Six new five-stars join the 2020 Rivals100

The latest Rivals100 release for the class of 2020 brings many changes, most notably six prospects adding a fifth star. There was also some shuffling in the national top 25.

This is our third numerical ranking of the Rivals100 for the class of 2020 and there has been no movement in the top three with D.J. Uiagalelei, Zachary Evans and Justin Flowe remaining No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Uiagalelei will be tough to knock off the top perch as a quarterback with such special skills, but Evans is one of the best running backs I’ve scouted over the years and Flowe is arguably in a class of his own as a physical linebacker. These are three of the strongest prospects at the top of a ranking to start a recruiting cycle in Rivals.com history.

California cornerback Elias Ricks moved up a couple spots to No. 4 overall followed by Maryland defensive end Bryan Bresee to round out the top five. Washington defensive end Sav’ell Smalls slid one spot to No. 6 while new five-star Paris Johnson Jr., an elite offensive tackle, checks in at No. 7. Arizona cornerback Kelee Ringo moved up five spots into the top 10 at No. 8 while athlete Arik Gilbert and linebacker Antoine Sampah round out the top 10 at No. 9 and No. 10 respectively.

Most of the other big moves in the top 25 are as a result of new five-stars. Here’s how our regional analysts break them down.

NEW FIVE-STARS

“The last question we needed answered from Johnson before awarding him five stars was whether he could develop the strength that he lacked as a sophomore. The size, athleticism and fundamentals were all there, and added weight between sophomore and junior season gave him the strength we were looking for. The Cincinnati native plays with a healthy level of aggression and it’s obvious how much he enjoys playing the game. Johnson committed to Ohio State last June, but he was close with Urban Meyer and it is worth watching to see if Meyer’s retirement results in Johnson re-evaluating his recruitment.” – Josh Helmholdt, Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst

"Milton had a big sophomore season and now he put up huge numbers as a junior with 1,337 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging nearly eight yards per carry. Milton is simply unstoppable at this level with the ball in his hands. And often he doesn't have huge holes to run through. He's great in tight spaces, he's patient waiting for blockers to open up holes, he bounces off first contact and then Milton has the explosive speed to get to the edge and beat defenders down the sidelines. He's one of the more special prospects to come out of Fresno in recent memory and Milton deserved the bump to five-star status.

"USC is up there, but he will be a national recruit who is also interested in Oklahoma and Alabama early.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Analyst

“Jarrett’s game has grown by leaps and bounds this year. He’s really filled out his frame and bigger cornerbacks can’t push him around anymore. Jarrett runs superb routes, which help him create separation and his speed allows him to pull away from anybody he comes across. St. John’s really counted on him in clutch moments this season and he came up big, showing off consistent hands. Alabama, Ohio State and now Maryland with Mike Locksley as head coach are a few programs that stand out.” – Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst

“Fleming is a phenomenal overall athlete that could play on either side of the ball in college. His excellent hands and ability to make plays when he catches the ball on short, intermediate, or deep routes is outstanding. We love the way he breaks pressure and gets into his routes quickly. Fleming’s nose for the end zone makes him a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

"Ohio State and Penn State seem to lead the way in his recruitment while Alabama is of interest as well.” -- Friedman

"I don't often use this term when describing a prospect because I think it's drastically overused in our business, but Washington is an absolute freak at tight end. I had first heard about how special he was last offseason and after seeing him in person multiple times I knew I was looking at something special. Then he carried it over with a dominating junior season.

"He's all of 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds but he moves so well, he has excellent hands and he has breakaway speed when he gets to the secondary. There have not been many five-star tight ends in Rivals.com's history, but Washington is so special it was hard not to give him that classification because of his physical abilities alone.

"Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, USC, Michigan, Minnesota and Texas stand out early for Washington.” -- Gorney

“Lloyd’s consistency throughout the season really help boost his stock our eyes. He’s always been one of the more explosive running backs in the nation, able to beat any defender to the edge. What we loved this year about him was his improved strength and he’s become more effective running between the tackles.

"Penn State and Maryland are two programs that will likely be there until the end but he’s wide open.” -- Friedman