Rivals Rankings Week: Which three-star could be a future first-round pick?
Every year there are former three-star prospects that end up being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Some turn out to be franchise players, while others end up as journeymen, career backups or busts. Today, as part of the final 2022 Rankings Week, the Rivals national analyst team makes its picks for which three-star in the 2022 class could end up as a first-round NFL Draft pick.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
FINAL 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Center | Offensive guard | Offensive tackle | Tight end | Wide receiver | Running back | All-Purpose Back | Pro-style QB | Dual-threat QB
PREVIEWS: Will there be a new No. 1 OT? | Should Alex Styles be top 10?
MONDAY: Five-star countdown | Meet the new five-stars
TUESDAY: Rivals250 released | Gorney's thoughts | Biggest movers | Five toughest questions we faced | Who should be the No. 1 WR?
WEDNESDAY: Offensive position rankings released | Five schools that should be pleased | QBs who are the best fit | RBs who are the best fit | WRs/TEs who are the best fit | OL who are the best fit
THURSDAY: Defensive position rankings released | Three-star with most potential
FRIDAY: State rankings released
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FRIEDMAN'S TAKE: Oliver Bridges
Anybody out there like tall cornerbacks that play for Cincinnati? Bearcats signee Oliver Bridges measured in at 6-foot-2 and has good enough speed (4.6 40-yard dash) to be a real problem for receivers at the next level. He can play physically with receivers and knows how to use his length and short-area quickness to match up with receivers that rely on their speed. Oliver has shown pretty good instincts throughout his high school career and it will be interesting to see how he develops in Luke Fickell's defense. - Adam Friedman, National Recruiting Analyst
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WRIGHT'S TAKE: Khalib Johnson
Johnson heads to the collegiate level accomplished and with all the tools to become a first-round draft pick in the future. Taking on 6A Alabama competition, he put his Clay-Chalkville squad on his back throwing for 3,357 yards with 40 touchdowns in 2021 while adding four rushing scores to the stat sheet.
Johnson can do it all in the pocket, getting good depth on his drops and executing play-action passes. He uses his quickness to extend plays by keeping his eyes downfield and allowing a receiver to break free. The arm strength is there, hitting his receivers downfield in stride and he can deliver a 15-yard out to the opposite sideline on a rope from the hashmark. Working under a QB-minded coach in Scott Satterfield at Louisville should help Johnson’s development as a potential NFL player. - Ryan Wright, National Recruiting Analyst
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COSGROVE'S TAKE: Chase Carter
Carter is my pick for a number of reasons, but his size, raw talent and NFL first-round position value are what stick out the most. At 6-foot-6, 215 pounds with great length, the Michigan State signee has the prototypical size of a first-round edge rusher coming out of high school. Carter also received multiple Division I offers as a basketball player and that is a testament to his overall athletic ability. He is just scratching the surface of what he can be as a football player, and once he gets in a college weight program, he has all of the physical tools to develop into a bona fide stud. - Clint Cosgrove, National Recruiting Analyst
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SPIEGELMAN'S TAKE: Alex Orji
Orji made a splash during the Early Signing Period when he flipped from Virginia Tech and instead signed with the Wolverines. Orji, one of the more intriguing athletes at the quarterback position, has also seen snaps at receiver and defensive back during his prep career at various stops, and is one of the most dynamic signal-callers to insert to an offense. Orji has intriguing arm power but needs to improve his accuracy on various throws. Still, he offers game-breaking aspects to his game, which could certainly open the eyes of NFL teams down the road. - Sam Spiegelman, National Recruiting Analyst
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GORNEY'S TAKE: Barrett Nelson
How many times have we rated someone who committed to Wisconsin or Iowa as a three-star, especially along the offensive line, and then they end up being a high draft pick? Too often. I'm not being critical of rankings, it's just a fact that players from those states aren't seen as often, certainly not at national events and so it's just much tougher to gauge which ones are going to project and which ones aren't. I'm taking a shot that Wisconsin signee Barrett Nelson is a three-star who could end up being a first-round pick. He has a frame that can still add weight, he's athletic enough to get to the second level and we all know he'll show up in Madison, put good weight on and be a force on the Badgers' offensive line. - Adam Gorney, National Director of Recruiting