Rivals Rankings Week: Who should be No. 1 in the 2027 class?

The initial top 100 for the 2027 class will be unveiled tomorrow. During the offseason and through the first couple weeks of the season impact players at every position have emerged.

The national analyst staff – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Marshall Levenson, Greg Smith and Sam Spiegelman – give their takes on who they think should be ranked No. 1 in the inaugural rankings.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:

Sunday: Who should be No. 1 in the 2027 class?

Monday: Top 100 released | Meet the five-stars | Gorney’s thoughts

Tuesday: Position-by-position breakdown

Wednesday: Programs to watch | Ten who could be five-stars

Thursday: Roundtable

There isn’t an obvious No. 1 right now and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the name on the top line change at least once or twice during this rankings cycle. For now, I’m going with Guyton because he is the most explosive, impactful and game-changing prospect I’ve seen so far. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive end is stout against the run and is consistently in the backfield on passing plays. Guyton plays in Georgia but the level of competition he faces isn’t impressive. That being said, he dominates the way a five-star should dominate, his skill set is fairly advanced for his age, and he is physically mature beyond his years.

Quarterbacks will be under the microscope since they are the overwhelming favorite to be picked No. 1 in the NFL Draft every year. Elijah Haven, Peyton Houston and Brady Edmunds have begun to stand out.

When you flash as a freshman in the state of Georgia, it’s a big deal. When you borderline dominate for some 30 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including 10 sacks, it’s head-turning and worth noting. Since, Guyton has added some mass to a 6-foot-3 or so frame and he has even outplayed teammate and five-star Elijah Griffin at different times over the last year and a half. He has the twitch to win with speed and he has shown more elements of power to his counter game as well. The trend meter is still pointed sky high with a premium position edge rusher, but the floor is looking just as promising however early it may be. It would be a borderline shocker if Guyton’s fifth star wasn’t next to his name for the next three years.

If there isn’t a clear No. 1 quarterback, defensive end would be the most preferred position and so this early I’m going with Wesley. The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout is a beast off the edge, a pure defensive end who reminds us of some of the best over the last decade.

He was unstoppable against elite competition as a freshman and that has only continued into his sophomore year. He has power, length, athleticism and a great motor. I’d prefer a quarterback at No. 1 because of NFL Draft trends but in terms of the best player in the class right now, I’m going with Wesley.

Premier pass rushers are always going to be among the first prospects off the board and there may not be a better one in the 2027 cycle than Guyton. He also has legit measurables at 6-foot-3, 225-pounds and filled up the stat sheet as a freshman with 10 sacks to go along with nearly 20 tackles for loss. With advanced pass rush moves already, it will be exciting to see how he develops and can add to his game. There are some special prospects to emerge in the early going of the sophomore class, but Guyton has the edge right now. Double-digit offers consisting of the top programs in the country will make for an exciting recruitment as well.

At this stage in the 2027 cycle things are more wide-open. There are some very talented young prospects out there right now but the best player I’ve seen so far is Feaster. He’s a dynamic pass catcher who burst onto the scene as a freshman at DeSoto in Texas. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds he high points the ball well and is a polished route-runner. It’s tough for receivers to be the No. 1 prospect overall but I’d give the nod to him at this early stage.

Guyton has been drawing eyes for years playing on the same defensive line as five-star defensive tackle Elijah Griffin, and for good reason. Guyton is a force to be reckoned with at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, and there’s some who believe that Guyton has an even higher upside than his teammate. Guyton is the cream of the crop among edge-rushers in the 2027 cycle, and there are several potentially elite prospects at the position in this class. Guyton, however, has an elite first step and plays downhill with a superb motor. His combinations of hands, short-area quickness and outstanding speed bending the corner puts him in a class of his own. Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and the rest of the country are in pursuit.