Rivals Rankings Week: Who should be ranked No. 1 for 2022 class?
There are a lot of big changes in the 2022 rankings and a few players are challenging Travis Hunter for the top spot in the Rivals250. The analyst team broke down the group of elite prospects pushing for the No. 1 overall ranking with the postseason 2022 rankings update rolling out his week.
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RELATED: Roundtable on the 2023 rankings
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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ATH Travis Hunter
Lining up against Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter anywhere on the field is a mismatch, so why shouldn't he stay at No. 1 overall? Hunter can do something on the gridiron no one else can do and that is take over the game on both sides of the ball. A next-level corner with the ability to play receiver, Hunter ended his senior season scoring the rock on offense receiving, passing and rushing, pulling in 900 yards in the passing attack getting into the end zone eight times off 58 receptions in eight games. This is after a junior season when he secured 137 passes for 1,746 yards with 24 touchdowns. During the 2020 season, teams kept trying Hunter at corner running to his side and throwing his way. Hunter took down 51 ball carriers and swiped eight passes as a junior. Some Georgia 7A offenses learned from past mistakes doing their best to avoid him, but the Florida State commit still came up with four picks during his senior campaign. -- Ryan Wright, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst
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DT Walter Nolen
Nolen is about as much of a sure thing as there is in the 2022 class. The Texas A&M commit has a generational combination of size and athleticism. Nolen's bend, explosive first step, and use of hands are unmatched in the 2022 class. At 6-foot-4 and over 300 pounds, Nolen brings the pass rush ability of an elite edge rusher to the interior defensive line, and that is a rarely seen trait. His ability to win with speed or power, along with an uncanny ability to destruct and disengage from blocks, is as impressive as I have seen from a high school prospect in some time. When I think about his college future and beyond, I think of a player who has an Aaron Donald-like skill-set with Ndamukong Suh-like size. I know Travis Hunter is a special talent, but for me Walter Nolen takes the cake when it comes to the No.1 player in the 2022 class. -- Clint Cosgrove, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst
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DT Travis Shaw
Shaw is a major talent at the defensive tackle position with the ability to stuff the run and rush the passer. The North Carolina commit has unique athleticism for his size, consistently chasing down ball carriers on outside runs. Shaw can play defensive end, defensive tackle, or nose tackle, using a variety of hand techniques, quickness and overall strength to beat the man in front of him. While Shaw has the tools to be the most dominant player in this class, it's hard to see him jumping up to No. 1 overall in this rankings update. It will be interesting to see how he performs during the all-star game season and if that performance can vault him into the top spot. -- Adam Friedman, Spiegelman, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst
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QB Cade Klubnik
After turning in another stellar season at the helm of Texas power Austin Westlake and in many ways cementing his post as QB1 in this class, Klubnik -- by default -- has a case for No. 1 overall consideration. With the exception of a rare skill position player like Travis Hunter or an elite pass-rusher, Klubnik has a case to be top overall. He's overcome adversity on the biggest of stages in high school football and continues to find ways to impress with his command of an offense and how he attacks defenses. The future at Clemson is bright with Klubnik at the helm. - Sam Spiegelman, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst