Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s thought-provoking Three-Point Stance is here with the best 1-2 punches at each position for the 2018 class, which teams could surprise with success in the Southeast in 2019 and the best defensive prospects for the Heisman next season.
CLASS OF '18 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | State | Position | JUCO
1. BEST ONE-TWO PUNCHES FROM CLASS OF 2018
Each position is like a little snowflake to someone like myself who takes so much time and effort with recruiting rankings. But which teams have the best 1-2 punch at quarterback? Or at linebacker? Or cornerback? I have the answer for you….
Quarterback – Washington – Two four-star quarterbacks are better than one five-star, right? Well, not really, at least not in the recruiting world but this is about 1-2 punches and Jacob Sirmon and Colson Yankoff are a nice combo.
Running Back – Georgia – How do you beat two five-star running backs? The answer is you don’t as Zamir White and James Cook win this battle. In any other year, Miami’s Lorenzo Lingard and Cam Davis would have won easily.
Wide Receiver – Clemson – Two five-stars here as well with Justyn Ross and Derion Kendrick makes this an easy win for Clemson. These two guys could both be first-rounders eventually.
Tight End – Miami – Brevin Jordan is the speed and Will Mallory is the size and this is a great 1-2 combination.
Offensive Line – Georgia – Jamaree Salyer is one of the best guards I’ve scouted and Cade Mays is an excellent tackle prospect. This again shows the recruiting prowess of Georgia for 2018.
Defensive Line – Clemson – Xavier Thomas and KJ Henry bring different skill sets to the table and will complement each other very well. Two more five-stars for Clemson here.
Linebacker – USC – Palaie Gaotete and Solomon Tuliaupupu are a great 1-2 combination and should cover a ton of ground for the Trojans.
Defensive Back – USC – Texas has a deeper group but USC has two five-stars in Olaijah Griffin and Isaac Taylor-Stuart and that’s impossible to beat.
2. WHO MIGHT COME DOWN TO THE SOUTHEAST AND DO SOME DAMAGE?
With Michigan’s success in the Southeast this early, it got me to thinking about a few teams that could be a thorn in the side of SEC and ACC programs in that region this year. Here they are…
Ohio State – The Buckeyes continue to offer the elite in the Southeast and will continue to be a factor in their recruiting. This is a no brainer and the Buckeyes recruit the Southeast better than any program that doesn’t reside there.
Michigan – How about those Wolverines? Two elite prospects from Georgia already and a solid get out of Florida after a hum drum recruiting class that I was quite critical of. Maybe it was an off year? They will have to work hard to keep these guys but they are a name being mentioned in Georgia and Florida.
Nebraska – Scott Frost has his ties to Florida from his days at UCF, he’s a great coach and a very direct recruiter so expect him to lure a few kids from the Southeast to Lincoln this recruiting season.
Oregon – Mario Cristobal has ties to Florida, Alabama and has been offering a ton of kids in Mississippi so it’s clear that the Southeast will be a focus for him as the new head coach at Oregon. Watch for Oregon to pull a few surprises.
USC – The Trojans are hitting Georgia hard for skill guys and offering a ton of kids elsewhere in the Southeast as well. They will certainly get some key official visits and could land a couple big names before all is said and done.
Penn State – The Nittany Lions aren’t being mentioned that much yet in Georgia and Florida but with JaJuan Seider on staff and his ties to the Southeast, especially Florida, watch for Penn State to start getting more and more traction.
3. FIVE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS WHO COULD EARN HEISMAN VOTES
What made me think of what defensive players could compete for the Heisman Trophy next season? Honestly it was reviewing the class of 2018 and seeing how many dominant defenders there are that could be superstars down the line. We all know a defender won’t with the Heisman, that will never happen, but these guys should be like Minkah Fitzpatrick this season and get a vote here and there if they stay healthy.
Christian Wilkins, Clemson – Some have another defensive tackle (or two) as the lead dog here (see below for a few of those names) but Wilkins will get the most Heisman buzz next season for a defender now that he’s coming back.
Nick Bosa, Ohio State – Bosa is a freak, Ohio State will always be in national contention and if he has a great year he will earn some chatter.
Ed Oliver, Houston – ESPN and others LOVE Oliver and what’s not to love? A Group of Five star, I don’t think he can get the same traction as Wilkins or Bosa, but he was getting at least one consistent vote last year already.
Dexter Lawrence, Clemson – Will Lawrence be overshadowed by Wilkins because his role is more of a space eater? Or will Lawrence overshadow Wilkins because NFL scouts are drooling over him as a potential No. 1 overall pick? Either way, he will be a big name.
Rashan Gary, Michigan – Gary hasn’t reached his full potential yet but if he does, watch out. Don Brown gets the most out of his players, Maurice Hurst is gone and Gary will be the main pass rusher for the defense and get a ton of attention.
