Rival Rankings Week: Storylines from the Top Athletes of 2025

DJ Pickett was already rated as a five-star prospect after being moved from security to athlete within the February replace earlier this 12 months. Since then, he has hovered between ninth and tenth within the Rivals250 rankings, and is the one athlete to obtain a five-star ranking. Within the newest replace, Pickett as soon as once more finds himself the one athlete to carry this distinction.

In actual fact, there aren’t any different athletes within the prime 100 of Rivals250. This is not a giant shock, although. Wanting on the rankings over the previous 10 cycles, there are solely three years during which multiple athlete has acquired a five-star ranking. That is largely as a result of the truth that the positions are largely addressed earlier than signing day exterior of true multi-positional gamers.

Because the 2025 cycle continues, some prospects who have been as soon as listed as athletes have both chosen to deal with a sure place on the subsequent stage or just carried out higher at a single place. This could result in position-specific rankings which might be extra reflective of their future, comparable to athletes being moved to the extensive receiver place. Later within the cycle, there are occasional transitions from a particular place to an athlete, however way more occurs when out of an athlete place.

Consequently, the variety of individuals on this place is reducing. Within the earlier Rivals250 replace, 17 potential athletes have been rated 4 stars or higher. As of this week’s replace, there at the moment are solely 12 rated 4 stars or higher. This tells us that there was a internet lack of 5 positions as a result of place change or rating drop. Some examples on this replace embody Jontae Gilbert and Marcus Wimberly transferring from the jock place to the protection place.

I count on this pattern to proceed, as some prospects could begin to develop a sample of being higher fitted to one place than one other. With a number of massive updates nonetheless coming, maintain a watch out to see who of the 12 remaining blue-chip prospects at this place stays or goes.

Because the 2025 cycle continues, the pool of athletes has dwindled, with simply three prospects now ranked contained in the Rivals250: Pickett at No. 10, Derrick Smith at No. 110, and Cameron Sparks at No. 112 .

Three candidates for the place make it the bottom variety of candidates for a place in Rivals250. It matches the numbers at versatile guard and middle, two positions usually supplied to area of interest prospects.

What might be curious is whether or not the 9 non-Rivals250 four-star prospects will make a case for a transfer up the nationwide rankings this fall. This additionally applies to prospects who’re at present considered as three-stars, who might surge as their senior seasons progress and see a star be part of them within the rankings.

Two candidates to look at are the highest two four-star prospects exterior of Rivals250, Illinois commit JaSean Newton and uncommitted Jaden Nix.

There are at present solely three athletes in Rivals250 and just one is within the prime 100, so discovering one other five-star athlete might be a troublesome job.

Auburn commit Derrick Smith is likely to be the best choice, though the probability of that occuring remains to be slim. However judging from Smith’s rating pattern, his rating in Rivals250 is certainly rising. Within the final two updates, his total rating rose from one hundred and fifty fifth to 134th, and now from 134th to a hundred and tenth. If he continues this pattern, there is a good likelihood we’ll see him crack the highest 100 as he as soon as did within the early phases of his prep profession.

Exterior of Smith, it is onerous to make the case for anybody else. I doubt we’ll see this sort of surge later within the cycle from anybody exterior of Rivals250, taking a look at Cameron Sparks who simply dropped out of the highest 100, it’s going to be onerous to get him again Such a excessive place.