Rivals Rankings Week: States producing most 2022 talent

We conclude Rivals Rankings Week for the 2022 class today with the revealing of our initial state rankings.

Adam Gorney takes a closer look at which states the players come from and it’s clear by the early numbers that Texas is loaded in 2022.

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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series

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The state of Texas leads the way in the 2022 recruiting cycle for players in the Rivals250, including three in the top 10 in five-star cornerback Denver Harris, five-star QB and new Texas commit Quinn Ewers and five-star offensive tackle Kam Dewberry. The Longhorns have already landed Ewers and that could help dramatically with offensive linemen and receivers in this 2022 group. Harris has Texas and LSU high on his list. Dewberry is probably headed elsewhere, with Texas A&M battling out-of-state schools.

Another player to watch moving forward is Denton (Texas) Ryan’s Keithian Alexander. In a loaded defensive tackle group, Alexander could be vying for that five-star status through his junior season. As for the state, there are 13 players in the Rivals100, a strong early representation.

Always a state loaded with talent, Florida is second on the list and led by five-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary, who’s third at an absolutely loaded position in this recruiting cycle. Next is the top-ranked offensive tackle in Miami Columbus’ Julian Armella. Singletary could be a Florida lean and Armella looks to be in a battle with Florida State, Miami and Alabama involved.

Florida State cornerback commit Travis Hunter is the third-best player in the state, followed by Tampa Hillsborough receiver Erriyon Knighton, an absolute speedster who has incredible junior season film. Five of Florida’s top players are in the top 25 nationally and then there are 12 in the top 100. It’s another loaded year in the state.

There is only one five-star so far in the state of Georgia in defensive end Tyre West, who could have the Bulldogs high on his list, but many others could emerge including quarterback Gunner Stockton, who committed to South Carolina on Thursday.

It is another loaded year in the state, which helps coach Kirby Smart and his staff recruit close to home. Tennessee could have a good shot with offensive lineman Addison Nichols among the top players in this group.

There are 10 players in the top 100 from the state of Georgia which is exactly the same number in the 2021 class with the addition of USC quarterback commit Jake Garcia, who transferred to Valdosta for his senior season.

In many instances, California prospects emerge later during the recruiting process and end up among the top three Rivals250-producing states but it’s already loaded with talent. By any measure, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei is at the top of the heap as three of the top four players in the state go there in five-star CB Domani Jackson, four-star WR CJ Williams and four-star APB Raleek Brown, who transferred from Stockton, Calif.

Jackson is the nation’s top cornerback, a physical, tough and athletic prospect who likes Michigan, Clemson, USC, Ohio State and others. Receiver is also a strong position up top with Williams, who could be a Bru McCoy clone, and high four-star Tetairoa McMillan, who has tremendous length and athleticism.

One thing missing so far in the 2022 class is an elite five-star quarterback in California, something that has been the rule, not the exception over the years. Maalik Murphy at No. 42 and A.J. Duffy at No. 72 lead the way in that regard.

The state of Louisiana comes in fifth on the list of players in the Rivals250 and it could be a huge boon for LSU’s recruiting class if history is any indication. The Tigers do so well with in-state recruiting and that trend could continue with the 2022 recruiting class.

The top player in the state is high four-star athlete Jacoby Matthews, who’s one notch from five-star status, followed by Jenning running back Trevor Etienne, whose brother, Travis, stars at Clemson. Others in the top 100 include ATH Kendrick Law, OL Will Campbell, DE J’Mond Tapp and WR Shazz Preston, whose brother plays at Mississippi State.

As for the other states represented in the Rivals250, the breakdown looks like this: North Carolina and Virginia have 11 each followed by Ohio and Pennsylvania with 10 apiece. After that it’s Alabama and Tennessee with nine, Indiana with seven and then Michigan and Missouri have six. Maryland, Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin have five players apiece.

Illinois, New Jersey and South Carolina are at four, Mississippi and Oklahoma have three and then Arkansas (2), Iowa (2), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (2), Nebraska (2), Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Minnesota, New York and Utah have one each.