Three-Level Stance: Rating QBs, five-stars, realignment

Rivals nationwide recruiting director Adam Gorney has ideas on whether or not a quarterback ought to nearly all the time be No. 1 within the rankings based mostly on NFL Draft traits. He additionally shares 5 issues he believes about five-star prospects and the way he appreciates Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s blunt feedback about Colorado leaving for the Massive 12.

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From the time Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 total in 1998 to Bryce Young going first in 2023, quarterbacks have completely dominated the highest choose within the NFL Draft. Contemplating that the Rivals rankings are based mostly on anticipated faculty efficiency and draft standing, this has been a query that I’ve actually thought rather a lot about over the summer season.

Ought to we nearly all the time facet with a quarterback being No. 1 in our rankings?

That could be a timeline of 26 drafts and a quarterback has been taken first 19 instances, together with 5 of the final six drafts. If we might have moved Younger forward of Bryan Bresee within the 2020 rankings then we might haven’t solely had the fitting place at No. 1 in two of the final three drafts (Younger and Trevor Lawrence) however the absolute proper participant. That’s a lot tougher than you would possibly assume.

In the one draft of the final six the place a quarterback was not taken first, Travon Walker was the No. 1 total choose and a quarterback wasn’t chosen till No. 20 total (Pitt’s Kenny Pickett) in a really down yr on the place.

However in years the place the quarterback spot is loaded – say within the class of 2024 with Georgia commit Dylan Raiola and Alabama pledge Julian Sayin main the best way – is it simply safer and smarter to facet with a quarterback as a result of the NFL goes to take them earlier?

Ohio State large receiver commit Jeremiah Smith is perhaps essentially the most dominant highschool receiver since Julio Jones. Williams Nwaneri is unimaginable. Micah Hudson might be Garrett Wilson 2.0.

However I’m not so certain it’s smart to maneuver any of these gamers to No. 1 if there may be an elite quarterback we love – and Raiola and Sayin are each phenomenal. Our five-star rankings attempt to mirror the primary spherical of the NFL Draft, and NFL groups are taking quarterbacks No. 1.

In shares, you’re not purported to struggle the Fed. In rankings, why struggle the pattern?

The Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna standout visited Florida once more earlier than the useless interval with QB commit D.J. Lagway and the 2 have hit it off, however I nonetheless assume it’s going to be very difficult to flip him from Ohio State. If Buckeyes place coach Brian Hartline takes a head teaching job (and it’s at an elite college) then issues might get actually fascinating, however I simply don’t see Georgia occurring. Perhaps Florida State, perhaps Florida, however the Buckeyes are nonetheless in very sturdy form.

We’re happening about two months of when the rumors began in earnest that the five-star receiver was going to decide to Texas Tech – and it nonetheless hasn’t occurred. The Pink Raiders dodged an enormous bullet final weekend when Hudson confirmed up in Lubbock and didn’t head to Texas A&M, which is attempting to cost up in his recruitment. I nonetheless assume Texas Tech lands him and his choice to go there on the final weekend earlier than the useless interval was telling.

I’ve believed for a very long time that Texas was ultimately going to land the five-star defensive finish from Duncanville, Texas. It’s nearer to house and household, and the Longhorns have accomplished an incredible job recruiting him. However in current days I’m beginning to backtrack on that concept since he simply visited LSU and introduced a dedication date, the identical day as teammate Caden Durham. There have been twin bulletins from teammates the place they’ve gone to totally different colleges, however LSU has been a participant for each and now it has me considering perhaps the Tigers look strongest.

There isn’t a doubt that the Buford, Ga., five-star security has had phenomenal visits to Florida State and Auburn, however I nonetheless imagine Georgia lands him. He performs now with Dylan Raiola, who has a deft contact on working him for the Bulldogs, however he’s additionally simply been so comfy after each journey to Athens – and there have been many. Completely, the Seminoles and the Tigers have blown Bolden away and given him rather a lot to think about, but when I needed to take a shot it’s nonetheless Georgia for him.

Place coach Sterling Lucas got here by enormous once more for the Gamecocks this time, serving to in an enormous technique to land the five-star defensive finish who has unimaginable bend off the sting and has excellent size so as to add to what ought to be a big-time defensive position. South Carolina has accomplished very well recruiting and creating defensive linemen – and Stewart might be the following one. Lucas had an enormous hand in touchdown five-star Nyckoles Harbor final recruiting cycle, and now Lucas and the Gamecocks beat Ohio State (and famend place coach Larry Johnson) for among the finest in 2024.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning was requested this week for his ideas on the information of Colorado planning to go away the Pac-12 for the Massive 12, and he made a blunt evaluation: One thing alongside the strains of, so what?

“Not an enormous response,” Lanning stated. “I’m attempting to recollect what they gained to have an effect on this convention. I don’t bear in mind. Do you bear in mind them successful something? I don’t bear in mind them successful something.”

Requested about the identical factor, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy stated he was “thrilled” to have Colorado be part of the Massive 12 and that he plans to achieve out to educate Deion Sanders. Gundy summed up convention realignment, the monetary actuality of faculty soccer and a lot extra along with his subsequent assertion.

“We’re attempting to market so you may get gross sales, so you may get ESPN and Fox to pay you cash to play on TV,” Gundy stated.

Lanning’s feedback have been true: Who actually cares about Colorado? The Buffaloes have shedding data in 15 of their final 16 seasons. However Gundy can also be appropriate: Colorado is a decent-sized media market and Sanders brings a ton of marketability and pleasure.

On Wednesday, Yahoo Sports activities columnist Dan Wetzel reported that the Massive Ten has began preliminary talks about including Oregon, Washington, Cal and Stanford. The Pac-12 is engaged on some type of tenuous TV streaming take care of Apple, however it sounds lower than agency and fewer than excellent.

On prime of all this, Lanning and all of the Pac-12 coaches are in a state of affairs the place their convention might be disintegrating round them – or at the very least very critically modified within the coming years, particularly with USC and UCLA already leaving for the Massive Ten – and there are recruiting implications and all types of different issues.

Convention realignment strain and angst is one hundred pc actual. Colorado leaving the Pac-12 actually doesn’t matter … all the pieces else does. However Oregon is perhaps the following one out the door. Who is aware of?

Requested concerning the potential Apple take care of the Pac-12, radio host Paul Finebaum stated on ESPN: “Somebody must shovel filth on this league and finish this charade. It’s over for the Pac-12.”

Years from now, Finebaum is perhaps consuming these phrases. Or he might be one hundred pc proper – and the timeline appears to be selecting up quick.