The Rivals250 for the 2025 class has been updated and now it’s time to break down each position. We continue the defensive positions today by looking at big storylines moving forward with the defensive back rankings.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Athlete | Cornerback | Safety | Outside Linebacker | Inside Linebacker | Strongside Defensive End | Weakside Defensive End | Defensive Tackle | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Center | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Running Back | All-Purpose Back | Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB
*****
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
Thursday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
Friday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
Saturday: Roundtable on the new Rivals250 rankings
*****
WILL NA'EEM OFFORD REMAIN A FIVE-STAR?
On film, there is a lot to like about Na'eem Offord. But that’s the only place we’ve seen him. Offord had a very quiet offseason without doing any major events. So, the exposure points just aren’t there for him right now.
It’ll be big to see his development through his senior season to remain a five-star prospect. Can he do it? Absolutely. But he’s going to have to show a lot. It will also be interesting to see if Auburn can move him off his Ohio State commitment.
*****Â Â
WHO WILL RISE AT CORNERBACK?
Devin Sanchez is the clear-cut best corner in the 2025 Rivals250 but things are wide open behind him. That means there could be some big movement the next time we roll out rankings. Dijon Lee and Blake Woodby are the closest to five-star status right now. Lee in particular is an intriguing prospect that continues to impress.
Shamar Arnoux and Jaimier Scott are a pair of prospects outside the top 10 at the position right now who could have big senior seasons. Both were impressive in person this summer. If the development continues it’s easy to see them sliding into the top 10.
What about Courtland Guillory or Mark Zackery? Each was mentioned as perhaps being rated too low at the moment. Big shakeups could still come at cornerback.
*****
WILL THE TREND AWAY FROM SUPER-SIZED SAFETIES CONTINUE?
One of the trends to keep an eye on is NFL franchises are shying away from taking big safeties in the early rounds of the NFL Draft. Teams are much more likely to draft an Antoine Winfield-type (5-foot-9, 203 pounds) than a player 6-foot-1 and up.
So you are seeing that trend trickle down to college football recruiting. In our top seven safeties, only Faheem Delane (6-foot-1) and Anquon Fegans (just over 6-foot) measured above 6-foot this summer. It’s not that the taller safeties aren’t good, they are just being moved down into hybrid linebacker roles. This is especially true as more and more colleges look to match the athleticism of the offenses they face.
