Rivals Rankings Week: Which former five-stars will we regret dropping?
High school football regular seasons have long wrapped and state championship games are quickly coming to a close across the country. The evaluations have been done and the rankings reworked.
Some former 2022 five-stars yet again had outstanding seasons but others closed the gap and surpassed showcasing their skills to close out their stellar careers. Which former five-star prospects might Rivals regret dropping?
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Saturday: Who should be awarded fifth star?
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: New Rivals250 revealed
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings
Thursday: Defensive position rankings
Friday: State rankings
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LB Shawn Murphy
Alabama linebacker commit Shawn Murphy finished up an outstanding senior season and answered a lot of questions scouts had about his abilities. The Northern Virginia native was much quicker this season while maintaining a solid 225-pound frame. Last season Murphy looked like he could be a liability in coverage at the college level but he improved by leaps and bounds in that area during the offseason and it showed on the field this fall.
Getting off and evading blockers is one of the very few blemishes on his evaluation and it will be interesting to see how he performs at the Under Armour All-America Game. - Adam Friedman, Rivals Recruiting Analyst
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LB Gabe Powers
Anytime a player develops early and is dominant from a young age, the natural human reaction is to expect that same rate of development to continue forever. In the case of Gabe Powers, that would have been nearly impossible. As other players develop with age, the talent gap is naturally going to narrow over time. This gives a false appearance that a player like Powers has lost a step, when it is simply a case of other players in his class getting better.
Powers looks as good as ever, and I would even argue that he is a much better player now than when he was originally awarded his fifth star. With an incredible frame, high motor, and the athleticism to match, there are few OLB prospects who are as college ready as Powers. I expect Powers to make an early impact at Ohio State, and for him to prove us wrong for dropping him. - Clint Cosgrove, Rivals Recruiting Analyst
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QB Gunner Stockton
After a stellar career with Rabun County, there’s nothing more Gunner Stockton could do to prove his five-star worthiness. The stats suggest the Georgia commit was as elite as it gets throwing for 4,134 yards with a jaw-dropping 55 touchdowns against just one interception all while completing 71 percent of his passes. If that wasn’t enough, he led his Wildcats in rushing with 956 yards off 137 carries and 15 more scores.
The arm, accuracy, footwork, and playmaking skills are all there. The only knock, which is out of his control, is competing against AA Georgia teams. Having a stronge career against SEC competition can be Stockton’s revenge for dropping in the rankings. - Ryan Wright, Rivals Recruiting Analyst
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WR Kevin Coleman
Coleman is never going to be the biggest receiver in any offense but his capabilities all over the field should not be overlooked. He's fast. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands. Coleman can stretch the field deep or take underneath passes and make slower defenders miss as he uses his quick feet and agility to stave off tackles.
There are some really talented receivers in this class and a variety of big outside receivers and smaller slot guys who are both special. Coleman is among that group and should be among the five-stars in this class. His recruitment has taken some twists and turns with Florida State and Oregon now looking like the top contenders and he should be able to contribute a ton wherever he goes. - Adam Gorney, Rivals National Recruiting Director
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OT Kam Dewberry
Dewberry remains one of the premier offensive linemen in this class and brings position-versatility to the offensive line. He is capable of lining up at any spot up front and playing with a nastiness to set the tone in the run game and is a very reliable pass-protector. The Houston-area native was among the top performers on the Rivals Camp Series over the past four years and shined as an underclassman and again as a senior following shoulder surgery.
Injuries continued to pester Dewberry throughout the fall, but when he's healthy there are few better in the country. Texas and Texas A&M are both after the top 100 recruit. - Sam Spiegelman, Rivals Recruiting Analyst