New 2020 Rivals250 released: Biggest debates, decisions
The new Rivals250 for the 2020 class has been released with plenty of discussion and debate among the Rivals.com team of analysts. Here they break down some of those decisions and their own thoughts behind them.
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team | State
MORE 2020 RIVALS100 RELEASE: Farrell's thoughts | New five-stars | Top 10 analysis | Who will end cycle as top WR? | Who is biggest threat to Uiagalelei at No. 1?
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1. Who did you personally go to bat for that will make you look smart?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
Rob Cassidy (Southeast/Florida): I was one of the loudest voices when it came to awarding Noah Sewell his fifth star. There were some concerns about his weight and that he might grow into a defensive end, but he carries his frame incredibly well and is one of the more versatile middle linebackers I’ve ever seen. History will show that he’s a no-brainer five-star.
Mike Farrell (National): Texas A&M quarterback commitment Haynes King is a guy I pushed hard to make a big move up. He has all the intangibles to be very good and I like the way he extends the play and improvises. He’s getting bigger and stronger and his ceiling is high.
Adam Friedman (Mid-Atlantic): I mentioned to the other analysts that Bijan Robinson would prove he was a five-star before he arrived in Atlanta for the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas and everybody was pretty much onboard after the event. Texas is getting a future star in the Arizona native.
Adam Gorney (West/National): We have talked about him so much already but deservedly so because Noah Sewell is a unique prospect, maybe like we've never seen before. Here is a 260-pound recruit who moves so well at linebacker that it's amazing to see in person. There's no reason to believe he can't stay at inside linebacker and thrive in the years to come. After his awesome showing at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas, Sewell added his fifth star and moved all the way up to No. 15.
Josh Helmholdt (Midwest): I had watched Texas A&M cornerback commit Jaylon Jones on film before the Five-Star Challenge – which is why I drafted him on my team – but Atlanta was my first time actually seeing the Texan in-person. He did not disappoint, and he stepped up big for what ended up being a depleted red team which lost in the championship game. I am usually not big on tall cornerbacks because they tend to be stiff, but Jones is that rare combination of size and fluidity at the position.
Chad Simmons (Southeast): Noah Sewell is one that I, along with many others, stood strongly on the table for this update. After seeing Sewell, I think he could be a top 10 talent in this class. Some question where he will play on the next level, but I really have no concerns. He is a freak athlete who can move at his size. Right now, he is an elite middle linebacker and I see him as a major college player regardless of how he develops physically in the coming years.
Sam Spiegelman (Texas/Louisiana): Ty'Kieast Crawford was a tackle whose junior film caught my attention in a big way. The crazy part is that Texas is absolutely loaded with a lot of offensive line talent in the 2020 class, but Crawford was somehow flying under the radar. The Arkansas commitment showed up to LSU's camp at the start of June and put on a clinic. He looks the part of an SEC tackle and has raw strength and athleticism in pass protection, and was a top performer with a defensive line group that featured Rivals250 prospects in Jaquelin Roy and Jacobian Guillory. After that performance in Baton Rouge, I felt Crawford commanded more national respect.
