Senior seasons are finished and the All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-America Game are in the rear-view mirror. It is now time to make arrangements for the final rankings of the 2019 class.
In today’s Making The Case, a few Rivals.com analysts offer a statement on who they believe most deserves a spot in the top 10 of the 2019 Rivals100.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Rivals100 released
Wednesday: Rivals250 released
Thursday: Position rankings released
"Neal is a rare prospect at an important position and that helps his case. Offensive tackles that stand 6-foot-7 and move well despite weighing 350 pounds have to try incredibly hard to avoid the first-round of the NFL Draft, so the Alabama signee seems like a safe bet for the top 10. He won’t grab the headlines or create the buzz like some of the running backs, receivers or defensive backs at the top of the Rivals100, but his bust factor seems incredibly low. Neal will drop his remaining bad weight in a conditioning program and be off the NFL in three seasons. Let’s not overthink this." - Rivals.com Florida Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy
"Rattler did not attend many camps and did not play a whole lot of 7-on-7, so I was really interested to see what kind of performance he was going to turn in at the All-American Bowl. He was fantastic all week and looks like he could run the Oklahoma offense to precision.
"Rattler is about 6-feet tall, he has gained some good weight, so being too lean is no longer a concern and the way he runs an offense is perfect for what coach Lincoln Riley wants to do. I don’t think Rattler is as much of a dynamic runner as Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield but he’s an excellent passer who sees the field really well and he’s someone who can escape the pocket and use his feet to his advantage if necessary.
"The trio of Theo Wease, Jadon Haselwood and Trejan Bridges will only make Rattler’s job easier for the Sooners and he will definitely draw the attention of NFL scouts in the coming years. Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick and Murray could be dropping pro baseball to enter the NFL Draft. Rattler could definitely be in the top 10 based on previous Oklahoma quarterback success and his own since he’s such a special player." - Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney
"Six months ago Leal was a 5.8 four-star ranked outside the top 150, but the All-American Bowl in San Antonio earlier this month showed that even though Leal has since moved into the Rivals100, his stock is still on the rise.
"What initially caught our attention with Leal was the production he showed throughout the week of All-American Bowl practices, regularly beating some of the best offensive tackles in the country and registering sacks or tackles for loss during live sessions. Watching him run receiver routes for fun during down times at those practices, though, highlighted just how athletic the future Texas A&M Aggie is for a player of his size.
"When you look at who Leal compares to in past classes, several prospects who were once ranked No. 1 in their respective classes, like DaShawn Hand and Robert Nkemdiche, are not too far-fetched, and neither is a move into the top 10 of this 2019 class." - Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst Josh Helmholdt
""I have been on the Zacch Pickens bandwagon for a long time, pushing hard for him to become a five-star initially last year. Because he kept a low profile throughout the offseason, some speculated that he might not be worthy of that lofty standing.
"After a standout season that saw him start not only at defensive end, but also as a 280-pound running back, many of those concerns were put to rest. After a strong showing at the Under Armour All-America Game, the question is now can Pickens rise all the way into the top 10? I continued to stump for Pickens, who is the next in a long line of elite South Carolina defensive ends, during the final rankings call and I look forward to seeing how he plays at the next level and beyond." - Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst Woody Wommack
