Rivals100: Risers and Sliders
The third release of the Rivals100 Presented By Under Armour for the class of 2017 has been released with the same No. 1, some shuffling at the top and a few new five-stars. There were also plenty of big moves, especially upwards, led by offensive tackle Austin Deculus from Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair, as prospects jockey for position and surge toward the five-star range.
The Rivals.com team of analysts breaks down the big movers.
RISERS
Rankings change: + 86 spots to No. 24
Evaluation: “Deculus has everything you want physically from an offensive tackle – he has long arms, a broad frame to continue to add muscle and the length to make it difficult to go around him. While his footwork could be improved, he’s a nasty, physical tackle with a high ceiling. LSU is his leader now because of family connections.” – Mike Farrell, Rivals.com National Recruiting Director
Rankings change: + 36 spots to No. 33
Evaluation: “The long, rangy wide receiver has one of the most impressive junior highlight films you will ever see. He spent the fall dominating defenses in a variety of ways, including looking like a threat to score every time he touched the ball. Assuming he can continue to add weight to his frame, he will become even tougher for defensive backs to handle. Higgins is considering Tennessee and Clemson.” - Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
Rankings change: + 48 spots to No. 37
Evaluation: “Parks’ calling card is his power, but his footwork is not to be scoffed at. It's clear that he's been well-coached and will only get better as he adds muscle. Parks made an early commitment to Florida State.” – Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
Rankings change: + 75 spots to No. 39
Evaluation: “Watching McCaffrey on film, you continue to see things that impress. He has the size of his father, former NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey, and some of the athleticism of his brother, Heisman finalist Christian McCaffrey. His ability to keep defenses honest with his feet opens things up for his arm. He can make things look very easy at this level and is just starting to become a polished pocket passer. The sky’s the limit for the recent Michigan commitment.” - Farrell
Rankings change: + 36 spots to No. 40
Evaluation: “Jeudy is off to an incredible start this offseason. His quick acceleration makes him lethal, and his change of direction rarely fails to create separation. That, combined with his solid size, make him a high-level prospect. Jeudy is thought to favor Alabama, but has not named the Tide as his official frontrunner. Plenty of schools remain in the mix to land his commitment.” - Cassidy
Rankings change: + 96 spots to No. 47
Evaluation: “Slaton is adding muscle and is quickly turning into a college-ready prospect. He has an incredibly violent initial punch and uses his long arms well. Slaton holds a long list of offers, but Miami, Florida State, Michigan and Georgia seem most involved for the time being.” - Cassidy
Rankings change: + 35 spots to No. 52
Evaluation: “Robinson, an early Oklahoma commitment, is a very good run blocker who gets under his opponent’s pad level and likes to deliver a blow with a defender’s mentality. But as a pass protector, he’s starting to find a groove as well as recent film evaluation shows. He’s still the one initiating contact, but he’s more comfortable with his balance and less raw sliding off the snap. He could play guard or right tackle in college.” - Farrell
Rankings change: + 182 spots to No. 56
Evaluation: “From a physical standpoint, Hainsey has always been an excellent prospect. Hainsey's technique got much better after transferring to IMG Academy from Western Pennsylvania last offseason and his toughness, physicality, and strength are much improved. At the Under Armour Future 50 in early January, Hainsey dominated and his progress warranted a big move up the rankings. So far Hainsey has indicated he's a Big Ten lean but there is plenty of time for schools in other conferences to try to make their mark.” – Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
Rankings change: + 104 spots to No. 59
Evaluation: “Hunter plays out of position at defensive end for his high school team but during the junior all-star game circuit in Georgia, he had a chance to shine at linebacker in a fully-padded, full-contact environment. Hunter is a legit 6-foot-3 with the athleticism of a skill position player. Hunter is committed to Georgia.” - Wommack
Rankings change: + 86 spots to No. 60
Evaluation: “Leatherwood’s relatively low center of gravity combined with his power make him special. His footwork is improving as he reshapes his body, making his upside incredibly high. Leatherwood is committed to Alabama but plans to take other visits in the year ahead.” - Cassidy
Rankings change: + 70 spots to No. 80
Evaluation: “Donaldson surprises with how well he moves. He’s massive but he was effective playing tight end in 7-on-7 situations. He may have looked funny running routes, but it’s hard to argue with the footwork he showcased in that setting. As he improves his technique, he’ll become special. A Miami commit, Donaldson is still considering a number of other schools, including Georgia and Florida.” - Cassidy
SLIDERS
Rankings change: -46 spots to No. 92
Evaluation: “Known as "Tank," Robinson has made a name for himself by flying all over the field to make big hits, but as he continues to develop, coverage is going to become an even more important part of his game. As one of the nation's top safeties, he needs to be just as proficient in coverage as he is in run support. Robinson is considering South Carolina, Clemson and others.” - Wommack
Rankings change: -36 spots to No. 97
Evaluation: “There is no question Tilford is physically ready for college football - he's jacked, has tremendous athletic ability and can play a variety of positions. But he doesn't always dominate like he should and he needs to pick whether he wants to be great at running back or linebacker and then focus on that position. There are times when Tilford takes over, but also times when he doesn't and that's why he dropped slightly in the rankings. Tilford keeps quiet about his recruitment, but USC and UCLA are considered out in front and Michigan continues to appeal to him.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst