Rivals Rankings Week: Who should be ranked No. 1 for 2023 class?
The updated rankings for the 2023 class will be unveiled on Monday and all the attention is focused on who will be in the top spot. Arch Manning enters as the nation's top prospect but there are a handful of other elite prospects in the mix for the honor of the No. 1 ranking in the Rivals250.
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CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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Clint Cosgrove: Kadyn Proctor
I had the chance to see Proctor in person this year, and he is about as impressive looking a prospect as you will find when it comes to a young offensive tackle. He appears to be a legit 6-foot-8 and has trimmed down to a weight where he is moving better than ever. Proctor's bend, twitch, and ability to use his hands at his size, make him as valuable as any player at arguably the most valuable position there is. Proctor has a little Orlando Pace in him in terms of his combination of athleticism and size. I have no question that he is capable of being a dominant OT at the college level and beyond. Proctor will have his choice of colleges in the end, but Ohio State, Iowa and Notre Dame seem to be teams that stick out early in his recruitment.
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Adam Friedman: Alex Styles
Styles is the most versatile prospect in this class, with the ability to play at all three levels of the defense. The Ohio State commit has proven to be outstanding in coverage and is plenty physical near the line of scrimmage. Styles, whose father played for Ohio State and has a brother playing for Notre Dame, also has the skill set to rush the passer. A true Swiss Army Knife on defense, Styles is built for today's game and he has sky high potential.
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Adam Gorney: Malachi Nelson
Nelson plays the quarterback position with such a comfort level and smoothness that it sometimes looks like he's taking it easy back there but then like a snake in the grass he'll come out and bite you and all of a sudden he has 300 passing yards and four TD passes. There is an easiness to his playing style that makes him look like a natural in the pocket. When he has a clean pocket, there is no quarterback better in the 2023 class. He has all the arm talent in the world, he leads his speedy receivers to the ball and the Oklahoma commit chose the perfect college offense for his strengths.
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Sam Spiegelman: Arch Manning
You can talk about the bloodlines and or you can discuss some of the best single-game performances by a quarterback in a given game this season -- the fact is that five-star New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman quarterback Arch Manning is a football savant that makes excellent decisions and knows how to slice up defenses -- whether it’s attacking downfield or methodically moving up and down the field. As a junior, Manning has thrown for more than 2,300 yards with a 18:3 touchdown to interception ratio and has another 300 yards and four touchdowns rushing. Manning is an Ole Miss legacy, but is also considering Alabama, Georgia and Texas, among others.
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Ryan Wright: Lebbeus Overton
Lebbeus Overton is one of those rare players who can take over a game at any time. His strength is far above the grain and his drive collapsing the pocket makes him elite. There is a fear factor he brings to the field that shows in the opposition’s backfield on every snap. His hands are violent and his hand fighting skills will only improve.
With recruiting, all Overton has to do is pick up the phone and all college football programs will take the call. Look for teams like Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma to be at the forefront of his recruitment.