The final rankings update for the 2024 class has wrapped up and there were plenty of big moves and controversial decisions that coaches, players and fans are discussing.
The national analyst team sits down at the Rankings Roundtable to discuss.
1. WHO MIGHT BE RANKED TOO HIGH?
ADAM FRIEDMAN: Tyanthony Smith
Smith has plenty of physical gifts that impress but he needs to show significant development at the college level to live up to where he ended up in the Rivals250. The Texas signee has a big wingspan and can be an explosive blitzer but his read-and-react abilities leave something to be desired.
Smith’s frame is very lean so he’ll need to develop a lot of time to adding mass so he doesn’t get swallowed up by offensive linemen at the next level.
JOHN GARCIA JR.: Jake Merklinger
The run of pro style passers in this class is a strong group at the top, filled with ball distributors that have a heavy top-end trait to their name. Jake Merklinger is probably the cut-off of said group, one way or the other, and holding that position within the Rivals100 may be a bit of a gift compared to those tabbed slightly ahead. The Tennessee Vol is a four-year starter with nearly 10,000 career passing yards and more than 100 passing scores to his name, so the floor may speak for itself. But from the other side, what is his no-doubter top-end trait? On top of the uncertainty Merklinger is likely to have to wait quite a while to prove us right or wrong with Nico Iamaleava set to take over in Knoxville.
ADAM GORNEY: Dylan Stewart
South Carolina signee Dylan Stewart had a very difficult week of practices at the Under Armour Game and I worry that we’re falling in love with the way he looks and overlooking how he played against national competition.
I want to give Stewart the benefit of the doubt and consider his whole resume and not only a week of practices at one event because we’ve been burned by players before when we’ve done that. But it was hard to see a future first-round pick out there. He has all the physical tools to be elite but Stewart needs to learn how to put them together.
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GREG SMITH: KJ Bolden
KJ Bolden has everything you look for in the modern-day safety. He’s got the size at 6-foot and close to 200 pounds. There is a strong track and field background which shows athleticism. He could have probably been a good Power Five wide receiver recruit as well.
But my two questions for Bolden are: Is he maxed out as a player and is he truly the No. 14 player in America? There are some players with enormous upside right behind him in the rankings. If any program is going to maximize his talents though, it’ll be the Georgia Bulldogs.
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2. WHO MIGHT BE RANKED TOO LOW?
ADAM FRIEDMAN: Luke Reynolds
I’m not saying Luke Reynolds should have rocketed up the Rivals250 but he should have at least finished No. 1 in Connecticut. Not moving the Penn State signee up higher than No. 194 was a mistake.
Reynolds has all the tools to be a standout tight end and a big piece of Penn State’s offense down the road.
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JOHN GARCIA JR.: Jordan Ross
Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ross had about as good a postseason all-star run as any edge prospect in recent memory. While he moved up the ranks and sits plenty high as a top 50 overall talent, he was in the five-star discussion and he of course plays a premium position as a pass rusher. Ross has the frame, motor, athleticism and finishing power to become a true third-down force. Once he adds mass and rounds out his game, especially from a technique standpoint, we could look back on this one and scratch our heads some.
ADAM GORNEY: Jayden Jackson
Every time we’ve seen Jayden Jackson in a game setting the Oklahoma signee has performed really well so it was surprising that he finished No. 188 overall and No. 10 at the defensive tackle spot.
If it was solely up to me, I would’ve moved the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout to around eighth nationally and that would’ve put him inside the top 150. That might not be high enough, though, because Jackson has always been very productive.
GREG SMITH: Christian Bentancur
Christian Bentancur is just outside of the Rivals100 but could easily be in the discussion for the best tight end for the 2024 class. He was extremely productive during his time in high school and you’ll find his name all over the Illinois record books.
In his final game of high school football he caught 21 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns.
The Clemson signee also performed well down in San Antonio for the All-American Bowl. Bentancur is the type of game-breaking offensive player that Clemson badly needs.
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3. WHO DID YOU BATTLE FOR IN THE RANKINGS MEETING THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK SMART DOWN THE ROAD?
ADAM FRIEDMAN: Eddy Pierre-Louis
Eddy Pierre-Louis is a player the entire analyst team really likes and we’re way out on a limb with him. The rest of the industry doesn’t have him ranked anywhere close to where he ended in the Rivals250 and it’s really puzzling, honestly.
The Oklahoma signee is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound road-grader with elite strength, lateral quickness and athleticism for his position. Pierre-Louis is a shoe-in at Oklahoma and it will be really surprising if he doesn’t pan out in Norman.
JOHN GARCIA JR.: Eddrick Houston
Rivals is the only outlet currently tabbing Eddrick Houston five-stars and I feel great about being an outlier here. Not only is the Ohio State Buckeye among the top interior pass rushers in the class, but he has power and leverage to his name like few others and a sneaky versatile skill set. Houston has long had a big name and lived up to the hype at just about every turn, saving some of his best tape for the 2023 season, where he got after the passer, registered double-digit tackles for loss, secured several interceptions and even blocked field goals on special teams. The Peach Stater carries his weight like he’s already in college, too, so we should expect him to make some noise on Saturdays pretty soon.
ADAM GORNEY: Gatlin Bair
Four-star receiver Gatlin Bair finished No. 56 overall but I wanted him to be even higher considering his athletic ability, speed and that he’s not a finished product yet. Bair is the fastest player in the 2024 class and while he had a hot-and-cold performance at the All-American Bowl, it was the first time he saw that level of competition in his high school career.
Michigan and Oregon are battling it out for him and he has special abilities. He has good size, he’s a quietly competitive kid and has elite track speed. At the NFL Combine he should blow people away.
GREG SMITH: Carter Nelson
It’s tricky making a push for an eight-man football player from Nebraska to be highly rated but tight end Carter Nelson made my job easy. Nelson has a rare blend of size (6-4, 215) and athleticism that can’t be taught.
He’s a multi-sport athlete that has been a star in track and basketball. On the track he’s got an 11.05 100-meter dash on his resume and a personal best 7-0 high jump. Once he gets used to 11-man football he could be a matchup nightmare in the Big Ten.
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