Rivals Roundtable: Which prospect could move to No. 1?

Even though campus visits and off-campus recruiting have been restricted for the next month in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there are still a lot of interesting things going on with the 2021 class.

In today’s roundtable, we ask the Rivals analysts which prospect could move to No. 1 through this recruiting cycle?

MORE ROUNDTABLE: Which position is deepest in 2021 class?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from both quarterback Sam Huard and offensive tackle Amarius Mims. Both have the type of upside to stake a claim to the top spot down the road. Each will need to continue to develop in the year ahead, but I expect will turn in dominant senior seasons.

There are only a handful of prospects that look like they have a chance to overtake Korey Foreman at No. 1. I could see Ohio State commit Jack Sawyer making a push but if it's anyone, it'll be quarterback Caleb Williams. As more people are able to watch him perform, I imagine he'll end up moving into the No. 1 spot in the Rivals250.

Nick Bosa was a five-star prospect but he finished No. 21 overall in the 2016 class, far too low based on his production at Ohio State and his selection as the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. His brother, Joey, ended up as a high four-star and while he had a solid ranking there was definitely an argument to be made to make him a five-star.

Ohio State commit Jack Sawyer could be next in line and his game seems very similar to the Bosa brothers. He’s a fantastic edge rusher, he’s an athletic specimen and if he has a huge senior season and great performance at the all-star events he should be in discussion for No. 1 overall.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT BUCKEYEGROVE.COM

Ever since seeing him at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge last June, I have been a big Amarius Mims fan. A big-framed lineman with plenty of athleticism to man the left tackle spot, Mims impressed among the best upperclass linemen in the country despite being obviously still very raw fundamentally. The only positions to be drafted No. 1 overall in this century are quarterback, defensive end and left tackle, and Mims has the tools to be that class-leading type of talent.

I could go with a guy or two in my region that I have seen a lot of, but I am going with defensive tackle Maason Smith from Louisiana. He is a grown man. Nice and respectful off the field, but he flips that switch when he steps between the lines and becomes a monster. At Future 50, he dominated, then recently at the Rivals Camp Series stop in New Orleans, he did the same. He is the No. 6 prospect in the country, but that could be a little low. He looks like an interior lineman ready to play college football right now.

Tommy Brockermeyer gets my vote. He plays a premium position (offensive tackle) and has just missed an entire season of work but, at his best, he's a one-man wrecking crew. Brockermeyer dominated last year's Rivals Camp Series stop in Dallas and punched a ticket for the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge as a junior. While he remains embedded inside Rivals' top 10 heading into the spring, another opportunity to see the five-star lineman healthy should spark discussions about Brockermeyer not only as the country's top offensive tackle, but perhaps the best player overall.