Rivals100: Wilson retains top spot, five new five-stars debut
The post-spring release of the Rivals100 Presented By Under Armour is out and there is no change at the top as Houston (Texas) Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson remains the No. 1 prospect in the country. However, following a long spring with thousands of new evaluations, there was some shuffling in the rankings as well as five new five-stars.
RELATED: Complete list of latest 2017 Rivals100
The Rivals.com recruiting analysts break it all down for you.
“Marvin Wilson remains No. 1 and, despite a really strong group of players near the top of the rankings, it wasn’t much of a discussion,” said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. “That’s not to say he will run away with this No. 1 spot bell-to-bell, but each time we see him he’s as good as or better than we expected.”
In fact, the top three prospects in the country remained the same as Antioch (Calif.) Antioch Senior running back Najee Harris, an Alabama commitment, remains No. 2 and Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Trevon Grimes stays at No. 3. Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson also didn’t move as he remained No. 5 while Clemson quarterback commitment Hunter Johnson from Brownsburg, Ind., pushed into the top five at No. 4.
“After the top five we start to see some shakeups including two new five-stars that jumped into the top 10,” said Farrell. “No prospect lost a fifth star this time around but we did have five new ones led by linebacker Baron Browning from Kennedale, Texas. A very strong group of five-stars in the class of 2017 got a lot stronger with this release.”
Here’s a look at the new five-stars.
Recruiting wrap: Browning recently took a visit to Ohio State with Jeffery Okudah. That visit went well and the Buckeyes are a leader in his recruitment, with the major Texas programs vying hard to become a second option in the race for his commitment.
Analyst comments: “Browning is what every coach wants in a linebacker – a big kid who has length and can drop in coverage, loves to be physical moving forward and doesn’t waste any movement. He slows the game down with his football IQ and diagnoses plays easily, and his physical ability takes over after that. He’s a difference maker.” – Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell
“Physically, Browning is an animal, pure and simple. His film from last season features him making plays in the secondary from the safety position, and he could have just as easily won the defensive back MVP with his performance at the Rivals Camp Series event in Dallas. He is a rare talent that can line up at any linebacker position, plays sideline to sideline, and is a terrifying tackler – particularly when he can build up a head of steam – which he can do instantaneously.” – Nick Krueger, Rivals.com Texas Analyst
Recruiting wrap: Clemson, Florida and Georgia are in the best position to land Terrell's commitment.
Analyst comments: “Big, fast defensive backs who can play safety, corner and impact on special teams are obviously coveted by everyone from college to the NFL and that’s exactly what Terrell is. On film he’s a bit raw with his footwork, but he has the size and speed to make up for any mistakes. He sheds blocks well and is a capable and willing tackler in run support. When he touches the ball he’s gone. He could be a two-way player in college and reminds me a bit of Jalen Ramsey.” – Farrell
“There wasn't a prospect in the country who had a better spring than Terrell, as he dominated multiple camp events while also showing off elite track speed. In addition to having the film to back it up, Terrell has the type of size and playmaking ability that college coaches drool over. After seeing him several times during the spring, it was a no-brainer to move him up to five-star status.” – Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Analyst
Recruiting wrap: Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan and Florida State are all major players for Collins.
Analyst comments: “Big wide receivers who can high point the ball and have great body control are a quarterback’s best friend and that’s Collins in a nutshell. He is tall, has room to fill out and he has reliable hands. He doesn’t get a ton of separation on film but he provides a nice window for the ball, adjusts to poorly thrown balls and is a red zone nightmare for defenders. He’s also a willing and physical blocker.” – Farrell
“Collins is a massive target with very sure hands. He is particularly effective over the middle and on deep routes because of his size, length and ability to high-point the ball. He is a long strider and can stand to refine his route running a bit. There is plenty of room in his frame to fill out. His best football is ahead of him.” – Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Analyst
Recruiting wrap: Phillips is committed to UCLA.
Analyst comments: “Hybrid players are all the rage in college football and Phillips fits the mold. He’s the guy on film who’s too big to be playing off the ball or standing up but yet the one making all the plays. And when he is closer to the line of scrimmage, he comes off the edge and flattens so well he dips past tackles with ease. He can play standup football for two downs and then get down in the dirt on passing downs and become a nightmare for the quarterback.” – Farrell
“I had not seen much of Phillips before this spring but after seeing him at a few events it's clear he's one of the best prospects in the West. The UCLA commit is all of 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds and is a classic hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker. He has the power and the toughness to line up at defensive end and get to the edge or make a move inside to harass the quarterback. He also has the speed and athleticism to drop back in coverage to make plays. He could be a special player for the Bruins immediately.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst
Recruiting wrap: Conventional wisdom had suggested Little to be an Ole Miss lean but he recently visited Stanford. Oklahoma is looking to wedge itself in with those schools and Texas.
Analyst comments: “Little is a massive kid who I can see starting off as a right tackle and eventually turning into a franchise left tackle for someone. He plays with good leverage as a run blocker for a taller kid and he can hit the second level. In pass protection, he kicks, sets, punches and repeats. He is very good at reacting to defenders off first contact. He needs some work on technique and his feet, but for a massive kid he’s very effective in the run game as well as in pass pro.” – Farrell
“Little blocks more with a sense of controlled chaos than he does with picture-perfect results. That's not to say he does anything wrong technique-wise, just watch out when he's going to work. He has a great sense of how to set a base and create an angle that immediately puts pass rushers at a disadvantage coming off the line. He also has thick arms that don't break when defensive linemen look to disengage after contact. Little plays tough and does what needs to be done to finish his blocks.” –Krueger