Texas Spotlight: Toughest final 2019 ranking decisions
The majority of the 2019 prospects at the FBS level have already signed their letters of intent, but football continued to be played after last month's postseason update of the Rivals250 and Rivals100. Next week, the final 2019 class rankings will be released, and several big questions in the state of Texas are set to be answered.
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1. Will DeMarvin Leal make the five-star leap?
Over the past few rankings cycles Texas A&M defensive end commit DeMarvin Leal has seen his stock rise, and after an impressive week at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio the question is whether it will rise all the way to five-star status. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound prospect has a rare combination of size and athleticism, and even though he kept a relatively low profile throughout the recruiting process he’s fully on the radar now. The leap from four to five-stars is the toughest one to make, but Leal has made a very impressive case, and his status will be hotly debated.
2. Which wide receiver gets the edge?
It’s been quite a cycle for wide receivers in the state, starting off with a battle between Florida commit Arjei Henderson and Oklahoma commit Theo Wease and then settling into a battle between Wease and Trejan Bridges. Heading into the final rankings it’s once again five-stars Wease and Bridges vying for the top spot, with Ohio State commit Garrett Wilson also making a case to be in the discussion after an impressive showing in San Antonio.
Wilson has hovered around five-star status for most of the cycle. If he can jump to five-stars can he overtake Bridges and/or Wease? All possibilities are on the table.
3. Will Brooks break through?
LSU commit Marcel Brooks has had his share of ups and downs during his time in the rankings. He started out on the cusp of five-star status and peaked at No. 21 overall before nearly falling all the way out of the Rivals250. Over the past three rankings cycles his stock has been on the move, and Brooks has climbed all the way back into the Rivals250. After an impressive week in San Antonio - including a very good in-game performance - his stock is on the rise again. Will he get all the way back inside the top 30? In order to do so he would need to earn his fifth star and leap 30 spots in the rankings. Did he show enough in San Antonio to make it happen?
4. Which defensive back will rise the highest?
The All-American Bowl gave Texas prospects the perfect opportunity to show their skills, and several defensive backs took advantage, including Alabama commit Marcus Banks, Texas commit Tyler Owens and Georgia commit Lewis Cine. During both the week of practice and the game, the trio of Lone Star State prospects were all over the field in coverage and helping out against the run.
It wasn’t long ago that Banks was a three-star, but after his senior season and the impressive all-star game, he could land in the top 100. The same goes for Owens, who barely cracked the Rivals250 last go-round but was buzzed about all week in San Antonio. Cine was a priority for Georgia, which says a lot, given his distance from the SEC power, and he showed up in Orlando. All three players are on the rise, but it’s going to be a battle to see who comes out on top.