Rivals Rankings Week: Who should be No. 1 in the 2024 Rivals250?

The 2024 Rivals250 was up to date in June however a variety of essential offseason occasions have taken place since then. As we gear up for one more soccer season, the 2024 Rivals250 is getting a refresh this week.

5-star Georgia quarterback commit Dylan Raiola has held the highest spot for the final yr however there are many candidates who might declare the No. 1 rating within the Rivals250. The nationwide analysts – Clint Cosgrove, Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney and Cole Patterson – give their takes on who they assume ought to be the highest prospect within the Rivals250.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who ought to be No. 1 within the 2024 Rivals250?

Monday: 5-Star Countdown | Meet the brand new five-stars

Tuesday: Rivals250 launched | Who might earn a fifth star | Gorney’s ideas

Wednesday: Offensive place rankings launched

Thursday: Defensive place rankings launched

Friday: State rankings launched

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FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board

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I’ve lengthy said that Nwaneri has generational upside, and whereas a lot of that was as soon as a projection, his improvement in all probability outpaces what I anticipated at this level of his profession including an additional degree of intrigue. Suppose Mario Williams or Jason Pierre-Paul by way of upside and that’s the sort of ceiling the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North defensive lineman has ought to he maximize his potential. Whereas Dylan Raiola and Jeremiah Smith are unimaginable prospects and have made each case for being No. 1 in 2024, I see Nwaneri’s possibilities of being the No. 1 total decide within the draft a safer guess and that is sufficient to make him the highest participant within the 2024 class for me.

We’re projecting to the NFL Draft and historical past just about dictates that the highest total participant be a quarterback except there’s a actually distinctive different. The final non-quarterback ranked atop the Rivals250 was Travis Hunter. There is not a non-quarterback on this class who has risen to Hunter’s degree but. Some would possibly say Jeremiah Smith is correct there however having him keep at No. 2 ought to be the fitting transfer for now. Solely three different receivers have completed No. 2 or higher within the Rivals250 in order that ought to be an indicator of how a lot we like Smith. For now, he ought to keep at No. 2 and Raiola at No. 1 heading into their senior seasons.

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It looks like the quarterback pecking order might have some fluidity to it, so going exterior of that spot the dialog for the highest total recruit ought to really feel simply as broad open. From a premium place standpoint, in what’s thought-about a down yr at offensive deal with, the move rushers like Williams Nwaneri and Colin Simmons take heart stage. Every five-star is so productive and borderline dominant, the case feels comparatively easy between the 2, however the highest ground should belong to Jeremiah Smith at broad receiver. Whereas the place hasn’t been represented atop the NFL Draft since Keyshawn Johnson at No. 1 in 1996, the worth (cash and in any other case) is skyrocketing with move catchers generally. Smith is massive, bodily, polished and confirmed towards the easiest prep soccer has to supply. There’s little cause to consider he will not develop into a dominant Saturday participant whereas others could also be extra depending on bodily improvement and even alternative at a place not as voluminous as broad receiver.

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The brand new Buford, Ga. quarterback didn’t win the Elite 11 – that was Alabama QB commit Julian Sayin – however Raiola was one of the best on the all-important professional day portion of that occasion so I nonetheless assume he ought to keep at No. 1.

Raiola has college-ready measurement and such an amazing arm the place he can unleash it when wanted but in addition is aware of when to dial it again when wanted. Surrounded by elite gamers this season together with five-star Florida State pledge KJ Bolden, Raiola ought to shine much more this season.

Others will push for the No. 1 spot however NFL Draft historical past clearly has quarterbacks highest on the board over the past 20-plus years so I’m siding with who we consider to be one of the best QB within the class.

It’s troublesome to guess towards a quarterback being the No. 1 participant within the nation primarily based on NFL Draft tendencies, however my vote goes to Texas commit Colin Simmons. The five-star defensive finish is every little thing that you possibly can need in a move rusher, as he set a faculty file at DFW powerhouse Duncanville with 22.5 sacks final season. He has the size, manufacturing, and upside that time to being an early first-round draft choice after his profession in Austin concludes. When the lights are the brightest, Simmons shines essentially the most.

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