The spring camp season is over and there is a mountain of new information to factor into the rankings. This week the rankings for the entire 2025 class will be updated.
Players from around the country have made their case to be ranked No. 1 in the Rivals250. Will Julian Lewis remain in the top spot?
The national recruiting analysts – John Garcia Jr., Adam Friedman, Adam Gorney, Marshall Levenson and Greg Smith – give their takes on who they think should sit atop the Rivals250.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Tuesday: Five-Star Countdown
Wednesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
Thursday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
Friday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
Saturday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
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GARCIA’S VIEW: Julian Lewis
While this race is getting closer and closer, both positionally with Bryce Underwood and Tavien St. Clair and beyond quarterbacks with Dakorien Moore and Justus Terry so dominant, it’s still Lewis’ spot to lose.
The USC commitment has had a strong offseason in showcasing his usual accuracy and great timing while also projecting in the right direction from a physical standpoint at an improved 6-foot-1, 185 pounds or so. The added bulk and continued consistency help to answer some of the questions still looming around the reclassified recruit.
Despite his youth, Lewis has done his part to hold the top spot in the class heading into the critical end-of-season events such as the Elite 11 and the Rivals Five-Star to wrap up June.
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FRIEDMAN’S VIEW: David Sanders Jr.
The NFL Draft tells us that the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals250 should be a quarterback, defensive end or offensive tackle. Lewis, Underwood and St. Clair are battling for tops at their position while Terry and Elijah Griffin fight for bragging rights in the defensive line rankings.
At offensive tackle, David Sanders Jr. is a clear No. 1 and just so happens to be the best tackle prospect in a couple years. Choosing a quarterback for No. 1 may be the safest bet because they are the overwhelming favorite to be the first pick in the NFL Draft but, without a truly elite quarterback at the top of the rankings, I’m going with the top offensive tackle, the second-most valuable position on the field.
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GORNEY’S VIEW: Julian Lewis
If we were comfortable with Lewis being No. 1 heading into the spring, I don’t think we saw anything that would convince us otherwise heading into June. Sure, Underwood, Sanders Jr. and others could absolutely make an argument for the top spot in the 2025 rankings but Lewis has been more than solid at numerous events and his dynamic ability in games still stands out most.
There is no reason to make a change for change’s sake since Lewis continues to impress every time we see him.
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LEVENSON’S VIEW: Julian Lewis
While there are a few names that are in contention at this point in the process, Lewis remains my pick. The level of polish and consistency he has shown to this point outweighs the ‘wow factor’ that even Underwood or Sanders bring to the table.
The conversation will continue to heat up as the year progresses, but Lewis fits the mold of what the No. 1 prospect in the country is supposed to look like.
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SMITH’S VIEW: Julian Lewis
The gap is tightening in the race for the No. 1 spot in the 2025 player rankings. There is a case that can be made for any of the top seven prospects, which is going to keep this an intriguing topic all cycle long. This race isn’t tightening because of anything Lewis has or hasn’t done. There are other quarterbacks (Underwood and St. Clair) making hard charges to claim the honor of being the top-ranked quarterback.
However, the edge still goes to current No. 1 player Lewis.The USC commit is an elite distributor of the football. He doesn’t have the big-time arm that some others in the class do but makes up for it with pinpoint accuracy. Lewis is also excellent at reading defenses, which makes him the type of quarterback that should see the field early in his career.