Rivals Rankings Week: Five-Star Countdown for 2025 class
The 2025 class rankings receive an update this week, and we kicked it off as always with the Five-Star Countdown. We counted down our 18 five-stars in the class on Monday, with Adam Gorney's thoughts on each player.
On Tuesday, the full updated Rivals250 for 2025 will be released.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: New Rivals250 released | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest movers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings
Thursday: New defensive position rankings
Friday: New state rankings
Saturday: Rankings roundtable
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Gorney's Take: The new No. 1 player in the 2025 class, Julian Lewis has reclassified from 2026 but the USC commit has an incredibly advanced skill set. Training with elite quarterbacks in Georgia for years, Lewis is ready for the next level mentally and while he’ll never be the biggest quarterback that is not a knock in today’s game.
From arm strength to decision-making to leadership qualities, Lewis has everything one looks for in a superstar quarterback.
He's still being pursued heavily by Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Colorado and others.
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Gorney's Take: David Sanders has moved to No. 2 from the top spot in the 2025 class but it is absolutely not a poor reflection on his ability or projection to college football and the NFL. The Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day five-star is one of the more athletic offensive tackles in recent years. Sanders has added tons of confidence and toughness to his game as his body has developed.
Georgia could have the early edge in his recruitment but Clemson, Tennessee, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan and others are still involved.
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Gorney's Take: There is not a more dynamic playmaker in the 2025 class than the five-star LSU quarterback commit as he could be destined for great things in Baton Rouge. Bryce Underwood was looking for a pass-happy offense when he went through his recruiting process and it’s why the Tigers beat out Michigan and others for his services.
He can fine-tune some of his throwing mechanics but in terms of arm strength, getting the ball to his receivers on time and making something out of nothing, no one is better.
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Gorney's Take: Dakorien Moore makes the impossible catch possible. The five-star LSU receiver commit on numerous occasions has made highlight-reel catches, in games or 7on7 tournaments, and it speaks to his playmaking ability and unusual skill to bring in difficult passes.
Not only does Moore have that ability but he also has electric speed down the field and in many ways it’s easy to see him following in the footsteps of Odell Beckham Jr., JaMarr Chase, Justin Jefferson and others as the Tigers’ next elite receiver. However, Texas and others are still trying to flip him.
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Gorney's Take: At a legitimate 6-foot-3, only two cornerbacks in the NFL this past season were taller than Devin Sanchez by an inch but we still think he has every elite quality of a potential first-round draft pick. The Ohio State commit, who was also looking at Texas A&M and many others, has fantastic cover skills and he’s not lumbering or too big for the position.
Sanchez can run with anybody and closes great because of his long arms and confidence playing the position. Sometimes, we all fall in love with great-looking corners who are a step slow but that’s absolutely not the case with the Houston (Texas) North Shore standout.
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Gorney's Take: Justus Terry showed why he’s a five-star at a recent Atlanta event where he completely dominated some talented offensive linemen. The Manchester, Ga., standout is fast off the snap, as powerful as anybody in the class and does a great job of getting skinny and tough to block as he bursts through the line.
From a physical standpoint, there are few better-looking defensive tackles in recent years than Terry.
The Georgia commit is still being heavily pursued by Alabama, Florida State and others.
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Gorney's Take: The Savannah (Ga.) Christian School star played defensive end earlier in his high school career and this season he moved inside and dominated as well. Elijah Griffin has excellent size at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, and does a phenomenal job of mixing power and speed to live in the backfield.
Georgia is considered the frontrunner in his recruitment but Clemson, South Carolina, Alabama and others are in the mix.
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Gorney's Take: Even though Douglas Utu keeps a low profile when it comes to social media and the recruiting scene, the Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman offensive tackle is still dominant in between the lines. Utu has been coming to Rivals Camp Series events for years and I’m not sure he’s ever lost a rep. That’s not hyperbole: He alway stonewalls any defensive linemen trying to make any move against him.
Georgia is whispered to be a top contender but Oregon, Oklahoma, USC, Nebraska and others have been mentioned as well as Utu doesn’t give up much in terms of favorites.
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Gorney's Take: The five-star from Zephyrhills, Fla., has one of the more unique builds in the 2025 class because he’s about 6-foot-4 with incredibly long arms – you basically do a double take when you see him because of his length – but he’s also very lean so it’s more than fathomable that he could star at safety or receiver in college.
