Rivals Rankings Week: Which RB should be ranked higher?
It’s an excellent year for running backs and two five-stars that generated a lot of debate were Georgia commit Kendall Milton and South Carolina commit MarShawn Lloyd. Which prospect should be ranked higher? Should they both be five-stars? National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney and Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst Adam Friedman debate.
RIVALS RANKINGS RELEASE: New Rivals100 | Mind of Mike on updated Rivals100 | Too many 5-star RBs? | Breaking down the new five-stars | Top 10 breakdown | Who could still finish in the top 10? | Why is Bresee No. 1?
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:
Monday: Class of 2020 top 10
Tuesday: Class of 2020 Rivals100
Wednesday: Class of 2020 Rivals250
Thursday/Friday: Class of 2020 position rankings
Saturday: Class of 2020 team rankings breakdown
Sunday: Class of 2020 state rankings
THE CASE FOR KENDALL MILTON
“I remember seeing Milton for the first time at the Los Angeles regional Rivals Camp Series event as I invited him as a middle schooler. He was working in the same group as Najee Harris and Stephen Carr and while Milton was much younger it was easy to see he was going to be something special because he looked like he belonged with those elite players.
“Fast forward four years or so and now Milton is a five-star running back who had a strong senior season to no one’s surprise and he’s committed to Georgia. There is a very real possibility the Clovis (Calif.) Buchanan standout can be the next superstar running back in a long line of them coming out of Athens.
“There have been some questions about Milton’s straight-line speed and breakaway ability but it’s not a problem for me at all. He’s far from slow-footed and he’s become such a physical back that he will be able to take the pounding in the SEC. Milton has shown the ability to run between the tackles, get to the edge or even catch the ball out of the backfield.
“What has surprised me the most is just his physical development over the years because he was a lean, elusive back who has kept some of that versatility but added good muscle to his frame. He has thick legs to churn out yards and impressive speed to get downfield.
“The five-star is probably 6-foot-1 and stacked with muscle, going to a program that loves to down the ball behind an impressive offensive line. I like Milton’s chances a lot although I really believe MarShawn Lloyd is also a special player.” - Adam Gorney, National Recruiting Analyst
THE CASE FOR MARSHAWN LLOYD
“There are a lot of five-star running backs this year and Lloyd is the most recent addition. He was the engine behind the talented Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha program and put up impressive numbers.
“The outstanding season answered a lot of questions about his abilities. Lloyd showed the toughness and durability of a five-star. He’s added mass to his frame but didn’t lose any quickness or athleticism.
“Lloyd has the ideal build for a college running back and South Carolina should be able to use him on all three downs. He’s plenty elusive in the open field and does a good job as a receiver out of the backfield.
“Compared to Milton, the future SEC East rival isn’t as big or bulky but is definitely faster and more explosive. Lloyd can take it the distance from almost anywhere on the field and shows off a lot more athleticism. Milton should have a very good career for Georgia as their power back but Lloyd is more well-rounded.” - Adam Friedman, Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst