East Coast Spotlight: Four big rankings questions heading into the summer
The post-spring rankings update is getting large on the horizon. Plenty of new information has come to light during the spring camp season and soon the rankings will be updated to reflect the national analyst team’s latest projections for the 2025 and 2026 classes.
This week the national analyst team will examine their biggest questions heading into the upcoming rankings meetings. Up first is the East region.
MORE: Committed prospects on flip watch this summer | Recruiting Rumor Mill
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1. Where will Missouri quarterback commit Matt Zollers land?
It’s no secret that Zollers will be a riser in the rankings update later this month but where he’ll land is still up in the air. The Pennsylvania native has been a four-star since his initial rating this past fall but has never found himself ranked inside the Rivals250.
That will change later this month but so will the order of the other quarterbacks in the Rivals250. Expect Zollers to be grouped with prospects such as Akili Smith Jr., Tramell Jones, Bryce Baker, Husan Longstreet and others.
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2. What will the wide receiver order look like?
Adam Friedman/Rivals.com
The receiver rankings in the East are primed for a shake-up with multiple risers and sliders among the group. Quincy Porter is currently ranked the highest of the group followed by Shamarius Peterkin and Braswell Thomas.
Look for prospects such as Malik Clark and Jerel Bolder to be among the risers. Each of them have shown outstanding physical and technical development with each offseason performance.
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3. Is there a 2026 five-star in the East?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
The 2026 rankings will also be updated within the next few weeks. The East region is the only region without a five-star in the next recruiting cycle. Will anyone rise to the elite status?
Defensive back Samari Matthews, tight end Kendre' Harrison and running back Savion Hiter are the highest-ranked prospects in the region and each have performed well this offseason.
Harrison is a physically rare and dominant tight end with an exceptional level of talent. Matthews has the size, technical skills and instincts to compete against the best receivers in the nation. Hiter is the top-ranked running back in a class with very few elite ball carriers.
Expect more discussion on Jireh Edwards, Immanuel Iheanacho, Zion Elee and others during the rankings meetings, as well.
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4. How much shuffling will there be in the offensive line rankings?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
The 2026 recruiting cycle in the East region is deep with offensive linemen and there will be plenty of changes to the order in the next rankings update.
Kevin Brown, Ekene Ogboko, Da’Ron Parks, Pierre Dean, Carter Scruggs, Tyler Merrill, Darius Gray, Desmond Green and Leo Delaney are among the nation’s best along the front line and a few of them will be on the move.
Dean, Merrill, Gray and Green performed well at the Rivals Camp Series in Charlotte but they won’t be the only prospects to be heavily debated.
