Rivals Rankings Week: Five-Star Countdown for 2025 class

The Rivals250 for the 2025 class is receiving a refresh this week as the high school football season winds down across the country. We kick things off as always with a countdown of the five-stars.

Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney gives his thoughts on each of the 28 five-stars.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be No. 1?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars

Tuesday: New Rivals250 released | Gorney’s thoughts | Biggest risers

Wednesday: Offensive position rankings

Thursday: Defensive position rankings

Friday: State rankings

Gorney’s Take: There aren’t a ton of 6-foot-3 star cornerbacks in the NFL except for some rare exceptions and we think Devin Sanchez is one of those unique players. Even at his size, the Ohio State commit is so smooth in coverage. He turns and runs with receivers easily and has awesome footwork. He has the length to stick his hand in there to knock passes away.

To be that big and play corner at the highest level is a rare thing, but we think Sanchez is one of those guys.

Gorney’s Take: DJ Pickett is truly atypical. I can’t remember another player at the five-star level who is 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, truly a two-way standout who can play safety, cornerback or wide receiver, and has his incredible length.

The LSU commit, who is being targeted by Miami and Florida down the stretch, covers so much ground, has so much length and is a plus athlete. So wherever he plays in the secondary, Pickett is going to make a major impact.

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Gorney’s Take: Elite offensive tackles cannot only be massive human beings, they also need to be athletic and powerful. Michael Fasusi has all those qualities. The Oklahoma commit from Lewisville, Texas, moves incredibly well and he’s light on his feet, but he packs a powerful punch.

The five-star is not afraid to mix it up and play through the whistle. There’s an all-business attitude Fasusi possesses and it’s why he’s stuck with the Sooners through a tough season. He wants to be tutored by position coach Bill Bedenbaugh and one day be an early NFL Draft pick.

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Gorney’s Take: The on-field performance has been thoroughly impressive from Isaiah Gibson, but the measurables will intrigue NFL decision-makers when the time comes. The Warner Robins, Ga., four-star defensive end, who has been pledged to Georgia since June, has a longer wingspan than 80 percent of defensive ends who were drafted in the first three rounds since 2019.

His 40-yard dash and shuttle times are off the charts, too. Pair those numbers with his elite burst off the line and his ability to close and pressure the quarterback, and Gibson has special qualities no one else has in this class.

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Gorney’s Take: Michael Carroll has always been a massive human being since bursting onto the recruiting scene, but over the last year or so the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout has added a level of toughness and meanness that’s off the charts.

The new five-star offensive tackle looks to dominate on every down, to will himself over his opponent and then to pulverize defensive linemen over and over until the game is over. That physical determination blended with great athleticism and his size make Carroll one of the best offensive linemen in this class.

Alabama still has his commitment but a late visit to Colorado has definitely made this recruitment more interesting.

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Gorney’s Take: There can be a healthy debate about whether, at his size, Jonah Williams can play safety in college and the NFL (Kyle Hamilton is really the only comp) or whether he’ll move to linebacker. But it’s irrelevant because the impact the five-star has on defense is extraordinary.

The Galveston (Texas) Ball standout committed to Texas makes plays all over the field, is smart and savvy covering the back end. He can come up and hit, and has the physical presence to frustrate offenses at every level.

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Gorney’s Take: At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, not only is Javion Hilson one of the better-looking defensive players in this class but he’s maybe the purest edge rusher. The other defensive linemen can play off the edge but all could move inside as well. Hilson will line up outside and that’s where he’s best.

One college coach told me the Cocoa, Fla., standout – who has Texas, Texas A&M, Syracuse and Pitt as his favorites – is the most-focused player they’ve had on a visit yet.

Hilson is serious about being great, he has the physical tools to accomplish his goals and now he just needs to find his future home. The Longhorns seem to be the frontrunner.

Gorney’s Take: Harlem Berry is now the only five-star running back in the 2025 class so that makes it pretty plain on what we think of his ability. The LSU all-purpose back is a highlight-reel waiting to happen whether running the ball between the tackles or getting to the edge and making people miss or catching the ball out of the backfield.

LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan is one of the best at getting the ball in the hands of playmakers, so Berry should thrive. He can make anything happen and should be a real weapon in the Tigers’ offense.

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Gorney’s Take: When Riley Pettijohn walked into media day at the Rivals Five-Star, there was an immediate sense that the McKinney, Texas, standout would be under five-star consideration. The Ohio State commit is big, long and looks like a million bucks. Then on the field, he covers ground, can play downhill and hit, and go sideline to sideline.

