Rivals.com – Rivals Rankings Week: States with the most Rivals250 players
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The updated Rivals250 for the 2023 class has been released, and many of the usual suspects – in terms of numbers per state – are at the top. The South continues to reign supreme, but there has been movement in the top five, including a new state that has entered the mix.
Texas lost three players but continues to lead the way by a slim margin with 42 prospects in the latest update. The Lone Star State is followed closely by Florida with 41 prospects, new No. 3 Georgia with 23 and Alabama with 20. Louisiana and new entry California round out the top five, tied with 15 prospects each in the latest Rivals250.
The Sunshine State comes in at No. 2 overall again, but it closed the gap on Texas with 41 prospects making the latest Rivals250, putting Florida in striking distance for the state with most players represented when our final rankings are released. Florida continues to lead the nation in five-star talent with a total of nine, which is up one from the last rankings release due to the addition of SDE Damon Wilson.
There was one Rivals250 newcomer from the state in uncommitted DT Jordan Hall who many consider a Georgia lean. Major risers from the state include Hall, Cedric Baxter, Rueben Bain and Tyler Williams, each of whom made a jump of 79 spots or higher.
The Peach State jumped Alabama for the No. 3 spot by gaining a net total of three additional Rivals250 players. It also added an impressive number of Rivals250 newcomers in Jamarion Wilcox, CJ Allen, Jelani Thurman, Lawson Luckie and Jalen Smith.
After lacking a five-star prospect in previous rankings releases, Georgia finally is home to one of the nations elite ranked players in Alabama safety commit Caleb Downs. Its biggest riser in the rankings is Clemson DT commit Stephiylan Green, who jumped a whopping 99 spots in the latest Rivals250.
Former No. 3 state Alabama is down one prospect from the previous release and becomes the No. 4 producer of Rivals250 talent with 20 prospects total. Oddly enough, with as much talent as Alabama has produced in 2023, it is now the only state in the top five to lack a five-star prospect.
Alabama also lacked a Rivals250 newcomer in the latest update, but did have one major riser in Auburn all-purpose back commit Jeremiah Cobb, who jumped 87 spots to become the No. 63 player overall.
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T-5. LOUISIANA
Louisiana retains the No. 5 spot despite losing two Rivals250 representatives since our last rankings release. The Boot remains home to the nation’s No. 1 overall player in Texas QB commit Arch Manning, who is also the only five-star prospect in the state.
Louisiana didn’t have any Rivals250 newcomers during the latest release, but it did have three prospects make major moves in LSU OL commit Zalance Heard, recent Nebraska decommit Omarion Miller and LSU all-purpose back commit Trey Holly, jumping 69, 53 and 44 spots respectively.
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T-5. California
California is the lone newcomer to the group with 15 prospects in the latest Rivals250, putting the state in a tie for the fifth spot, along with Louisiana. While The Golden State may be tied at No. 5 it has some serious talent at the top with three five-star prospects in QBs Nico Iamaleava and Malachi Nelson, and newly minted five-star DE Matayo Uiagalelei.
California features one Rivals150 newcomer in UCLA WR commit Jordan Hall. The state’s biggest riser is Georgia RB commit Roderick Robinson II, who jumped 74 spots to become No. 130 overall.
