The busy camp and 7-on-7 circuits are in full gear this spring, and like always there will be plenty of movement in the Rivals.com player rankings. Here is a look at five players on the rise and two whose stock is sliding in the West region.
MORE: 2018 Pac-12 team recruiting rankings | Recruiting notes on top SoCal prospects
STOCK UP
The five-star cannot move up much since he’s already the second-best receiver in the class, but he’s had the best spring out of arguably any player – let alone receiver – in the West, and he’s absolutely dominated in every single event. St. Brown simply cannot be defended in one-on-one situations. He has outstanding speed, he’s the smoothest route runner I’ve seen in recent memory and he has excellent hands. USC, Stanford, Michigan, Ohio State and many others are involved in his recruitment.
Lamb has had an excellent spring and really has shown off his athleticism and coverage skills. The four-star linebacker is physical at the line when he needs to be but his biggest asset is his ability to turn and cover receivers down the field and then use his length to knock down passes, pick them off and generally be disruptive. He’s a smart, savvy linebacker with long arms who is a playmaker. UCLA, Washington, Notre Dame, Penn State and others are in the mix.
Sewell was excellent at the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas in Los Angeles and he was solid as well at the Under Armour Camp, backing up his already impressive ranking. The 6-foot-5, 340-pound four-star prospect carries his weight well, he’s surprisingly mobile for someone his size and he’s a no-nonsense, physical, tough offensive tackle who could also move inside if needed. His recruitment remains wide open, but Oklahoma, USC and many others are involved.
Perhaps no prospect in the West has been as active on the recruiting trail this offseason landing major offers from national programs across the country. It’s pretty easy to see why. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound quarterback has a live arm and he has shown he can make all the throws, whether it’s a bomb down the field, zipping it down the seam or whatever else. He, too, was impressive at the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp presented by adidas in Los Angeles. Michigan, Alabama, Florida State and Georgia are just a few of the schools that recently offered.
I absolutely loved Angilau at the Under Armour camp this offseason and pegged him as one of the players who needs to move up the rankings. He’s a versatile lineman who grinds people into the ground on the offensive side, and he’s a hard-nosed, physical defensive lineman who easily gets in the backfield. His toughness and intensity are really impressive. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Angilau has the prototypical body to be special. Alabama, Texas, USC, UCLA, Utah and many others remain in the mix.
STOCK DOWN
Hall is still one of the more special receivers in this class, but he has not dominated as hoped this offseason and others have performed better – and more consistently. The five-star has excellent size, he’s long and he can make tough catches, but he also hasn’t taken over all the time like a five-star should, and he doesn’t win as many 50/50 balls as he should. Hall has all the physical tools to remain one of the best receivers in this class, but a slight move down is warranted. USC has to be considered a favorite but Hall remains open to every school.
I really believe Brown has the physical tools and the mental makeup to be a special prospect on the college level. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, and plays for one of the best programs in the country at Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei. All of those factors play in his favor. However, Brown does need to work on his speed, especially against edge rushers, because he has struggled against those players at times. Ranked as the No. 10 offensive tackle in the class might be a touch high, but Brown certainly won’t plummet down the rankings because he has too many physical tools.