Rivals100: New five-stars, same No. 1

The final Rivals100 Presented By Under Armour for the class of 2016 has been released, bringing to a close nearly a two-year long debate as to who is No. 1 and what players should be given stars. Paramus (N.J.) Paramus Catholic defensive tackle Rashan Gary remains at No. 1, but we have nine new five-stars and one player losing that coveted fifth star. Here’s our analysts' breakdown the final rankings.

“We found our guy,” said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. “Gary was No. 1 in our last ranking and he held onto it through all-star season despite some fierce competition. In fact, our top four remained exactly the same, something that is a rarity not only from one ranking to the next but for the final two rankings. Dexter Lawrence was impressive, Shea Patterson had an amazing week as well at the U.S. Army All American Bowl and Gregory Little was awesome at Under Armour All America week.

"But Gary’s performance was as dominant as I’ve ever seen from a defensive tackle who played mostly outside and was still too fast and athletic for everyone. Gary becomes our first defensive tackle to finish No. 1 and it is well deserved.”

Perhaps the bigger news is the number of new five stars from all-star season, which includes regional and national all-star games as well as playoff performances that occurred after our last ranking.

“Nine is a lot for a final ranking but I think we were pretty conservative in August and December, wanting to see a bit more from some of these guys in many cases,” said Farrell. “We finished 2016 with 31 five-stars and that was more than I expected, because it’s not as elite a class as some others I’ve seen in recent years. But each and every one of these new five-stars I feel good about and they earned it. They answered our questions and overcame our doubts in each situation.”

Here’s a breakdown of the nine new five-stars and the lone player who lost his fifth star.

DT Derrick Brown, Sugar Hill (Ga.) Lanier

“Brown, to me, was right behind Rashan Gary and Dexter Lawrence when it comes to all-star performance and I think he might have gotten more of a natural push than either. He doesn’t have the same pass-rushing skill as the top two players in the country, but he can handle the point of attack as well and he knocks opponents backwards with ease. He earned that fifth star back in a big way to me.” -- Mike Farrell, National Recruiting Director

“Brown has already been a five-star for the majority of the 2016 cycle and after losing it during the summer, he more than earned it back with a dominant senior season and an impressive showing in San Antonio. The biggest key with Brown is desire and when he wants it and is locked in, he's as good as any player in the country. Brown is still considering Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi State.” -- Woody Wommack, Southeast Analyst

DE Antonneous Clayton, Vienna (Ga.) Dooly County

“When I first saw Clayton I wanted him to be a little bit bigger and longer so he had more of a frame to fill out, but after watching how explosive he was all week in practice and how he handled himself in the Under Armour All America Game itself, I saw a guy who could stand up if needed and be a pass-rushing specialist on third down. He won’t be a monster defensive end, but he’ll be one of the quickest in the SEC.” -- Farrell

“Clayton came into the Under Armour All America Game set on proving that he belonged with the nation's best and he did that and more. Clayton can bulk up and play defensive end full time or he could be more of a hybrid linebacker in college. Either way, the Florida commit looks like a future star.” -- Woody Wommack, Southeast Analyst

LB Erick Fowler, Manor, Texas

“Fowler is a big linebacker when standing up and a quick and sneaky strong defensive end with his hand on the ground, so his positional versatility impressed me a lot. For a bigger ‘backer, the LSU commitment moves to the football quickly and doesn’t over-pursue as many big hitters do. He always seems to make the right play, whether it’s funneling and runner inside to help or turning on the jets to the sideline. He will be after the passer at the next level as well.” -- Farrell

“Fowler has made a name for himself over the years as an edge rusher who arrives at the ball in an angry mood. He has been viewed as a little bit of a ‘tweener and there were questions about his abilities as a true linebacker. At the Army All-American Bowl he saw action at defensive end and linebacker, and he did not skip a beat. He gets downhill in a hurry and he also showed the range and instincts needed to be a top talent at linebacker.” -- Jason Howell, Mid-South Analyst

CB Jack Jones, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly

“I was impressed with Jones because he has natural instincts despite not playing the position full time and he’s very sudden with excellent closing speed. He’s not the biggest cornerback out there, but he’s physical and a willing tackler which is crucial. He has a chip on his shoulder and wants to be challenged and that’s huge for a lockdown corner.” -– Farrell

“Jones proved at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl that he is one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and if he continues to develop at the position he could be a shutdown corner for many years to come. He has bounced back and forth between receiver and corner in recent years and he's a solid receiver but Jones is absolutely special at corner. He wants to completely shut down every receiver he plays with passion and heart and Jones never gets fooled by any double moves. Strictly as a corner, Jones deserves that coveted fifth star. Jones visited Alabama this weekend and is down to ‘Bama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC.” -- Adam Gorney, National Recruiting Analyst

LB Tre Lamar, Roswell, Ga.

