Rivals Rankings Week: Race for 2020's top class hits final stretch
Rivals has put a pin in the 2020 class rankings as our focus today shifts to how the updates impact the overall team standings.
Clemson and Alabama sit Nos. 1 and 2 in a tight race with Georgia at the top entering National Signing Day on Feb. 5. Defending national champion LSU is not far behind at No. 4 with Ohio State rounding out the top five.
Analyst Sam Spiegelman takes a closer look at the updated team standings and provides a few thoughts and predictions on how the final rankings will shake out.
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MORE RANKINGS WEEK: Podcast | Top 10 released | Breaking down the new five-stars | Mind of Mike | Rivals250 released
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1. Keeping up with Jones
One of the major storylines heading into the February signing period is whether five-star offensive tackle Broderick Jones will stick with the in-state Bulldogs or flip his commitment in time to sign his paperwork.
The nation's top-ranked offensive lineman elected not to sign in December as Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman moved to Arkansas to be the Head Hog. He's since visited Arkansas, Illinois, Georgia and will head to Auburn next weekend before the final decision is unveiled. Should Jones stick with Georgia, which is what's anticipated, it could put Kirby Smart's team in line for a third consecutive recruiting title. It could also vault Auburn into the top 10.
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2. Evans tipping the SEC scale
Zach Evans signed with Georgia a month ago, but has since been released from that national letter of intent. In January, he's visited Ole Miss, Tennessee and is expected to be in Athens at some point before National Signing Day.
Where will the nation's top-ranked running back wind up? It may depend on the day and time of day when you ask. Texas A&M had momentum -- and keeping the five-star in-state would give the Aggies three five-star signees from the Lone Star State. Florida, Tennessee and Ole Miss are other SEC teams that have had some buzz in recent weeks, but it appears that Georgia has come full circle on Evans and could be poised to land the five-star, again, in February.
Should Georgia sign Evans again, it could put Smart's team in contention for another recruiting championship in dramatic fashion.
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3. All quiet on the Burch front
Jordan Burch provided some fireworks during the Early Signing Period when he committed to South Carolina over powerhouses such as Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and LSU. The announcement was shocking, of course, but there was more suspense in the aftermath when we learned the five-star didn't actually sign his paperwork.
The South Carolina defensive end is supposed to sign with the Gamecocks in February, but LSU, Georgia, Clemson and Alabama have yet to stop pushing for the nation's No. 17 prospect. South Carolina sits No. 20 in the team recruiting rankings with Burch as a verbal, but if there's any late drama with Clemson, Alabama, Georgia or LSU -- the top four teams in the standings -- it could certainly shake up the race toward No. 1.
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4. UGA poised to repeat?
No team has been the Rivals recruiting champions three years in a row since Pete Carroll's USC teams did so from 2004-06. Alabama won the belt in back-to-back years from 2008-09 and again in 2013-14 and 2016-17, and Smart's Georgia squad has matched that in 2018 and again in 2019.
Georgia is currently sitting No. 3 in the rankings as February inches closer, but has a chance to supplant Clemson and Alabama with a strong close to the 2020 cycle.
Jones, the nation's top offensive tackle, remains committed and there's a good shot he still signs with the Dawgs. Evans, who signed with Georgia last month and was released from his letter of intent, is now trending that way. The team is also expected to hold onto Rivals100 center Sedric Van Pran. Such could be a recipe for Georgia overtaking the Tigers and Tide, and three-peating as the recruiting champs.
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5. Surprise contenders to surge
Clemson and Alabama are the frontrunners to claim the No. 1 spot in the rankings with Georgia and LSU also in striking distance as we hit the final stretch. A quick glance at the top 10 and there are very few surprises. Ohio State is sitting at No. 5 and Texas A&M -- which has a strong in-state haul -- is at No. 6 knocking on the door. Should the Aggies blindside us by signing Evans, the Aggies could very quickly be in the mix as one of the nation's best hauls.
Don't sleep on the Gators, either. Top-50 prospect Avantae Williams, four-star defensive end Princely Umanmielen and Rivals250 running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Ashaad Clayton are all showing a high level of interest in Florida late.
LSU could bring Rivals100 tackle McKinnley Jackson back into the fold along with Rivals250 back Kevontre Bradford, which could also shake up the top four. First-year Florida State coach Mike Norvell is trending with several of the nation's top unsigned players, including Corey Wren, Daijun Edwards and Donovan Kaufman, which could lead to some late fireworks. If Oklahoma can close with Rivals250 defensive end Alfred Collins, that could vault the Sooners into a strong spot.