The Rivals250 for the class of 2018 were officially updated last week and the new release saw several changes to the Rivals100, Rivals250 and individual position rankings. There were also several moves on the state level and with all of the state rankings now updated, we take a look at some notable tidbits from the release.
RELATED: Class of 2018 state rankings
CALIFORNIA RANKING DOUBLES
The state of California saw several new additions to the rankings and doubled from at top 50 to top 100. Five-star wide receiver Jalen Hall leads the rankings and joins Amon-Ra St. Brown (No. 3), Isaah Crocker (No. 10) and Marquis Spiker (No. 11) pass-catchers ranked in the state’s top 11. As usual, California is loaded with quarterbacks and five-star USC commit Matt Corral is the highest ranked at No. 2 in the state. Overall, signal-callers make up nine of the Top 100, with six of them ranked as four-stars or higher.
GEORGIA LOADED WITH QBS AGAIN
The state of Georgia has suddenly become a hotbed for quarterbacks and the Class of 2018 is a perfect example. The nation’s No. 1 overall player, Clemson quarterback commit Trevor Lawrence is obviously the Peach State’s top prospect, but he’s joined by fellow five-star and Ohio State commitment Emory Jones (No. 3) and Rivals100 Penn State commit Justin Fields (No. 12) near the top of the rankings. In total, Georgia has nine quarterbacks in the Top 85, an impressive total.
ALABAMA BACK IN BUSINESS
After not having a five-star in the Class of 2017, the state of Alabama is back with newly-minted five-star Justyn Ross as the state’s No. 1 player. The wide receiver is a priority target for both Alabama and Auburn, fitting consider his standing in the rankings. Overall, Alabama boasts an abundance of talent, including the state’s No. 2 player, four-star quarterback Jack West. If the Stanford commit holds his position through the cycle, he will be the highest-ranked signal-caller from the state since Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was No. 1 in 2012.
KENTUCKY RISING?
After having just five players ranked in the Class of 2017, the Kentucky state rankings expanded to 15 players, the highest number in the official Rivals.com rankings since 2006. The Bluegrass State has a surprising number of quality offensive linemen in this year’s class, as they make up five of the 15 ranked players in the state. Louisville-based guard Wyatt Smock is the highest-ranked of the bunch, coming in at No. 4. Arkansas, Louisville and Purdue are among the schools recruiting Smock.
OHIO PRODUCING O-LINEMEN AGAIN
For the third consecutive year, the state of Ohio has an offensive lineman at the top stop in the state. This year, five-star prospect Jackson Carman holds the top spot, following in the footsteps of Josh Myers (2017, Ohio State) and Tommy Kraemer (2016, Notre Dame). Both the Irish and the Buckeyes are recruiting Carman and it doesn’t seem likely that he will leave the Midwest. If Ohio State can keep him close to home, it would mark the fifth time in the last six years that the Buckeyes landed the state’s top player, with Kraemer being the only exception.
AGGIES EXCELLING IN TEXAS
Texas A&M is off to a hot start in the state of Texas and currently has commitments from five of the state’s top 71 players. The Aggies’ top commitment in the state is legacy offensive lineman Luke Matthews (No. 18), followed by four-star wide receiver Jordan Moore (No. 22). As of now, the Aggies are well on pace to eclipse the 12 players the schools signed in top 100 in 2017.
THE 'U' MAKING MARK IN FLORIDA
In the Hurricanes’ heyday, keeping talent close to home was the standard. It appears as if a return to form in recruiting is happening in Coral Gables as The U currently holds commitments from a whopping 11 of the state’s top 100 players. What makes the early Canes class even more impressive is that seven of the 11 Florida players committed are ranked as four-stars or higher. Miami’s in-state haul is highlighted by five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard and in total matches the 11 top 100 prospects that rivals Florida State and Florida have combined.
MITCHELL TOPS IN VIRGINIA
The state of Virginia doesn’t yet have a five-star, but linebacker Teradja Mitchell appears to be a favorite to earn that distinction down the line. The last time a linebacker finished as the top player in the state was back in 2011, when five-star Ohio State signee Curtis Grant held the top spot. What makes Mitchell’s recruitment interesting is that Florida State is one of his top schools and the ‘Noles have landed Virginia’s top player in each of the past two years.
