Three-Point Stance: DTs, WRs, Xavier Filsaime impress on Day 2
ORLANDO, Fla. - A busy day of practice at the Under Armour All-America Game is now in the books and there were a lot of things learned. Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney shares his thoughts in today’s Three-Point Stance:
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MORE UA GAME WEEK: Team Fire Practice No. 1 Takeaways | Team Ice Practice No. 1 Takeaways | Rumor Mill | Florida staff shake-up led to flip for Xavier Filsaime | Ellis Robinson is ready to get to work | Myles Graham is Florida 'through and through' | Oregon's persistence, stability won out for Jeremiah McClellan | Recruits weigh in on impact of transfer portal | Prospects share weirdest recruiting pitches | Media day interviews | All-Lobby Team | Players discuss the good and bad about recruiting | Storylines to follow | DJ Lagway talks Florida | Bussey recruitment still wide open | Cam Coleman on his Auburn flip | Ryan Williams is down to three
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STONE, MCKINLEY MAKING CASE
Oklahoma signee David Stone has already been moved to the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2024 class and he was dominant on Sunday doing what he’s done for years - using his speed and now his power to overwhelm interior offensive linemen.
The five-star was yapping pretty good as well and that level of confidence and intensity is exactly what we’re looking for at these events. Stone definitely cares about being great and he’s proven it time and again.
There will now be a question about who is the No. 2 defensive tackle in the class. Miami signee Justin Scott can answer some of those questions next week at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio but he’s going to be dramatically pushed by Texas A&M commit Dominick McKinley, who is still being pursued by Tennessee, Texas and LSU.
McKinley - a soft-spoken kid who has shied away from the media spotlight throughout his recruitment - turns on the toughness and the meanness once he gets on the field and his size is more than impressive.
Right now, the Lafayette (La.) Acadiana standout is one notch from five-star status and ranked No. 55 nationally. After a few days of Under Armour practice, that might be too low.
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FILSAIME MAKING RUN AT NO. 1 SAFETY
Georgia signee KJ Bolden and Miami signee Zaquan Patterson are the two five-star safeties in the 2024 class followed by Alabama signee Peyton Woodyard and then Texas signee Xavier Filsaime but that might be changing soon.
Before any final determinations are made, we will watch the Under Armour week play out and then the All-American Bowl safeties but Filsaime is already making a real argument to be the top safety in the class.
The former Florida commit who flipped to Texas right before National Signing Day covers like a cornerback, has run with no problems against five-star receivers and then he’s super aggressive and productive, tipping balls away or making it nearly impossible for receivers when the ball gets there.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Filsaime looks bigger as he’s muscled up and while he’s not as long as Bolden or Patterson, he’s more physical and covers as well as any cornerback in the class. He has been that impressive locking up five-star receiver Mike Matthews (who also had a strong day), UCF tight end signee Kylan Fox and others.
It should also not be missed that fellow Texas safety signee Jordon Johnson-Rubell was also very impressive on Sunday so the back end for the Longhorns should be great in the coming years.
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SHAKEUP COMING AT RECEIVER?
This could be a really special receiver class - one for the books - but there could also be some significant changes down the stretch based on all-star performances starting with the Under Armour Game.
It’s going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to move Ohio State signee Jeremiah Smith off the No. 1 line because he’s been so incredibly special for so long but after that there are no promises.
Five-star receiver and Auburn signee Cam Coleman was phenomenal catching the ball on Sunday but he’s not been getting great separation. Texas Tech signee Micah Hudson looks great but has been limited this week so far.
Then it gets interesting. Alabama commit Ryan Williams (who has Auburn and Texas visits coming up in January as well) is so smooth and such a technician that he’s been getting open against everybody. Williams could be pushing even higher after being the No. 1 receiver in the 2025 class and then reclassifying recently.
Matthews has also been very solid and catches everything if he’s not spectacular in any particular way. The Tennessee signee looks like someone who could just catch a ton of balls in Knoxville and be used all over the place.
Some four-star movement could be coming as well: Oregon signee Jeremiah McClellan looks great, Auburn signee Perry Thompson is a massive physical presence who has surprising speed and then Miami signee Joshisa Trader and Oregon signee Ryan Pellum have looked good as well.
One other thing we will need to consider: Five-star Texas A&M commit Terry Bussey (who’s also looking at Alabama, Georgia, LSU and USC) is playing receiver here this week and he was very solid getting separation and making plays. He can play defensive back, too, but maybe he will be yet another five-star in the 2024 rankings.