“Lamar has everything you want in a linebacker – size, instincts, length, quickness and strength – and he uses this combination of skills to cover a lot of ground and arrive at the ball with authority. Big linebackers who can play inside or outside are rare and Lamar will have a big impact in college because he can play in any defense.” -- Farrell

“Lamar has always hovered around the top 100, but it wasn't until his monster senior season that he really entered the five-star conversation. After showing both size and improved athleticism at the Under Armour Game and out-shining other highly ranked prospects in both the game and the week of practices, it was clear the Clemson commit had earned five-star status.” -- Wommack

DT Ed Oliver, Houston (Texas) Westfield

“At 6-2, 290 pounds, Oliver is long, strong and has one of the quickest first steps you’ll ever see for an inside guy. But because of the Houston commitment’s athleticism, he could be an outside end as well in college if needed. He makes up for a lack of huge frame with speed, athleticism and excellent instincts.” -- Farrell

“Oliver has little to no bad weight on his frame and he is a ball of explosiveness from his defensive tackle position. At the Under Armour All-America Game he proved to be an unstoppable force throughout the week and he had a spectacular performance on game day. His motor, his first step, and his ability to read and make plays all over the field from his spot in the middle made it too hard to deny him five-star status.” -- Howell

DE Jeffery Simmons, Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County

“Simmons is a big kid with a very strong and powerful lower body which allows him to explode off the snap, use his leverage to rock tackles back on their heels and overpower. However, he also has sneaky speed around the edge or on stunts at times and he loves to hit. He’s a physical specimen who could move inside at the next level and maintain pass rushing ability.” -- Farrell

“Simmons had a wonderful and consistent all-star season. He was fantastic at the Alabama-Missisippi All-Star Classic and followed that up with another impressive showing at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Simmons has always had the raw physical tools but has developed five-star technique in the last year. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama and Southern Miss remain in play for Simmons, but The Crimson Tide and Rebels seem to hold a slight edge over the rest of the pack.” -- Cassidy

WR Tyler Vaughns, La Puente (Calif.) Bishop Amat

“I was always the most critical of the analysts of Vaughns because he did everything well but nothing spectacularly and I needed to see more explosion to be on board with a fifth star. At the Army Bowl week, I didn’t see additional explosion from the USC commitment, but he improved in every other aspect and he’s so smooth he makes things look easy. He has good size, great hands, runs excellent routes and bails out his quarterback on bad throws. He has a great career ahead of him even if he never gets a step quicker.” -- Farrell

“Vaughns is so smooth and so effortless in everything he does and he's consistently been one of the best receivers at every event - whether a high school game, 7-on-7 tournament, camp or the Army Bowl - I've covered over the last two years. The USC commit has phenomenal hands, he snatches the ball out of the air and while he doesn't have elite top-end speed, Vaughns can separate from corners and get open because of his route-running. He's also surprisingly strong for being a thinner receiver.” -- Gorney

OT Landon Young, Lexington (Ken.) Lafayette

“Young has always looked the part of a five-star and he was easily the best offensive tackle on the West team at the U.S. Army All American Bowl. After the game itself and going back and reviewing everything, he was the best tackle for either team and that, along with that great frame, makes him a potentially elite left tackle in my book.” -- Farrell

“Young entered the five-star conversation after his senior season and earned the nod following an excellent week in San Antonio. The Kentucky commit has the look of a future NFL tackle and his upside combined with his consistent improvement throughout the process put him over the tip for five-star status.” –- Wommack

WR Nate Craig-Myers, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic

“This was a tough one because I think Craig-Myers can still be an amazing receiver at the next level and beyond, but he just hasn’t shown the ability to separate or advanced route running ability to keep him as a five-star. He was a phenomenal talent as a sophomore and in his limited junior season, but he hasn’t been the same since. I don’t think it’s the injury from his junior year that has slowed him, but he has flattened out in development for some reason.” –- Farrell

“Craig-Myers maintains tremendous upside and certainly has all the physical tools to be a special college player. Still, he hasn’t looked like a five-star since returning from injury last offseason. He's been effective, sure, but it's been some time since he's looked like a force capable of taking over a game. Craig-Myers was quiet during the Under Armour All-America week and fell into the periphery outside the five-stars. Once an Auburn commit, Ole Miss, Auburn, North Carolina and Florida seem to be the most likely landing spots for the four-star prospect.” -- Cassidy