Several prospects rise in 2017 Rivals100
With the first No. 1 for the class of 2017 announced and eight new five stars,
some of the top players in the class can go unnoticed. But numerous players in
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the new Rivals100 presented by Under Armour making jumps in their Rivals Rating
since our initial evaluation, there are plenty of names to keep an eye on led by
Grand Prairie (Texas) South Grand Prairie safety Jeffrey Okudah who is
in five-star range.
"There is a ton of talent right after that top 15 of five stars in the 2017
class," said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. "And
with that comes a lot of questions and with potentially more rankings cycles for
this class than any other we've had, we have a long way to go. Is D.J. Matthews better than Trevon Grimes in state and nationally? Is
Okudah in the discussion with DeAngelo Gibbs as the top safety? Is
Tate Martell the next Johnny Manziel as many say and think he
is? That's just a few of them. I could name at least 20-30 guys right now that I
think could end up as five stars in the end, there is so far to go. But that
makes it even more exciting."
Here's a breakdown of the prospects that jumped a bit since their initial
evaluation.
"Wade is a long, athletic corner who has an impressive 7-on-7 and camp circuit.
He moves well for a prospect of his build and boasts the size of a safety with
the coverage skill of a cornerback. Prospects with Wade's length aren't usually
so versatile."
-- Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
OT
Graham (Wash.) Graham-Kapowsin
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21
NA
NA
"Sarell is a mauler on tape and shows the tenacity that has drawn looks from
coaches throughout the country. The massive 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman keeps
his feet moving through blocks and has a strong upper body that allows him to
easily overpower defenders."
-- Blair Angulo, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
OG
Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove
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24
NA
NA
"Johnson spent the spring camping at some of the nation's top schools and
dominated the competition everywhere he went. At Alabama he impressed enough
that Nick Saban took his commitment on the spot and he put on a similar
show at USC, where the Trojans coaches were floored with his ability. At his
size and his with his ability to move, Johnson looks like an elite prospect at
the guard position."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
OG
Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
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27
NA
NA
"Davis is an incredibly nice person off the field but once he steps between the
lines, the massive offensive lineman is tough, fierce and really looks to
dominate his opponent on every rep. Davis showed at the Five-Star Challenge
that
he moves well enough to play tackle but he could be super special at offensive
guard where he can own the middle of the line and open up holes for running
backs as a road grader with good feet."
-- Adam Gorney, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
TE
Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair
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30
NA
NA
"Wright is the kind of tight end who can grind his man into the dirt as a
blocker or get downfield and be an asset in the passing game. He can line up
next to the tackle or flex out to the slot. He is a versatile tight end capable
of playing every down. He also has a big frame and a lot of room for growth."
-- Jason Howell, Rivals.com Mid-South Recruiting Analyst
APB
Fontana (Calif.) Summit
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32
NA
NA
"Carr has excellent size and speed so he can bowl over smaller defenders and
keep running or the USC commit can get to the outside and run by people. What
was also impressive to see this off-season was Carr's ability to catch the ball
coming out of the backfield or motion to a receiver spot, run excellent routes
and then haul in passes. As a runner or receiver out of the backfield, Carr can
be a dynamic addition to the Trojans' offense in the coming years."
-- Adam Gorney, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
RB
Virginia Beach (Va.) Ocean Lakes
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34
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NA
"Laborn's ability to seemingly glide around the football field at 5-foot-10 and
193 pounds and to have the agility to make defenders miss in the open field is
very impressive. He has proven that he can make ridiculous catches out of the
backfield or lined up as a wide receiver but Laborn will be asked to run between
the tackle more this year that last year. It will be interesting to see how he
handles that."
-- Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
WR
Los Angeles (Calif.) Augustus Hawkins
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37
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NA
"Lewis has tremendous speed on the outside and he doesn't slow down one bit in
and out of his breaks. He can set up cornerbacks so well, he's a serious deep
threat because of his speed or he can stop on a dime on shorter routes to get
open. Once the ball is thrown, Lewis has sure hands and he's aggressive against
cornerbacks draping themselves over him."
-- Adam Gorney, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
DQB
Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis
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38
NA
NA
"Tagovailoa was the best quarterback among good groups at both the USC and UCLA
elite camps last month. He puts good velocity on the football and is very
accurate when throwing on the run."
-- Blair Angulo, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
OT
Phoenix (Ariz.) North Canyon
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45
NA
NA
"Jackson manhandled any defensive end that stepped up to him at the USC Rising
Stars Camp and earned a Trojans offer for his efforts. He is athletic, able to
move away from the line of scrimmage and hit the second level, but also has a
solid base to pass protect."
-- Blair Angulo, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
PQB
Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
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49
NA
NA
"Allen's strength is his accuracy and he showed that off by winning the
inaugural Rivals Quarterback Challenge Finals. Allen isn't
perfect mechanically but he's as effective as most quarterbacks in America. The
ball jumps out of his hand and he's able to make throws on the run."
-- Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
PQB
Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian
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52
NA
NA
"Mills checks every box you want in an elite quarterback's evaluation -- size,
arm strength, accuracy and on-field performance. That's why it didn't come as a
surprise when schools from all over the country checked in to see Mills throw
this spring. Plenty of schools followed those visits up with offers and Mills is
poised for a huge junior season as he looks to continue his rise up the ranks."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
S
Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer
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57
NA
NA
"Pryor is another prospect who falls into the physically impressive beyond his
years category. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds Pryor already looks like he could be
playing in college and once he has some more experience under his belt he will
surely only continue to impress against elite competition."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
WR
Mt. Pleasant (S.C.) Wando
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61
NA
NA
"South Carolina seems to produce a star wide receiver every year or so and Smith
looks like the next prospect to fit that mold. He is big and has impressive
leaping ability to go with excellent hands, making him one of the best we have
seen in his class so far."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
RB
Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry
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62
NA
NA
"Sermon is a big, physical back that easily reminds you of some of the stars in
the current SEC. He's already 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds despite only being halfway
through his high school career. As he continues to add even more muscle to his
frame he will be quite a load for defenders to bring down."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
CB
Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage
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65
NA
NA
"Wilson has always been blessed with ball skills and quickness. The fact that he
continues to add size is helping his stock rise quickly. His upward trajectory
is undeniable, as he continues to get bigger and more technically sound with
each passing month."
-- Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
PQB
Calabasas, Calif.
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69
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NA
"Gebbia has one of the strongest arms in the 2017 class. He can zip the ball all
over the field and even though he doesn't have a big frame he has a lot of arm
strength to deliver strikes. He's also proven to be a really intelligent
quarterback who is starting to understand defenses better and get the mental
part down so he makes the right reads. Being coached by former Tennessee
quarterback Casey Clausen and having Keyshawn Johnson around the program surely
doesn't hurt, either."
-- Adam Gorney, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
OC
Aledo, Texas
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73
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NA
"Harris spends most of his time at offensive tackle at Aledo, but his future is
on the interior. He is technically sound and has some very quick hands. He also
has a nasty disposition inside and some quick footwork. He can play either guard
or center, but his combination of hands, feet, and size make him hard to deal
with in the middle of the offensive line."
-- Jason Howell, Rivals.com Mid-South Recruiting Analyst
OT
El Cerrito, Calif.
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77
NA
NA
"Banks impressed at the Rivals Camp Series last spring but then fell off the
radar a little bit. He's back in a big way this summer with an impressive
performance at the USC Rising Stars Camp. The Trojans and UCLA recently offered
the big offensive lineman who moves well and is great with his hands. He is
emerging as one of the better linemen in the West, if not in this entire class."
-- Adam Gorney, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
DT
Princeton (N.J.) Hun School
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78
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NA
"Hansard is a ball of energy at defensive tackle that most interior offensive
linemen can't handle. There aren't many defensive tackles that have his lateral
agility and he uses his leverage very well. Probably the best thing about
Hansard is the way he uses his hands. He is always working to swat away the
offensive lineman's hands and there is a constant aggressiveness to him."
-- Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
RB
Memphis (Tenn.) Trezevant
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79
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NA
"Richardson is a classic example of a big back with great vision who wastes no
time hitting the hole and getting downhill in a hurry. At 5-foot-11 and 220
pounds he's built like a classic smash-mouth back but he also showed his ability
to catch passes during events on the spring camp circuit."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
CB
Roswell, Ga.
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89
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NA
"Williams is another defensive back who is only scratching the surface of his
ultimate potential. He is still growing into his body but has terrific
fundamentals to go along with a tremendous amount of confidence. If he continues
on his current trajectory, he should have no problem validating his spot in the
rankings."
-- Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
APB
Clinton, Miss.
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91
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NA
"Akers isn't a traditional all-purpose back in the way that he boasts
better-than-average size. Still, he's a threat catching the football
nevertheless. Akers is able to make plays in space like few back of his build
can. Akers is a rare blend of power and quickness."
-- Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst
ILB
Salt Lake City (Utah) Brighton
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95
NA
NA
"Heimuli-Lund was the best prospect at the Mountain West Elite Camp this past
spring, closing quickly on ball carriers but also showing the ability to blanket
the middle of the field. He is a great tackler on defense, but is also garnering
interest as a power back."
-- Blair Angulo, Rivals.com West Recruiting Analyst
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Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director
Blair Angulo
West Recruiting Analyst
Rob Cassidy
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
Adam Friedman
Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
Adam Gorney
West Recruiting Analyst
Josh Helmholdt
Midwest Recruiting Analyst
Jason Howell
Mid-South Recruiting Analyst
Woody Wommack
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
Click Here to view this Link.