Rivals updated its class of 2022 rankings this week, and we have rolled out the new Rivals250 and position rankings. We conclude Rivals Rankings Week with a look at new state rankings, spotlighting the top five states this cycle. Four of the five states that led the way in numbers last week when we updated the 2021 rankings are on this list, but due to one of the big states not playing football this fall due to COVID-19, there is a new no. 1.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK SCHEDULE:

Monday: Five-Star Countdown

Tuesday: New Rivals250 | Big movers | Where five-stars stand | Five-star watch

Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | Players on cusp of R250

Thursday: Defensive position rankings released

Friday: State rankings released

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 Lone Star State will always be in the top five when it comes to talent in the Rivals250, but it is now No. 1 with 34 of the top 250. Not only does it lead the way in numbers, but it also has the No. 1 overall player in the country in quarterback Quinn Ewers, an Ohio State commit.

The talent at the top in 2022 doesn’t stop with Ewers. Two of the top three, three of the top five and eight of the top 40 players in the country are from Texas.

Out-of-state schools are having early success, too. Wide receiver Caleb Burton is already committed to Ohio State with Ewers. LSU and Oklahoma have two commits from top players in Texas as well. Bryce Anderson and Bryan Allen Jr., two four-star safeties are committed to the Tigers. The Sooners have landed early commitments from four-star linebacker Kobie McKenzie and four-star wide receiver Jordan Hudson.

There has been talk for years that Georgia is a definite top-four state when it comes to producing Division I football talent to colleges and then to the NFL, with some thinking it could be top three per capita. After this update, Georgia ranks No. 2 with over two dozen players landing in the Rivals250.

There was a shakeup at the top of this update, though. New Georgia commit Tyre West went into these meetings as the No. 1 player in Georgia, but during evaluations this season Florida State commit Travis Hunter played at a level to earn a fifth star and move to the top of the Peach State rankings. He looks to be one of the most dynamic playmakers to come out of Georgia in recent years.

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are off to a fast start in 2020. They have five commits, all from in-state talent, and all are in the Rivals250. Joining West are defensive backs Deyon Bouie and Marquis Groves-Killebrew, rush end Darris Smith and athlete CJ Washington.

Look for Florida to add at least a dozen to this list once we have time to evaluate new 2020 film and see a lot of players live in 2021. This is a low - very low - number for Florida, but 2020 is different.

The highest-ranked commitment is Sam McCall, the No. 9 player in the state, who is committed to the Florida Gators. Could he be joined by the No. 2 player in the state early next year? Five-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary is expected to commit to Clemson, Florida, Georgia or Ohio State on Jan. 2, and the Gators have been trending for some time.

The biggest mover in Florida this update was offensive tackle Tyler Booker of IMG Academy. He was not in the Rivals250 prior to this update and he now sits at No. 88. The Ascenders are loaded again, and have five players on this list of 26, and you can bet by the summer 2021 update that number will grow.

California did not play football this fall, so these rankings are still in the infant stage. We all know there will be many more than 16 on this list this time next year when, hopefully, we have had a strong and healthy spring, summer and fall to see California athletes compete.

It may be early, and the numbers are down because of the lack of evaluations, but five of the top 45 players are still from California. Domani Jackson is the top player in the state, and he is a five-star cornerback with his eyes on schools like Michigan, Ohio State and USC.

It looks to be a strong group of skill players at the top so far. Jackson is a cornerback and the lone five-star, but he is followed by wide receivers CJ Williams and Tetairoa McMillan, all-purpose back Raleek Brown and quarterback Maalik Murphy.

The state of Louisiana is home to the No. 1 player in the country in 2021, Maason Smith, and although it doesn’t look like players in the Boot will be in that specific discussion in 2022, the talent is still there.

Headlining this group is new five-star athlete Jacoby Matthews. The LSU Tigers are good about keeping top talent home, and Matthews is already trending strong to the school in Baton Rouge.

One of the more interesting storylines to follow this cycle will be running back Trevor Etienne, the brother of Clemson star Travis Etienne. Will he follow his brother’s footsteps to Clemson, stay home with LSU or make his own name at another school?

NORTH CAROLINA - 10

OHIO - 10

VIRGINIA - 10

ALABAMA - 9