Rivals Rankings Week: New 2021 state rankings released
Rivals Rankings Week for the 2021 class concludes today with a look at the updated state rankings. This likely will be the final ranking for the 2021 class, although the bizarre schedule due to COVID-19 creates a possibility that another ranking could be needed this spring. Here are some of the spotlight states in recruiting and the player who likely will end on top.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Making the Case for No. 1 | How things stand with the uncommitted players in the Rivals250 | The top five-star candidates
Tuesday: New Rivals250 released | Breaking down the new five-stars | Biggest movers in new ranking
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | Schools with the most R250 players
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released
Friday: State rankings released
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CALIFORNIA
Korey Foreman was the No. 1 player in California from start to finish and at one point he was the top-rated prospect in the entire class, only falling off that mantle because there has not been a football season in the state and others elsewhere performed really well.
Foreman is a phenomenal defensive end with outrageous athletic ability, a terrific motor and the mentality that he wants to be the best player in the world. USC beat out Clemson, LSU, Georgia, Arizona State and others for him, and Foreman has the ability to play from Day 1 with the Trojans. – West Coast recruiting analyst Adam Gorney
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FLORIDA: JC Latham
JC Latham is a former defensive lineman who’s only been playing offensive tackle full-time for two seasons. His upside may be the highest of anyone in this class. He is a former basketball player with great feet, he is a natural bender, he has the frame schools covet at his position, and he could be next in line at Alabama to be drafted high on the offensive line. Latham is already very told now, but when projecting ahead in terms of physicality and development, it is scary to think about he can be when his turn to be drafted into o the NFL comes around. – Southeast recruiting analyst Chad Simmons
MORE: Florida state rankings
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GEORGIA: Amarius Mims
With Amarius Mims, a lot of the same things can be said about him that were said about Latham. We are talking the No. 1 and No. 2 offensive tackles, and two of the top four overall players in the country.
Mims has really developed nicely. He physically looks like he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, not someone who should still be in high school. He enrolled at Georgia a couple of week ago, and there is already buzz out of Athens about his potential playing time later this fall.
He checks the boxes when it comes to size, strength, feet and potential at one of the premier positions in football. – Southeast recruiting analyst Chad Simmons
MORE: Georgia state rankings
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MISSISSIPPI: Kadarius Calloway
Rivals100 defensive back Kadarius Calloway finished as the No. 1 player in Mississippi after Deion Smith held that honor for much of the past year. Smith, an LSU signee, finished as the nation's No. 68 player and the No. 12 wide receiver, and that's after turning in another brilliant season as a senior. However, Calloway's upside at defensive back and even on the offensive side of the ball made for an interesting discussion in the end. – South Central recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman
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OHIO: Jack Sawyer
Defensive end Jack Sawyer went wire-to-wire as the only five-star in the state of Ohio’s 2021 class. A two-sport all-state athlete early in his career, Sawyer would take over the reins at quarterback for Pickerington North as a junior, then opt out of his senior season when it looked like he may be able to play a spring Big Ten football season with Ohio State. Notre Dame’s Lorenzo Styles Jr., also went wire-to-wire in the No. 2 spot, but was not able to make up ground on Sawyer. – Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt
MORE: Ohio state rankings
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PENNSYLVANIA
Five-star Nolan Rucci finished atop the Pennsylvania state rankings, ahead of four-star quarterback Kyle McCord. Rucci moved up slightly in this rankings update and there was some debate about McCord earning his fifth star but he just missed out.
Rucci, a Wisconsin signee, has all the tools to be an elite offensive lineman in the Big Ten and he's going into a situation in which he should thrive. McCord has improved over the last year and looks as if he's in line for an excellent career at Ohio State. – East Coast recruiting analyst Adam Friedman
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TEXAS: Tommy Brockermeyer
Five-star offensive tackle Tommy Brockermeyer finished as the No. 1 player in Texas for the 2021 cycle, but it's certainly been a revolving door of talented prospects atop the Lone Star State over the past few months. Brockermeyer was perhaps the safest bet here. He's a prototype at left tackle and so technically sound as he transitions to Alabama.
However, new five-star athlete Ja'Tavion Sanders was considered here, especially given his upside at multiple positions, while Camar Wheaton held the spot for much of the past. Clayton Smith's abilities off the edge, Bryce Foster's physicality and Donovan Jackson's consistent domination made this a rather difficult call. – South Central recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman
MORE: Texas state rankings