Rivals Rankings Week: Roundtable discussion

The latest rankings release for the 2026 class has wrapped up and there were plenty of controversial decisions that coaches, players and fans are discussing.

The national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Greg Smith, and Sam Spiegelman – sit down at the Rankings Roundtable and discuss.

Adam Friedman: Jordan Clay is a big, outside receiver who really excels on downfield routes. Defensive backs have a difficult time competing against him in jump ball scenarios. It’s going to be interesting to see how much bigger he gets as he matures. Clay is very lean right now and he is sure to add significant mass over the next few years. He’ll have to make sure his speed and agility aren’t negatively impacted. Clay will need to refine his route running skills to be considered more of a well-rounded receiver.

John Garcia Jr.: Cedarian Morgan has as head-turning a physical profile one could seek at the position. Standing a legitimate 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, he is bigger than former No. 1 overall recruit Jeremiah Smith at the same stage, and he is coming off of a dominant 2024 season ahead of his move back to basketball – where he is a legitimate above-the-rim player. Still, it feels very early in his overall technical development to earn the tab as the No. 2 wideout in the land in a class we know will become strong at the position. That body style hasn’t lit up the NFL or the NFL Draft, either, and much more importantly for rankings discussions. Shorter, more compact wideouts or longer, leaner types have been closer to the Round 1 line than the bigger, more physically dominant body types out wide. So either Morgan will grow into a hybrid jumbo athlete or tight end before all is said and done or he trims up and polishes up to lean more into the precedent our industry has to go by.

Adam Gorney: Cederian Morgan is special and he might end up being the best big receiver in this class but there are some questions about his acceleration and top-end speed. At the high school level, Morgan can use his size and elite playmaking ability to his advantage but if he doesn’t have that extra gear that could be an issue in college and beyond. Morgan is outstanding but being in the top 20 feels a tad too high.

Greg Smith: Ohio offensive tackle Maxwell Riley is a good prospect with Clemson, Ohio State and Missouri recruiting him hard. But is he the 55th-best player in the nation? I’m not so sure about that. Riley is a bit of a tweener position-wise on the line though I’d be intrigued by him at center. There are other tackles in the region that offer more upside in my opinion.

Sam Spiegelman: Auburn commit JaMichael Garrett put together a strong junior campaign for Gulf Shores (Ala.) High, solidifying his spot as one of the most athletic linebackers in the Rivals250 for the 2026 cycle. Garrett is a versatile second-level defender with the ability to generate a pass rush, work both inside and out, cover sideline to sideline with authority, as well as drop back into coverage without being a liability. The future Tiger plays with plus instincts and it shows on film as well as in live game settings. He’s got a tremendous floor and even more upside quarterbacking an SEC defense around him.

Adam Friedman: Nolan Wilson has the look of someone who could be the next great defensive lineman from Mississippi. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Wilson is surprisingly quick at the snap and he has the size and strength to essentially run through offensive linemen who don’t land a strong initial punch. With his measurables, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Wilson used at a variety of positions along the defensive front. Wilson has shown quick and aggressive hand techniques, and he has a wide range of moves to get into the backfield. The motor Wilson plays with is awfully impressive for a player that size and that should serve him well as he matures in the game.

John Garcia Jr.: Grant Wise. You wanna kick back and watch some fun tape? The Miami legacy and powerlifter flashes some of the most dominant varsity work in the trenches throughout SEC country. Wise is going to play center at the next level, potentially moonlighting as a guard otherwise, but his move and finish skill at tackle samples from the fall are some of the most head-turning one can find. Wise is stout at the point of contact and obviously can win with his anchor and overall drive, but he is especially efficient, effective and comfortable in space. Whether working to the second level, pulling ahead of screens or just playing through the whistle, Wise can identify and execute on smaller defenders in gaudy fashion. The conventional elements of his game are of the high-floor variety as well, as he works a wide and balanced stance to create running lanes and protect the passer alike.

Adam Gorney: Na’eem Burroughs. If there are nine better receivers than Burroughs in the 2026 class then it’s absolutely loaded at the position. Basically, I would put him much higher. The Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles standout was outstanding at the Rivals Five-Star this summer where he showed real athleticism and great hands. He’s bigger than we first thought although he’s never going to be a huge physical specimen. This season he averaged more than 26 yards per catch and had 12 touchdowns on 33 catches. Burroughs is a huge playmaker and I wouldn’t be surprised if he steadily moves up through this cycle.

Greg Smith: Ian Premer is one of several Midwest tight ends inside of the Rivals250. However, as the 13th-ranked tight end he might be too low still. Premer has incredible upside due to how smooth of an athlete he is at 6-foot-5 and 211 pounds. He’s also a three-sport athlete that hasn’t even been able to concentrate full-time on football. Teams from coast to coast are recruiting him with USC and Miami being his latest two offers.

Sam Spiegelman: Zavion Griffin-Haynes has been exceptional, forcing the issue off the edge in a breakout junior campaign at Rolesville (NC) High School. The fourth-star EDGE has size (6-foot-4 and 230 pounds) and is launched from a cannon when firing off the line on a snap-to-snap basis. Griffin-Haynes has a fantastic motor for the position and even better closing speed. The one-time North Carolina verbal works from a two-point stance and has a knack for causing chaos behind the line of scrimmage and impacting plays. We love his speed, burst and his bendy play style from the EDGE position.

Adam Friedman: Kaiden Prothro. There aren’t many tight ends that can do what Prothro can do. The Georgia native had 831 receiving yards, a yards-per-catch average of 25, and 13 touchdown catches last year. This year, Prothro had 56 catches and a whopping 1,203 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. The 6-foot-6, 207-pound tight end has the speed and agility to outrun most defenders who try to keep him in check. On top of that, he has the height and wingspan to keep defenders from getting a hand on the pass. Prothro still ranks inside the top 40 but there is a chance he moves even higher than that as the evaluation cycle continues.

John Garcia Jr.: Malik Morris. Moving the Lakeland (Fla.) High School linebacker up some 50 spots may not have been enough. He is as impactful a back-seven defender as one will see on Friday nights, not only setting the tone for a team that went undefeated against elite competition until earlier this month, but he typically makes the game-changing play in crunch time as well. Morris can be an old-school thumper and rule downhill from tackle to tackle with legitimate power. He can also flash as a rusher or in coverage, as he did in making game-winning interceptions and even a blocked kick as a junior. While the Floridian doesn’t possess elite length, just about all of the other prep traits most top-level defensive coordinators covet at linebacker are present as the tape just gets better and better.

Adam Gorney: Ryder Lyons. I fought for Lyons to be No. 1 overall and while I lost the battle, I don’t plan to lose the war. Quarterback is the prime position for the top overall pick in the NFL Draft and we think Lyons is the best quarterback in this class right now. The Northern California standout has incredible dual-threat capabilities that would translate to college and the pocket presence that would work in the NFL. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Jackson Cantwell and he’s a legit No. 1 player too, but Lyons has qualities that I haven’t seen from a quarterback in some time.

Greg Smith: Nasir Rankin. When I saw Rankin this season, it was clear he was the best athlete on the field. The game featured several Power Four prospects but he stood above the rest. Rankin was electric with the ball in his hands on jet sweeps and ran crisp routes as a receiver. Rankin is also a multi-sport athlete that just poured in 54 points for the basketball team. He’s just scratching the surface of his potential and this likely won’t be the last time we talk about him as a riser.

Sam Spiegelman: Richard Anderson has been a force in the middle of the New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr High defense since his sophomore season. He capped a stellar junior campaign with a dominant performance working in the trenches to helping to slow down a rushing attack that’s been unsolvable for nearly four months of the season. The four-star LSU commitment thrives with his ability to occupy multiple blockers on a play-to-play basis and continue to penetrate and cause havoc around the line of scrimmage. He’s a force up front capable of causing splash plays behind the line of scrimmage, slowing down the run and generating a pass rush. At 6-foot-4 and 315-plus pounds. Anderson is immensely powerful and bouncy with the knack for big splash plays at a premium position.