Even though he’s tall and has length, DJ Pickett moves so smoothly and with such fluidity that he can cover ground whether running routes or defending them.
Georgia, Oregon, LSU, Miami, Clemson and Michigan are now the teams to watch in his recruitment.
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Gorney's Take: The Ohio State commit is physical and can press at the line of scrimmage. He can give some cushion, break on the ball and make a play. Na'eem Offord glides so smoothly and stays with receivers on the deep ball where he’s faster than most so he can pick off passes or deflect the ball.
The five-star cornerback from Birmingham (Ala.) Parker can do pretty much everything and at 6-foot-2 he also has size and length to get it done. SEC schools are trying to flip him and keep Offord closer to home but there have been no signs of a flip.
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Gorney's Take: For someone who is already about 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Michael Fasusi could be the most athletic offensive tackle in the class. The Lewisville, Texas, standout moves so well and is still so physical as well. Fasusi backs down to no one but he’s not just looking to maul people. The five-star is patient and let’s people come to him but then Fasusi moves his feet so well, has great arm extension and can push people around.
Texas is right there in his recruitment but Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Oregon and others are high up as well. Fasusi will hit the road a ton in March and April and his recruitment should become clearer.
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Gorney's Take: The new five-star offensive tackle was a top priority for Ohio State for some time now and the Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer standout committed to the Buckeyes in late January. There’s no doubt Carter Lowe has a phenomenal mix of athleticism and power to make it all happen in Columbus or anywhere else.
Lowe can manhandle defenders when run blocking, he can move his feet and use his athleticism in pass blocking, and Lowe can get to the second level to seek and destroy when needed as well.
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Gorney's Take: Whether the Galveston (Texas) Ball standout winds up staying at safety or growing into an outside linebacker, Jonah Williams has the size, speed, position versatility and intelligence to be an elite defender wherever he lands.
Oklahoma is looking strong right now with Texas A&M, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon and others involved, and for good reason. Williams looks like a million bucks and can cover in space in the secondary. If he moves down to linebacker he has the speed and twitch to go sideline to sideline to make plays.
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Gorney's Take: Winston Watkins is a playmaker no matter how he gets the ball in his hands. This season at Naples (Fla.) First Baptist Academy, the five-star receiver had around 2,000 all-purpose yards so whether it’s getting him the ball in the short game, having him run deep routes or finding other inventive ways to get him involved in the offense, Watkins is going to make things happen.
In a college game that’s about playing in space and making people miss, Watkins can do all that better than most.
Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Syracuse and many others are involved.
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Gorney's Take: Substance is what Jordon Davison’s game is all about and what makes him so special. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star running back – who has Texas, Ohio State, Georgia and others high on his list – is patient, he has great vision and he’s smart. He attacks the line of scrimmage to churn out more yards and move the ball downfield when sometimes it doesn’t look like much is there.
Davison is tough to tackle in a phone booth and he laughs off shoestring tackles with the speed to get outside and make even more happen.
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Gorney's Take: The new five-star offensive tackle from Denton (Texas) Ryan is big, tough and mean, and he’s also not physically maxed out at 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds which makes us like him even more. Ty Haywood plays with a mean streak where he puts defenders on the ground and then makes sure they stay down. He plays through the whistle and he uses a physical nature to impose his will. All of that is great for an offensive tackle.
Oklahoma might have a slight lead for him but Texas A&M is right there and others are battling.
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Gorney's Take: There might not be a more athletic or electric running back in the class and those are just some of the reasons why we decided to move Harlem Berry to five-star status. Running backs in the first round of the NFL Draft are no longer a premium position but the LSU running back has all the traits of a star.
He has the vision, timing, tough running, the ability to sneak through the tiniest holes or his breakaway speed in the open field. Bumping him up was the right move.
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Gorney's Take: Not only is Solomon Thomas the best interior offensive lineman in the class, but it might not be all that close as the Florida State commit punishes people inside, moves them at will and then makes sure they are overpowered at all times.
Thomas is also more athletic than the usual interior offensive lineman, an important part of today’s game for interior players, and so a move to five-star was warranted for those reasons and many more.
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CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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