There’s nothing not to like about Pettijohn, who has every trait of a star linebacker for the Buckeyes and beyond.

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Gorney’s Take: When you play at Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall, that does not exactly exude the toughest environments we’ve ever seen. But Will Black plays with a lot of aggressiveness, he has active feet and the Notre Dame commit is always looking for someone to knock to the ground.

All the physical tools and traits are there for Black to be developed into a Joe Alt-type offensive tackle in South Bend. With his physical presence on the football field, we like Black’s progression as a new five-star offensive tackle.

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Gorney’s Take: In any other recruiting class, Na’eem Offord would be the No. 1 cornerback in this class and an argument could be made that he should be that high up right now. The Ohio State commit – who could team up with fellow five-star Devin Sanchez – is big, physical, fast and excellent in coverage. When teams dare to throw his way, they regret it.

He’s also a sure tackler that never lets his receiver do much, as the physical Offord plays with a chip on his shoulder. Oregon, Auburn and Florida keep working to flip him.

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Gorney’s Take: From his intelligence and ability to see things before they happen, to the physical traits, Trey McNutt is a special prospect who is the complete package in patrolling the secondary and making plays.

The Cleveland (Ohio) Shaker Heights standout struck out on his own and picked Oregon over Ohio State but took a late visit to Texas A&M, so that’s something to watch down the stretch.

From his ranginess, athleticism and ability to read and react, McNutt has special qualities.

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Gorney’s Take: Whether Douglas Utu plays offensive tackle or offensive guard in college is almost irrelevant to his ranking because while playing outside is a little more valuable, the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman standout is so good that he could be a first-rounder at either spot.

That position versatility is actually a benefit to Utu, who has the nimbleness and footwork to play right tackle and the toughness and physical ability to move inside and make a huge impact there as well.

Oregon is getting one of the best offensive linemen in the class and the Ducks will be able to use him anywhere.

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Gorney’s Take: What sold us on Hylton Stubbs as a five-star prospect was at the Rivals Five-Star, some elite receivers caught passes on him during one-on-ones but the Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin standout was always right there in the hip pocket and making every catch incredibly difficult.

The Miami commit has awesome length, he can run, he can cover, he’s competitive and he has that dog mindset where he’s going to go after people on every play.

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Gorney’s Take: A Florida State commitment since December 2023, Solomon Thomas is a crucial piece for the Seminoles to keep in this recruiting class because he’s versatile along the offensive line and the meanness factor is off the charts when it comes to how Thomas plays.

He’s big and tough and the Jacksonville (Fla.) Raines standout plays with surprising athleticism for someone his size.

Florida had him on campus over the weekend and LSU is trying to flip him as well, so this will be one to watch heading toward signing day.

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Gorney’s Take: One of the new five-stars in this rankings release, Dijon Lee is as talented and as impactful as any cornerback in this class. The Alabama commit, who will visit Texas A&M for the Texas showdown, has phenomenal length and is incredibly smooth and fast in coverage. He’s great battling the receiver when the ball is getting there.

Lee made such an impact at Mission Viejo, Calif., this season that he was also one of the team’s best receivers.

Gorney’s Take: When we finally got to see Nathaniel Marshall in person this season, the Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick defensive end might not be his listed 6-foot-5 but his traits and his productivity cannot be questioned. A new five-star who doesn’t do many events, Marshall can blitz off the edge and looks like he was shot out of a cannon. He covers so much ground and he makes an impact on nearly every play defensively.

That type of production cannot go unnoticed. It’s what so many elite edge rushers and outside linebackers are known for and Marshall plays the game physically and hard every down.

Gorney’s Take: Jaime Ffrench did not have the best season from a statistical perspective but four-star quarterback teammate Tramell Jones suffered a knee injury so that chemistry on offense was definitely not present for Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin.

This ranking is more than just one season of stats, though, as Ffrench has proven for some time, including at the Rivals Five-Star, that he’s a smooth and effortless route runner who has great hands and deceptive speed to stretch the field.

The Texas commit – who’s still being pursued by Florida and others – reminds us a ton of Garrett Wilson at the same stage.

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Gorney’s Take: When Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng is on the field and not dealing with nagging injuries, the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy five-star linebacker is special. He is muscled up but he doesn’t play tight. Owusu-Boateng can hit, he can run, he can move laterally and do all the things a linebacker needs to do in space and to play downhill.

Michigan has looked like a very strong contender for him but a recent visit to Colorado now makes things very interesting.