Rivals Rankings Week: Who must be No. 1 within the 2025 Rivals250?

The preseason replace to the 2025 Rivals250 can be unveiled this week after a summer time stuffed with main occasions and loads of new evaluations.

Elijah Griffin comes into the week ranked No. 1 within the nation however there are a handful of challengers. The nationwide analyst staff – Clint Cosgrove, Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney and Cole Patterson – give their takes on who they assume must be the highest prospect within the Rivals250.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who must be No. 1 within the 2025 Rivals250?

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

Tuesday: Rivals250 launched | Greatest movers | 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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The nation’s prime prospect on the place of most worth will get the nod from me and even at a considerably uncooked stage of his improvement – it’s laborious to search out any weak point in his sport. Underwood has the prototypical body and arm expertise of a pocket passer, the athleticism of a ability participant and all he does is win. The 2 time All-American has led his Belleville (Mich.) staff to consecutive state championships and kicked off the 2023 season with a ravishing sport profitable landing move with 28 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter to maintain the streak alive. Michigan, Michigan State, LSU and others are among the many contenders for the sign caller who some consider has generational upside.

Griffin has been the No. 1 prospect on this 2025 class for the reason that starting of the rating cycle however the race for No. 1 total is nearer than ever. That’s as a result of Sanders is an elite expertise in his personal proper. He’s a 6-foot-6, 265-pound left deal with and has all of the bodily traits school coaches are in search of. If he retains creating at his present fee, he’s on a trajectory that might see him find yourself as one of many first picks within the NFL Draft when his time comes. The argument over a place worth will play an enormous position down the street once we’re determining who ought to sit within the prime spot of the Rivals250. At this level, I consider Sanders will finally be the No. 1 prospect within the class, however it’s unsure as as to if or not he’s at present deserving of that title. We’ll should see the place issues stand after the season however for now I’m going with Sanders as who I believe would be the No. 1 participant when all is claimed and accomplished.

An enormous prospect impressing at a premium place continues to be the primary order of enterprise in choosing the highest recruit and Griffin checks all of these packing containers. Even with the added weight he has displayed as a junior, the facility he now displays has added one other layer of potential on an already-impressive underclassman resume. He can nonetheless strain the passer from the surface however now presents as a super inside kind on early downs, too. There is a robust group of challengers for the highest spot, however Griffin continues to look and play the half into the brand new season, so he’ll earn the advantage of the doubt to retain his put up within the course of.

NFL Draft historical past would inform us that the very best quarterback within the class must be No. 1 total and that may imply Underwood has an argument for the highest spot however Sanders may simply be too particular to maintain off that No. 1 line. Having Griffin there may be positively an impressive alternative because the defensive linemen can dominate and management the road of scrimmage and historical past says a QB is nearly all the time taken first within the draft however Sanders has elite athleticism, he is extra bodily than he was a yr in the past right now and he is solely getting higher and higher. Plus, the Charlotte (N.C.) Windfall Day five-star offensive deal with just isn’t crammed out bodily but which suggests he hasn’t hit his ceiling but.

There’s high quality competitors for the No. 1 spot within the 2025 rankings, however my vote goes to Underwood for a number of causes. First, NFL Draft traits favor the quarterback place on the prime of the board. However past that, Underwood is a dynamic participant behind heart with plus arm expertise and talent to win out and in of the pocket. He accomplished 65 p.c of his passes for 37 touchdowns by way of the air as a sophomore, including over 600 yards and eight touchdowns on the bottom. Underwood makes big-time throws everywhere in the discipline and options the instruments essential to be extremely profitable on the subsequent stage and past as he continues to progress and develop his craft. It is simple to see why packages like LSU and Michigan are in heavy pursuit of the five-star.