It is Rivals Rankings Week and the analysts don’t always see eye-to-eye. Here Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney and Southeast Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy debate whether Nolan Smith or Kayvon Thibodeaux should be ranked higher:
GORNEY'S VIEW: NOLAN SMITH
There is no question I like Thibodeaux a whole lot and that’s why he’s still one of the top prospects in the country, but after watching Smith dominate for IMG Academy the last two seasons, I have him as the top weak-side defensive end.
Smith’s aggressive style, relentlessness, toughness, determination to never be denied, his will to win, his leadership on the sidelines, all those things will be loved by college coaches and I can easily see him developing into a star in either the Georgia or Alabama defense. He remains committed to the Bulldogs, but the Crimson Tide is pushing hard - and there’s a reason for that. Because Smith is exceptionally talented and has that non-stop killer instinct that is so rare.
This is by no means a knock on Thibodeaux. I do think he needs to dominate more consistently, especially on the high school level, but his size is so rare, his get-off is so rare and his length makes him someone who could be a star for years to come. But after watching Smith and Thibodeaux multiple times in multiple settings over the last few years, I’d give the slight edge to the Georgia commit.
CASSIDY'S VIEW: KAYVON THIBODEAUX
“Smith makes more plays on film and is a no-doubt five-star prospect, but Thibodeaux has the better build and the higher upside. If we were ranking on who the best high school player is, I think Smith is the runaway winner. Thing is, we’re not doing that.
“The 6-foot-5 Thibodaux has elite length that he’s only just learning to use. And while I understand that the knock on him is consistency, college coaches are paid to straighten those issues out. As the defensive end gets used to his body and gets further coaching, his bad plays and off games will become fewer and farther between, making him a truly elite player with truly elite size and quickness. Smith, while beyond impressive in his own right, doesn’t have quite the same level of physical tools.”
Rivals Rankings week:
Monday: 2019 Top Ten revealed
Tuesday: 2019 Rivals100 revealed
Wednesday: 2019 Rivals250 revealed
Thursday: 2019 position rankings revealed
