Tuesdays with Gorney: Receivers impress at OT7 Phoenix event

The OT7 Phoenix was absolutely loaded especially at the receiver position so in today’s Tuesdays with Gorney, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney offers his thoughts on the standouts at that position:

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There have been lots of hits, some misses and some head-scratchers among the top-rated receivers in Rivals history dating back to 2002. This recruiting cycle, Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna’s Jeremiah Smith holds the top spot.

It’s nearly unfathomable to think the five-star won’t pan out.

I hate making outlandish comparisons, but Smith might be the best No. 1 receiver since Julio Jones in 2008 and their playing styles are very similar.

Jones was a little thicker at the same stage but Smith can dominate any time he wants. No cornerback I’ve seen has any luck with him. He has speed to go deep, he has length to outjump cornerbacks, he’s athletic, he’s super competitive and he has great hands.

At the OT7 tournament in Phoenix, when Smith wanted to turn it up a notch there was no stopping him. There was the deep bomb that went for a touchdown – and it went viral. There were the countless other catches.

He’s the best receiver in this class – and likely will be remembered as one of the best in Rivals history – and if I had to compare him to someone right now, yes, it would be Jones.

Here’s a look at some other receivers who really made an impact at OT7:

The Chattanooga (Tenn.) Brainerd four-star athlete is super quick and decisive in his route running. He can catch the ball in a crowd. He reminds me a little of Amon-Ra St. Brown but he’s not as freakishly dominant.

Buy Coleman stock because it’s going up. Currently a high three-star the Phenix City (Ala.) Central standout is an elite player with elite size and length that doesn’t come along very often.

The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon four-star is super productive and super reliable and that’s why he should move even higher in the next rankings update. Whether it’s across the middle or on deep balls, Jordan is going to get open and never, ever drops anything.

If Lofton was three or four inches taller he would be considered among the best tight ends in the country. But the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman standout is on the shorter side which makes it trickier for offensive coordinators to get him the ball. He’s smooth, he has awesome hands and made some really tough catches over the weekend.

There is just something reassuring about Matthews when he’s on the field as he runs great routes, gets open and catches the ball over and over again. He’s about substance, not flash, and he’s incredibly reliable in the passing game.

The Tampa (Fla.) Catholic four-star is one of the best-looking receivers in the class at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds. He has a college-ready body and he can beat smaller cornerbacks at will. When I was watching him, the ball didn’t come his way often but there’s a whole lot to like about his game.

I caught some flak from the Instagram crowd when Olugbode was listed ahead of Smith as the top receiver from Day 1 – impossible, right? – but that’s how productive the 2025 four-star receiver was for his Trillion Boys team on Saturday. The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout is not the most freakish athlete ever but he just gets open and has the most reliable hands.

I haven’t seen a ton of the Gray (Ga.) Jones County four-star yet and he had a quieter weekend than expected. There’s no doubt he’s as fast as anyone and he’s twitched up but he is on the leaner side (he’s not built out like an Aaron Anderson-type) so he will need to bulk up at least some to play in the SEC.

The former USC commit looked sharp over the weekend. He’s getting bigger and he made some nice catches. The four-star from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly is twitchy and sudden, and has that make-you-miss ability that will be attractive to top teams.

The Downey (Calif.) Warren four-star was awesome at OT7 – even more prolific against better competition than he’s been at other recent events. He is athletic and twitchy, he can get open and when not he can catch the ball in a crowd. Ross also made a bunch of tough catches while coming back across his body.

Stewart has a great build, he’s sudden and runs great routes so when the ball comes his way something good is going to happen. The four-star from Bolingbrook, Ill., had some solid moments but the ball was shared across his team as well.

The high four-star in the 2025 class is really interesting because he’s super smooth, glides through his routes and has outstanding hands, so he’s definitely someone who should see even more attention soon. His recruitment hasn’t taken off but he’s visiting Alabama and Georgia this summer and my guess is every team in the country is involved by then.

It’s pretty clear to see Toney is going to be the next big-time receiver in South Florida. He’s going to be an undersized slot receiver but he’s so fast, so dynamic and fits in perfectly with the elite receivers on South Florida Express – plus he has their respect – that it’s no surprise the 2026 prospect already has nearly 20 offers.

The five-star receiver was relatively quiet outside some nice catches on Saturday during pool play but he really stepped it up Sunday and dominated at times – at both receiver and defensive back. That’s the talk with him – some feel he’d be an even better defensive back but he’s also elite on offense.

Alabama commit Ryan Williams is a really special receiver and so he’s tops in the 2025 class but Watkins is going to push him – and could eclipse him – for that No. 1 spot if he continues to play this well. The Colorado pledge is just so productive and gets open against anybody that it’s hard to see him staying off that five-star line.

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