Updated 2018 State Rankings: Indecision in the Peach State
The newest edition of the Rivals Rankings for the 2018 class were released this week, with big shakeups highlighting the Rivals100, Rivals250 and Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings. But with moves coming from the top all the way down, plenty of notable changes also took place in the updated state rankings.
Today we break down some of the most notable tidbits in the new state rankings and unveil the lists for each state below.
RELATED: Rivals100 | Rivals250 | Position Rankings | Team Rankings
INDECISION IN THE PEACH STATE
Despite the early signing period bearing down on prospects and schools alike, several high-profile players in the state of Georgia are still mulling over their choices. As of the new update, four of the state’s top 10 players remain undecided, including five-star offensive lineman and the state’s No. 3 player, Jamaree Salyer.
Other uncommitted elite prospects in the state’s top 10 include defensive end Brenton Cox (No. 6), linebacker J.J. Peterson (No. 9) and offensive lineman Trey Hill (No. 10). The in-state Bulldogs are still involved with Salyer, Cox and Hill, and could land all three. But Alabama is seen as the favorite to land Peterson and may very well land Cox as well. Clemson is Salyer’s other finalist and Auburn is also in the mix for Hill.
The diversity of options among the state’s top players shows that no matter how well Georgia is doing on the field, the Dawgs will still have to battle several other top programs on a yearly basis.
THE STATE OF MIAMI?
Back in the heyday of the Miami Hurricanes' dominance in college football, coaches often talked about the “State of Miami” being key in recruiting. That meant the Hurricanes would lock down elite talent from Miami to Tampa and keep the roster loaded with talent. Well, after a bounceback season on the field that saw the program contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff, the Hurricanes are reloading their roster.
Currently five of the state’s top 17 players are committed to Miami, including five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard and five-star running back Mark Pope. The Canes are also involved with several notable uncommitted players, including the state’s No. 21 player, offensive lineman William Barnes. With coaching changes at both Florida and Florida State, Mark Richt and his staff have done a great job pitching players on helping Miami return to its glory days and it looks like the program is well on its way.
CAN THE HORNS SWEEP THE LONE STAR STATE'S TOP SEVEN?
Another program trying to recapture its glory days is Texas, where things didn’t exactly go according to plan in Tom Herman’s first year on the job in terms of on-field success. But with a full year to get after it in recruiting, the results have been pretty impressive thus far.
Currently the Horns hold commitments from five of the state’s top six players, with the lone holdout being uncommitted five-star and No. 1 overall player in the state, Anthony Cook. Right now Texas is considered a major contender for Cook and could very well land him before it’s all said and done.
The same can be said for the state’s No. 7 overall player, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who is also uncommitted. If Texas can somehow beat out a plethora of contenders for the two elite prospects, it would be the first time in the history of the Rivals.com era (2002-present) that the Longhorns landed the state’s top seven players.
IT'S CALLED THE BUCKEYE STATE FOR A REASON
Ohio State may have missed out on the College Football Playoff this year but don’t expect the Buckeyes to slow down on the recruiting trail anytime soon. The school currently holds commitments from two of Ohio's top three players and is the heavy favorite to land the state’s No. 1 prospect, five-star offensive lineman Jackson Carman. Ohio State is also battling Big Ten rival Penn State for the state’s No. 4 player, defensive lineman Tyreke Smith.
If Ohio State can keep both of the players home it will mark the first time in the Rivals.com era that the Buckeyes would have landed each of the state’s top four players.
RECEIVERS LEADING THE WAY IN LOUISIANA
The state of Louisiana has produced some special players over the years, including one of the NFL’s top receivers in Odell Beckham, Jr., a member of the high school class of 2011. But this year’s top of the Louisiana state rankings features a trio of talented pass catchers that might be one of the best collective groups during the Rivals.com era.
The state’s No. 1 player is five-star Terrance Marshall, who appears to be destined for either LSU or Texas A&M. No. 2 is Devonta Jason, a Kansas commit, and No. 5 is Ja’Marr Chase, the one-time Jayhawks and Florida Gators commit who is now back on the market.
No time during the Rivals.com era has the Bayou State had three receivers finished in the top five and that includes 2011, when Beckham and Jarvis Landry finished Nos. 3 and 4, respectively.