Latest news with #RivalsFiveStar
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the defensive backs
INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility this week. Here we break down the top defensive backs from the event. MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Positional MVPs | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis | WR analysis | TE analysis | OL analysis | DL analysis | LB analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, the Georgia commitment has the length to play anywhere in the defensive backfield. He's got loose enough hips to play some corner but the projection should be safety here where he can roam and make plays. Advertisement Calicut is an impressive player that will fit right into Kirby Smart's defense in Athens. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT One of the biggest revelations of camp was O'Brien's ability to play wide receiver. But he was pretty impressive on defense as well. The Notre Dame verbal out of Philadelphia was excellent in coverage at cornerback and safety. He has outstanding length and showed coverage skills, range and instincts in the secondary. His career at Notre Dame will be fascinating to watch. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NOTRE DAME FANS AT Wyatt was another defender that showed a wide variety of skills during the Rivals Five-Star. He could be a safety in college or a linebacker. Some programs even like him to become an edge rusher. His frame is only going to get more impressive after he enters a college weight program. Wyman got his hands on the ball more than everyone else and consistently forced quarterbacks into bad throws. The Miami commit isn't the biggest defensive back but he has all the traits college and NFL scouts want – elite movement skills, long arms, excellent football instincts and good ball skills. He's got all the tools necessary to be a major impact player for the Hurricanes and become their next great defensive back. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the linebackers
INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility last week. Here we break down the top linebackers from the event. MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Positional MVPs | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis | WR analysis | TE analysis | OL analysis | DL analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams Abrams was outstanding all day, not making highlight plays all the time but being a solid linebacker, covering up running backs, running downfield with receivers during one-on-ones and then showing off great ranginess during the 7-on-7 tournament. Advertisement The four-star linebacker from Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh, who has Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Oregon as his four finalists, had the longest wingspan of any linebacker at the Rivals Five-Star at 83 inches. He also boasted nearly 34-inch arms so he could unexpectedly knock down passes and tip balls. Abrams won the positional MVP award because he can cover so much ground. This is how impressively strong Forkpa is: The bench press winner was Clemson commit Grant Wise, who did 27 reps at 225 pounds and holds multiple Florida state records in weightlifting. Forkpa was one rep behind him. Not only is the four-star linebacker from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy super strong but he's not stiff, he can move and bat down passes. He trusts his eyes in coverage and then has the burst and speed to go after the ball and make the play. Advertisement Florida, Michigan and others are battling it out for him. Moala did some reps coming off the edge during linemen one-on-ones and then flipped over and did many more with the linebacker group before playing 7-on-7 all afternoon. That's what has been so impressive about Moala, who reminds us a little of Jaelan Phillips. He has the physical presence to come off the edge and beat offensive tackles and then he can line up in space at linebacker, run with speedy receivers downfield and make life difficult at that position as well. That level of versatility should bode well in College Station. The Texas A&M commit reinforced his pledge to the Aggies over UCLA, Washington and others. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT White struggled a little bit with speedy receivers during the one-on-one session at Rivals Five-Star but it's often difficult – and unexpected in game settings – for linebackers to run 30 or 40 yards downfield in coverage. Once the Jackson (Miss.) Jackson Academy standout got his feet under him and used to the speed, he did much better, especially during 7-on-7. White was so good during 7-on-7 play that giving him the position MVP award was being seriously considered. His leaping interception near the end zone that stopped a drive from the opposing team was one of the best plays of the entire event.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the offensive linemen
Nick Lucero/ INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility this week. Here we break down the top offensive linemen from the event. Advertisement MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Positional MVPs | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis | WR analysis | TE analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams There could not be a more perfect fit than Brown and Penn State. Brown has a chiseled frame that will easily carry more weight after he enters the Nittany Lions' strength program. But even more impressive than his frame is his motor. Advertisement Brown is always ready to go and eager to plant opposing defenders in the turf. He's also remarkably consistent at these national events. Penn State has a future star on the way. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT The future Ohio State Buckeye doesn't do many camps but you wouldn't know it after his performance at the Rivals Five-Star. He came very close to taking home MVP honors after some great reps during one-on-ones. Greer is highly-rated at No. 43 in the country but is still underrated. He's got a great basketball background as well. The Ohio native has future multi-year starter written all over him. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT Osenda is a massive offensive tackle prospect out of Tennessee. Because he's so tall, he carries his weight very well and it doesn't look like he weighs 330 pounds. He came in with the biggest wingspan at the camp (7-foot) and had some dominant moments during the camp. His improvement has been steady and he's one to watch in the future. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT The crown jewel of the Cal recruiting class gave the program a massive boost when he committed there. Standing at 6-foot-6, 335-pounds he's a monster offensive lineman that is hard to miss. But he's pretty agile for that size and rarely got beat during camp. Cal got an absolute steal here and their future quarterbacks and running backs will be thankful. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CAL FANS AT
