The preseason rankings update is coming up and there are a handful of really close battles at the top of certain positions. Take a look at the five positions with the tightest battles for No. 1.
QUARTERBACK
Contenders: Julian Lewis, Bryce Underwood, Tavien St. Clair
Quarterback may be the most obvious answer here but it is also probably the tightest race of any of the positions in the 2025 class. No. 1 overall prospect Julian Lewis has had an excellent offseason and continues to show many of the skills that pushed him to the top of the rankings but the uber talented duo of Bryce Underwood and Tavien St. Clair are really pushing him for that No. 1 spot in the quarterback rankings.
Will there be a shake up? What happens in the Rivals250? These are all questions that will be answered in the upcoming rankings refresh.
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DEFENSIVE END
Contenders: Javion Hilson, Nathaniel Marshall, Zahir Mathis, Christopher Burgess Jr.
Pass rushers are some of the most important prospects on a roster and there are many really good ones in this 2025 class but none of them are five stars just yet. Javion Hilson, Nathaniel Marshall, Zahir Mathis and Christopher Burgess Jr. are the top four defensive ends in the class right now and they’re all within 20 spots of each other in the Rivals250.
At No. 19 overall, Hilson is the No. 1 defensive end at the moment. He’s been discussed as a potential five-star since the end of an impressive spring camp season. Marshall has displayed unique traits for the position but has not tested himself this offseason. Mathis and Burgess haven’t shied away from competition and are continuing to develop as expected.
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DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Contenders: Justus Terry, Elijah Griffin
This is a race that will go down to the wire.
Five-star defensive tackles Justus Terry and Elijah Griffin, both out of the state of Georgia, have rare traits for players their size. Each is incredibly explosive and aggressive at the snap and pursues the ball carrier with tenacity. Terry plays a little bit better competition than Griffin but both have the tools to have success at the next level at an early stage of their college careers.
Neither participated in offseason events so they’re senior seasons will tell the story about how their order in the final Rivals250 plays out.
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LINEBACKER
Contenders: Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Riley Pettijohn
After getting an up-close look at Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Riley Pettijohn at the Rivals Five-Star in Jacksonville last month, it’s hard to argue against these two outstanding prospects being the top-ranked linebackers in the Rivals250. They both possess unique abilities for their position. They have the size, speed, explosiveness, physical style, and playmaking ability to warrant their lofty ranking.
Are they five-stars? Which one should be ranked higher? This is the debate that will play out during rankings meetings.
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SAFETY
Contenders: Jonah Williams, Trey McNutt, Hylton Stubbs, Faheem Delane
The safety rankings have been a hot button issue throughout the cycle and it will be another heavily debated position during the rankings meetings. Five-star Jonah Williams holds down the No. 1 spot right now but right on his tail are Trey McNutt, Hylton Stubbs and Faheem Delane.
The offseason came and went without much on-field action from Williams or McNutt but Stubbs and Delane were eager to compete and show off their physical and technical development.
Each of these safeties bring slightly different skill sets and measurables to the table so they don’t all fit into defensive schemes the same way. Figuring out which one should be at the top of the list will be a lengthy discussion.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.