Rivals Rankings Week: Predictions as 2020 team rankings take shape
With Rivals.com’s rankings release week winding down, we turn an eye to the team rankings and to the future. Below, National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney takes a look at the way things stand now and makes five predictions for the future.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Updated Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Updated 2020 Rivals100
Wednesday: Updated 2020 Rivals250
Thursday: Updated position rankings
ALABAMA WILL LEAD THE NATION AGAIN
History is on the side of the Crimson Tide as they have won eight of the last 11 recruiting titles and they hold the top spot in the 2019 rankings as well. To almost no one’s surprise, Alabama has jumped out to the No. 1 position already in the 2020 rankings with 11 commits, nine of them four-star prospects.
Two of the top three players in the state - four-star defensive tackle Jayson Jones and four-star cornerback Malachi Moore - are already committed to the Crimson Tide. The top-ranked player in the state, four-star quarterback Kristian Story, is high on Alabama as well. There are plenty of five-star players who are already serious about playing in Tuscaloosa and others will emerge throughout the cycle.
Jostling will happen and some teams will be working toward that No. 1 spot but Alabama is already there, has a firm grip in the rankings and could be tough to beat. Again.
CLEMSON COULD CHALLENGE FOR NO. 1
If there is one national program that could really give Alabama a run for its money in the 2020 rankings, Clemson could be it. Five-star quarterback and No. 1 overall prospect D.J. Uiagalelei is high on Clemson and the Tigers could be the early team to beat. Five-star linebacker Antoine Sampah also likes it a lot there.
Top-ranked defensive end Bryan Bresee has the Tigers on his early list and there is a ton of talent in the Southeast who could be attracted to Clemson instead of playing in the SEC. The Tigers only have five commitments in the class so far with four four-stars so there is a lot of room - and time - to ramp up their efforts with five-stars and high-end four-star kids. With so many top players off to the NFL after this season, that could be even more attractive for 2020 standouts.
USC COULD HAVE A NICE REBOUND
The Trojans usually dominate Pac-12 recruiting and almost always have the top-ranked recruiting class in the conference. That is not the case so far in 2019 as USC has the fifth-best class in the Pac-12 alone. That could change in a big way for the 2020 class mainly because the state of California has some of its best talent in recent memory and the addition of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury could help.
USC has already landed a commitment from four-star quarterback Bryce Young from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei and he could help recruit some of the top players in the area. Not only do receivers want to play with him but his connections at Mater Dei, arguably the best program nationally, and with his Premium 7-on-7 teammates, it could end up in a big haul. Five-star linebacker Justin Flowe, five-star cornerback Elias Ricks and five-star running back Kendall Milton could be other cornerstones of a phenomenal class if USC’s coaches play it right.
TEXAS BATTLES WILL BE FUN TO WATCH
Zachary Evans could be one of the most special running backs in the state of Texas in the Rivals.com era dating back to 2002 and his recruitment should be an epic battle with Texas, Texas A&M, LSU and others battling it out. Evans is that good and that rare and landing his signature could be one of the biggest moments in the careers of Tom Herman, Jimbo Fisher, Ed Orgeron or any other coach who gets him.
Second on the Texas state rankings is Seth McGowan, a four-star running back whose recruitment is wide open and no one seems to have a great feel where he’s headed. And fourth on the list is Jase McClellan, who is already committed to Oklahoma.
Seven out of the top 10 prospects in the Texas state rankings remain uncommitted. Oklahoma, LSU and Texas A&M all have pledges from players in that range so the Longhorns have some making up to do but there is plenty of time and plenty of talent to get going soon.
MARYLAND COULD SURPRISE IN A BIG WAY
Ohio State will get theirs. So will Michigan and Penn State. The top of the Big Ten will do just fine. But one team to watch in the 2020 rankings is Maryland after hiring Mike Locksley, who has recruited the Mid-Atlantic for his entire career and who’s established great relationships there.
First, the Terrapins have to focus on the 2019 class since they have only nine current pledges. That will be Locksley’s first task. Then it will be onto the 2020 class where five-stars Bryan Bresee out of Damascus, Md., Rakim Jarrett and Mekhail Sherman out of Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High and running back MarShawn Lloyd from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha will all be top priorities for the new Maryland staff.