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the tight ends
INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility this week. Here we break down the top tight ends from the event. MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Positional MVPs | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis | WR analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams Prothro's development is encouraging Prothro was one of players the national analyst staff was most excited to see perform at Rivals Five-Star on Tuesday. The elite tight end prospect was warming up and went through the majority of position drills when he pulled his hamstring and was unable to work out the rest of the day. Advertisement Prothro was visibly disappointed but his physical development, which was the biggest question mark surrounding his ranking, was obvious. He weighed in at 216 pounds and, despite the pulled hamstring, even participated in the bench press competition where he recorded nine reps of 225 pounds. Georgia is trending in Prothro's recruitment but Auburn and a handful of other teams are in pursuit. Georgia poised to sign an elite tight end class The caliber of defender Georgia commit Lincoln Keyes faced at Five-Star was new to him and it was good for the national analyst team to evaluate him under these conditions. The Michigan native is a very impressive prospect with great hands and the ability to make tough catches over the middle and down the field. He'll be a very reliable target for Georgia quarterbacks when he gets on the field in Athens but that could take some time. Keyes has a well-rounded game but he could find it difficult to consistently create separation from defenders when he reaches the next level. Advertisement That being said, the style Keyes plays with would complement Prothro's skillset beautifully, if both do end up signing with Georgia. The two highly ranked tight ends were frequently seen chatting and playing catch during the down time on Tuesday. That relationship appears to be fairly strong and could pay dividends for the Dawgs down the road. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT Holden Niemi makes strong impression Holden Niemi was a late addition to the Rivals Five-Star roster and took advantage of the opportunity to make a strong impression. The 2027 prospect out of Illinois is fairly well-developed from a physical perspective and showed strong athletic traits throughout the workout on Tuesday. Advertisement Adjusting to the variety of quarterbacks seemed to be a bit challenging for him at times, which resulted in passes falling incomplete. Niemi is only heading into his junior season so there is plenty of time for him to make adjustments to his game before he reaches the next level. He is, however, on the smaller side when it comes to the trends that have emerged in the NFL Draft for tight ends so keeping an eye on his physical growth will be a focus going forward. Sneed's impact shouldn't be overlooked Tennessee tight end commit Carson Sneed posted impressive measurements during registration on Monday and he had plenty of bright spots on the field Tuesday. At 6-foot-6, 246 pounds, Sneed is fairly lean but plays with a great deal of strength, which showed when linebackers and defensive backs bounced off of him as they tried to disrupt his routes. Advertisement He isn't the most natural receiver but there is plenty of potential to get excited about, which is surely part of the reason why Florida, North Carolina and others are trying to pry him away from the Volunteers. The Gators appear to be making some headway but it's hard to count out North Carolina at this point in the recruiting process. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Breaking down the wide receivers
INDIANAPOLIS – The stars came out for the 2025 Rivals Five-Star event at the Indianapolis Colts' facility this week. Here we break down the top receivers from the event. MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises | Flip watch | QB analysis | RB analysis RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams The five-star Ohio State commit gets better every time I see him. His impressive track speed is what everyone knows about. But his ability to run crisp routes, create separation and catch the ball continue to get better. That's a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Advertisement Many programs including Tennessee are trying to move him off his commitment to Ohio State. It'll be tough to do so as long as coach Brian Hartline is on staff. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT Gregory is a consistent performer at every event. He just makes plays. The Texas A&M commitment is a crafty route runner that gets just enough separation on his routes. But his calling card is his hands. Gregory rarely drops a pass and we didn't see it happen again during the Rivals Five-Star. Coach Mike Elko will have a very dependable weapon in his offense. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT The IMG Academy star was one of the youngest players in attendance but made a huge impact. He won the fastest man competition, beating everyone in the finals. McFarland was consistently open during the one-on-ones and 7-on-7 portion of camp. Advertisement He's a name the country will know about in short order. Sadler was one of the bigger surprises of camp. We knew he was good but no one saw it coming that he'd be able to get open with such ease against some of the best defensive backs in the country. The Michigan native is electric in the slot and took home MVP honors. North Carolina has the momentum in this recruitment. But Colorado, Maryland, Michigan and Michigan State are still in the hunt for him.
