Rivals Roundtable: Which WR should climb the rankings?
The wide receiver position is loaded in the 2020 class but there could still be a lot of movement among the top 10 players at that position through their senior seasons and especially the all-star events. Below, each Rivals analyst makes a pick as to which receiver could see a surge up the rankings soon.
RIVALS ROUNDTABLE: Which QB could be in line for a rankings bump?
ROB CASSIDY, Florida analyst
Xzavier Henderson is having a nice season in South Florida and could gain some ground in the rankings. He may not move into the top 10 but he's certainly made his case to jump some people ranked in front of him. The long, smooth wideout is taking a hard look at schools such as Alabama, Florida and Clemson.
MIKE FARRELL, National Recruiting Director
To me it's Gee Scott Jr. who has a great skillset to go along with good size and an excellent frame. He has elite hands, good body control and he's very reliable as a route runner. I think he could be a star at Ohio State and I like his suddenness and speed. I think by the end of all-star season he will be a guy we are talking about as a potential five-star.
ADAM FRIEDMAN, Mid-Atlantic analyst
With how loaded the wide receiver group is this year, it is unlikely any receivers make the jump from outside the top 10 into that upper echelon. The two that probably have the best chance are Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Joshua Downs. Personally, I'm a bigger fans of Downs than most and I think he'll have a ton of success with Sam Howell throwing to him at North Carolina. Still, the players in the top 10 of the receiver rankings are clearly more talented than the rest.
ADAM GORNEY, National and West analyst
Stanford is getting a really good player in John Humphreys and if the Cardinal throw the ball to him he’s going to make plays. The four-star receiver is currently No. 24 at the position nationally which is respectable but he’s having a huge senior season after a great offseason and a big junior year so a move up is warranted. Humphreys is long, athletic and he can go over the top of defensive backs for 50-50 balls. A move up – especially if he finishes strong this season – could definitely be warranted.
JOSH HELMHOLDT, Midwest analyst
I really liked what I saw from Jaxon Smith-Njigba this past summer. Even as high as he is ranked I think he gets somewhat forgotten in that Ohio State class with Julian Fleming and Gee Scott Jr. being top-40 guys nationally. But Smith-Njigba does a couple things very well that mark the great ones: He creates consistent separation and he has a knack for making the big play. I have not seen anything from his senior year yet, but I would not be surprised if he finished inside the top 10 at the position when all is said and done.
CHAD SIMMONS, Southeast analyst
We all have seen how good Joshua Downs is. He was back at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge, where he turned in two sub 4.5-second times in the 40-yard dash. He is not the biggest wide receiver, and he projects as a slot at North Carolina, but he is an elite playmaker. He is sure-handed, he is great in space, he has that burst and that "it" factor is there. Some will question his size and ceiling due to his frame and position, but the Peach State receiver is still one who can move up in the rankings.
SAM SPIEGELMAN, Texas and Louisiana analyst
Kayshon Boutte sits at No. 18 in the country but is primed to crack the top 10 following his senior season. The LSU commitment has freakish combine scores and has improved his hands, route running and broadened his catch radius. He's in consideration as perhaps a top-10 receiver and maybe the state's top prospect.
WOODY WOMMACK, Southeast analyst
One guy we might be too low is EJ Williams. Right now he’s the No. 29 receiver and while there are some talented guys ahead of him, I trust Clemson’s evaluation on wideouts given the Tigers' recent track record.