Tuesdays with Gorney: Checking up on five-stars within the 2026 Rivals250
Tuesdays with Gorney: Checking up on five-stars within the 2026 Rivals250
It has been a number of weeks since we’ve taken a have a look at all of the five-stars within the 2026 class and caught up with their recruitments. That’s the job of Rivals nationwide recruiting director Adam Gorney in in the present day’s Tuesdays With Gorney.
Oregon, Michigan and Georgia comprise the lead group for the No. 1 total participant however Missouri cannot be counted out because it’s only a three-hour drive from house and the Tigers have made Cantwell a prime precedence.
Georgia has been a secure prime contender and Michigan appears to be surging in curiosity with Cantwell and different five-stars, however the Geese are the crew to observe closest right here. Cantwell loves the teaching workers particularly coach Dan Lanning, who can be from Missouri.
No modifications right here. The five-star quarterback from Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley appears locked in with Tennessee and it might take a significant shock to see him flip someplace else. Possibly there’s a large NIL package deal in retailer later ala Bryce Underwood however he’s agency with the Vols proper now.
Any stunning shock that Lyons would possibly significantly contemplate Sacramento State after visiting with some Folsom, Calif., teammates final week are massively overblown and I’ve been instructed he gained’t contemplate that program in his recruitment.
The true crew to observe right here is Michigan as a result of USC took Jonas Williams and if Oregon will get Jared Curtis then this could possibly be a battle between the Wolverines and BYU. And Lyons actually likes the setup in Ann Arbor.
Georgia and Oregon are the finalists for the five-star quarterback from Nashville (Tenn.) Christian and whereas either side have some stage of confidence, it’s all the time robust to get a re-commitment and Curtis has already been pledged to the Bulldogs.
Maryland, Oregon, LSU, Texas A&M and Penn State comprise the lead group for the huge five-star offensive sort out however the phrase now’s that the Terrapins lead for the North Bethesda (Md.) Georgetown Prep standout.
Iheanacho has stated that he plans to commit whereas on considered one of his official visits however that may have been untimely. If not Maryland, the considered probably teaming up with Cantwell at Oregon is intriguing.
Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Oregon and all of the heavy hitters at the moment are concerned with the Houston commit however the Spring (Texas) Legacy standout is staying shut with the Cougars and just lately stopped by a basketball recreation the place he met Houston mayor John Whitmire.
There’s a feeling that Henderson can revitalize the hometown program and get gamers to return with him however a significant NIL deal should be in place. Others are usually not giving up.
Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Colorado will get visits from the five-star receiver out of Alexander Metropolis (Ala.) Russell. He was additionally at Clemson over the weekend and the Tigers are on a recruiting tear proper now, plus Morgan has the look of many former elite Clemson receivers on the skin.
However until there’s a main wild card down the stretch – presumably severe intrigue in enjoying for coach Deion Sanders – this looks like an Alabama-Auburn battle till the top.
From the start, Wesley’s recruitment was primarily targeted on USC and Oregon alone and now that he’s reclassified from 2027 to 2026 the sensation is that this shall be a battle between the Trojans and the Geese till determination day.
Texas A&M is a participant after which Ohio State and Notre Dame have gotten concerned however the Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout has all the time talked about staying nearer.
There are a number of prime packages pursuing the sting rusher from Cellular (Ala.) St. Paul’s however Alabama stays the crew to beat. Auburn shall be there till the top with LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oregon battling, however the Crimson Tide have taken the lead on this recruitment and shall be there till the top.
There may be nonetheless a decently lengthy record of packages concerned with the five-star receiver from Hattiesburg, Miss., who has flip-flopped amongst favorites all through his recruitment. The plan for Keys proper now’s to see Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU by the top of June and he is additionally engaged on a visit to Auburn as nicely.
Keys is coming off a multi-day go to to Tennessee the place he spent a number of time with five-star QB commit Faizon Brandon. That would give the Vols an edge proper now.
A prime six of Alabama, Penn State, Georgia, Oregon, USC and Texas A&M was launched on Sunday and through a current dialog the five-star athlete additionally had Michigan amongst his prime packages.
The Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel standout likes all of them however the Crimson Tide, the Trojans and the Aggies are on the prime heading right into a busy go to schedule.
Early in his recruitment, earlier than he seemed nice on the Navy All-American Bowl and have become a five-star prospect, Michigan and Ole Miss had been the 2 favorites in Ojo’s recruitment. However in current months, Texas has surged to the highest for the Mansfield (Texas) Lake Ridge standout and the Longhorns shall be very robust to beat right here.
Ohio State is the opposite prime faculty and whereas the Buckeyes can by no means be counted out, particularly with prime Texas expertise, Ojo is leaning towards staying in-state.
After a really quick dedication to Georgia early on, Cooper bought again available on the market and continues to be contemplating the Bulldogs closely however Miami appears just like the crew to beat proper now. Auburn shall be one other one to observe and lots of prime packages are exhibiting curiosity however Cooper has now taken a number of current visits to Coral Gables and the bond there simply appears stronger than all over the place else.
Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Oregon and now Texas Tech are all on this however LSU is clearly the crew to beat for the five-star security from Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic.
His brother, Jacob, signed with the Tigers within the 2025 class and that’s simply considered one of many the explanation why it might be a stunner if Bradford ended up wherever else.
Many prime packages are making a run on the No. 1 cornerback together with Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, USC and others, however it might be a significant shock if the Akron (Ohio) Hoban standout doesn’t find yourself at Ohio State.
He’s an in-state child, he’s visited Columbus quite a few occasions and the Buckeyes have made Hill a significant precedence. If he goes someplace else, it might be a wow second on this recruiting cycle.
Texas A&M is the front-runner for the five-star security from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances however Auburn, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia and lots of others are going to battle to the top on this one.
If the Aggies and coach Mike Elko might land Edwards, he could be an enormous piece in Faculty Station however one wonders if Maryland lands Iheanacho and retains four-star defensive finish Zion Elee, does Edwards check out staying house, too?
There was some pondering that Texas was clearly the crew to beat in Feaster’s recruitment however that’s not the case with Texas A&M, LSU, USC and Alabama (particularly after a multi-day go to to Tuscaloosa helped the Crimson Tide immensely) within the operating. Miami and Oregon are battling as nicely for the DeSoto, Texas, five-star receiver, who reclassed from 2027.
Georgia has been thought of the front-runner and the Bulldogs are nonetheless in a really favorable spot with the five-star linebacker from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson, however his Clemson go to over the weekend was “unbelievable.”
Clemson’s coaches put collectively an “AtkNup Plan” for Atkinson, which laid out how he’d get his diploma in three years, how he might promote his model and the way he’d slot in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s protection.
An Ohio State commit since July 2023, it might be no shock in any respect if the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei standout receiver (who’s coming off a knee harm) sticks with the Buckeyes. There was a lot receiver success there and Jeremiah Smith’s transcendent freshman season can’t damage. Plus, Henry has a terrific relationship with coach Brian Hartline.
But when there’s a pull to remain nearer to house, Oregon is making the largest in-roads with Henry and USC had him over for a current junior day.
The five-star quarterback from Newbury Park, Calif., was again at Washington over the weekend because the Huskies are rising as a significant contender for the previous Florida State dedication.
An official go to later this offseason might push Washington even greater on the record as UCLA continues to be battling exhausting together with Michigan and others.
A more recent reclassifier from 2027, LSU has been a front-runner for Finney for the reason that early a part of his recruitment. He suits the model of different elite cornerbacks in Baton Rouge over time and place coach Corey Raymond has made him a precedence.
However USC goes to battle exhausting to maintain Finney and Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon five-star teammate Richard Wesley house. These two would possibly battle it out till the top with Ohio State, Texas and Michigan because the three others to observe.
The five-star tight finish from Reidsville, N.C., has been dedicated to Oregon since October and again and again has solely strengthened his pledge to the Geese. However he dedicated to the cross-country faculty earlier than Corridor of Famer Invoice Belichick was employed at North Carolina and the Tar Heels aren’t going to surrender simply right here. Neither will others.
Harrison has primarily shut down his recruitment for now however it’s one thing to observe.
