Rivals Rankings Week: Which prospect deserves a fifth star?
Senior seasons are finished and the All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-America Game are in the rear-view mirror. It is now time to make arrangements for the final rankings of the 2019 class.
In today’s Making The Case, a few Rivals.com analysts offer a statement on why some of the top prospects in the class should be considered for five-star status.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Top 10 revealed
Tuesday: Rivals100 released
Wednesday: Rivals250 released
Thursday: Position rankings released
"This is an elite group of wide receivers with five five-stars leading the group. Wilson is incredibly talented and he should be a perfect fit in Ohio State's offense.
Wilson was solid, not dominant, all week at the All-American Bowl. He has excellent hands - except for one drop in the game - and showed them off all week in practice making tough catches look easy and running by defensive backs during the workouts. Wilson is not going to blow you away physically like George Pickens or Jadon Haselwood but he makes plays, beats cornerbacks and he should be dynamic at Ohio State. There's a good chance Wilson will be catching lots of passes from quarterback transfer Justin Fields and they could be putting up major points in the Big Ten.
NFL teams love Ohio State players because they're so well-coached and developed. It's not a bad idea at all to give Wilson his fifth star after seeing him look good again in San Antonio." - Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney
"Left tackle is considered the second-most valuable offensive position in football only behind quarterback, and it is because that position protects to the quarterback’s blind side. Defensive coordinators put their most effective pass rushers on the quarterback’s blind side, so the offensive coordinator needs his best protector at left tackle. The role requires strength and technique, but uniquely requires length, agility and foot speed other positions along the offensive line can sometimes sacrifice.
"When considering the top collegiate candidates for left tackle at the All-American Bowl, Cross was our No. 1 for the week. The future Mississippi State Bulldog is tall, lean and athletic. He handled speed off the edge and showed the physicality and aggression offensive line coaches love. Cross still needs to add weight so he can stiffen at the point of attack and set a better anchor, but his frame should allow him to do that without sacrificing any of the athleticism or quickness.
"When you consider the position value, his ceiling and his performance at the All-American Bowl, Cross made a strong case for a fifth star." - Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst Josh Helmholdt
"It's been an up and down rankings cycle for Marcel Brooks, who has some serious boom-or-bust potential. But for me, I'm willing to roll the dice when it comes to the boom, mainly because of Brooks progression over the past six months. He had a monster senior season, making plays on both sides of the ball while also showing a flair for the dramatic.
"He continued that high level of play in San Antonio and his ability to disrupt was on full display during the nationally-televised game, when he led both teams in tackles. Brooks is the type of guy who can impact a program right away and that's what I expect to happen when he arrives at LSU." - Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst Woody Wommack
