6/6/2016 football Edit

Rivals100: Prospects make big moves heading into summer

Staff

Rivals.com

The latest release of the Rivals100 Presented By Under Armour for the class of 2017 features the same No. 1, some shuffling at the top and five new five-stars. There were also plenty of big moves as prospects jockey for position and surge toward the five-star range.

The Rivals.com team of analysts breaks down the big risers.

Rankings change: From No. 241 in the Rivals250 to No. 41

Recruiting wrap: LSU and Alabama appear to be Smith's early favorites.

Evaluation: “People in Louisiana like to compare Smith to NFL superstar Odell Beckham Jr. While it may be a little early for that, it's clear Smith is a special talent. We're watching his development closely and his rise up the ranks could continue.” – Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

Rankings change: From outside the Rivals250 to No. 52

Recruiting wrap: USC looks to be the early front-runner and he is a top target by the Trojans' staff. However, a lot of top Fresno kids end up at Oklahoma. Georgia recently offered as well.

Evaluation: “I had heard a lot of talk about Johnson being one of the best ever out of Fresno – and that city knows how to produce defensive backs – and I became a believer after seeing him in the Pylon 7v7 in Las Vegas. Johnson has tremendous length, he's physical at the line, he doesn't ever bite on double moves and he's so athletic once he has to compete for the ball. He has impressive straight-line speed, too, so covering receivers of all sizes will be no issue at all for him.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst

Rankings change: From outside the Rivals250 to No. 53

Recruiting wrap: Echols remains committed to UCLA but is expected to visit Alabama this summer. He will trip to Nebraska in the fall and could take all of his official visits.

Evaluation: “Echols is an impressive athlete who has outstanding junior season film but I wanted to see more from him this spring before shooting him up the charts. He showed up at a few events and looked great, a prototypical edge rusher who cannot be stopped by many offensive tackles because he's just simply too fast to the edge. He's going to collapse the pocket and force the quarterback into quick decisions. Echols routinely tracks down plays and makes the tackle from the back side.” – Gorney

Rankings change: From No. 237 in the Rivals250 to No. 59

Recruiting wrap: UCLA and Washington seem to be the front-runners for Gumbs, who took a wide-range of unofficial visits this offseason.

Evaluation: “Gumbs is a blitzing machine who could be utilized all over the field and in exotic schemes to get into the backfield. He comes off the edge as well as any player in California and he hits hard. Gumbs isn't looking to wrap up, he's looking to knock the ball out of the quarterback's hands and recover it. Twenty-three sacks and seven forced fumbles last season was a big statement. So were his showings in the spring where he looked good in space and in coverage. From the edge or coming from the middle, Gumbs lives in the backfield.” – Gorney

Rankings change: From No. 222 in the Rivals250 to No. 61

Recruiting wrap: Florida, Miami and Michigan are the front-runners for Herbert, but the Gators seem to lead the way.

Evaluation: “Herbert was the offensive line MVP at the Rivals Camp Series in Miami. He turned in a dominant performance while showcasing impressive arm extension and incredible upper body strength.” – Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

Rankings change: From No. 145 in the Rivals250 to No. 63

Recruiting wrap: Robinson is committed to Alabama.

Evaluation: “The running back MVP of the Rivals Camp Series in Atlanta, Robinson showcased incredible burst and was a nightmare for linebackers to cover. He has impressive size, so the acceleration can take you off guard. His blend of muscle and quickness makes him special.” – Cassidy

Rankings change: From No. 168 in the Rivals250 to No. 66

Recruiting wrap: Georgia and Alabama are in great position with Webb right now but a decision is not imminent.

Evaluation: “Webb has progressed so much from last year to this year. He is much more athletic, looser in his hips, and his route running has improved dramatically. Webb has great hands and makes tough catches look easy. All quarterbacks have to do is get the ball near Webb and he takes care of the rest.” – Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst

Rankings change: From No. 116 in the Rivals250 to No. 76

Recruiting wrap: Moretti is committed to Ohio State.

Evaluation: “Moretti doesn't like to block, he likes to pulverize his opponents into the ground. He likes to use his strength and size to overpower those who ever considered getting into the Pomona backfield to lay a finger on his quarterback. That type of raw toughness is what the Buckeyes' coaches had to love about Moretti. He's not looking to block an opponent and move on. He's looking to completely dominate, get to the second level and knock somebody over, and grind people down over four quarters.” – Gorney

Rankings change: From outside the Rivals250 to No. 77

Recruiting wrap: Roberts is committed to Nebraska.

Evaluation: “Roberts has gotten much faster and is a physical presence on the interior of the defense. At the Rivals Camp Series in New Jersey he did a great job covering running backs and tight ends from sideline-to-sideline and did not get beaten down the field. Roberts will have a lot to prove at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour following this move in the rankings.” – Friedman

Rankings change: From No. 159 in the Rivals250 to No. 81

Recruiting wrap: White is committed to Ohio State.

Evaluation: “The Rivals Camp Series in Columbus featured an extremely deep group of wide receivers, and White nearly came away with MVP honors. That is especially impressive considering the Ohio State commit may end up playing on the defensive side of the football when he arrives in Columbus. Measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, White combines size with tremendous ball skills and plenty of speed.” – Josh Helmholdt, Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst

Rankings change: From outside the Rivals250 to No. 95

Recruiting wrap: It looks like UCLA and Oregon could have an edge with Cal, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and many others still involved.

Evaluation: “I always knew Redd was fast. But I didn't give him credit for being that fast. Redd won the iLLSPEED Finals in Baltimore to prove he's one of the fastest players in this class but it's not only that performance that warranted a bump. On offense, get the ball to Redd in space and he makes people miss. He moves the ball quickly down the field. On defense, he's tough for being undersized and has no problem keeping up with receivers. On special teams his speed takes over. Redd is really valuable in all three phases and deserved a nice jump in the rankings.” – Gorney

Rankings change: From outside the Rivals250 to No. 100

Recruiting wrap: Moultry is committed to Auburn.

Evaluation: “Moultry took home linebacker MVP honors at the Rivals Camp Series in Atlanta and showed great lateral movement. He also shined in drills. His length and agility allowed him to close quickly in coverage against backs and tight ends.” – Cassidy