation’s elite. The five-star linebacker is also super productive on the field and it’s no surprise he was one of the leading tacklers in the Under Armour Game.
The Gators signee is smart and calculating, knows where a play is going and then has the athleticism and play-making ability (he was also a great running back in high school like his father, Earnest) to go and make the tackle.
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Gorney's Take: There is nothing flashy about Mike Matthews’ game but that should not be lost on incredible production and the ability to get open, catch passes and keep the offense moving down the field.
The Tennessee signee is not regularly going to make highlight-reel catches like some other receivers in this class but he’s going to be super steady and reliable. Matthews has the speed to take the top off and go deep in the Volunteers’ offense. He’s all substance and not a ton of flash.
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Gorney's Take: We would have loved to see Air Noland in an all-star setting but the Ohio State signee opted against it. Still, Noland’s body of work over the years from a phenomenal junior season to a great showing at the Elite 11 over the summer has convinced us he should stay among the five-star elite.
We’re not thrilled he wasn’t at an all-star game and his stats did come down significantly in his senior season but the lefty has all the tools of an elite quarterback and we think he’s worth a shot here.
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CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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