The final rankings update for the 2023 class kicked off on Monday with the release of the five-stars, including eight new ones. Take a closer look at each of the new five-stars and why they deserve such a lofty ranking.
*****
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be the top three prospects in 2023?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest Movers | Gorney’s thoughts
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released
Friday: State rankings released
Saturday: Roundtable
*****
“Peter Woods took advantage of his selection in the UA Next All-America Game, dominating his way through the practices and in the game. Taking on future Power Five offensive linemen, rep after rep, Woods proved to be one of the most dominating defensive linemen in the country. His first step is an advantage. Add his power and hand placement into the mix, and Woods is set to make some noise for Clemson.” – Ryan Wright, national recruiting analyst
*****
“From his play on the field, game film and postseason action in all-star games, Jordan Hall proved he was worthy of being a five-star. The Georgia signee was credited with 106 tackles for his Westside High School squad with 31 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and 29 quarterback hurries during his senior season.
“Racking up those impressive numbers, Hall used his massive frame, long arms and power working over Florida offenses. If teams do not get the ball out of the pocket in 2.5 seconds, the snap belongs to Hall.
“Hall took his skills to San Antonio, getting a memorable tackle for a loss in the All-American Bowl, throwing money hidden in his arm sleeve after the big play.” – Wright
*****
“The future for Keldric Faulk is bright. He is a unique defensive talent able to play end in a 4-3 with an emphasis on rushing but can also overwhelm offensive tackles with his hand in the ground. Over time, Faulk could add weight to his frame becoming more of a 3-4 front end which will raise his NFL stock value.
“When Faulk takes the field, his athleticism and strength puts him ahead of the curve. There is no quit in Faulk with a relentless motor play after play. His performance at the All-American Bowl events helped push him into the five-star classification.” – Wright
*****
“There are few prospects in the 2023 class that can match Adepoju Adebawore‘s ceiling. The description of ‘physical freak’ is often thrown around loosely, but the newly minted five-star is the type of player the phrase was coined to describe. With the frame of a future NFL edge and the athleticism of a skill player, the Oklahoma signee has all of the physical and athletic attributes to be a future first-round draft pick.
“Adebawore is a menacing pass rusher with the mass and strength to become a major disrupter in the run game as well. The Missouri native has a rare combination of physical gifts, and although he is raw at this stage of his development, he has already proven to be dominant against many of the nation’s best offensive linemen. Adebawore is a pure upside play and has proven worthy of being listed among the nation’s most elite players.” – Clint Cosgrove, national recruiting analyst
*****
“Johntay Cook earns a fifth star after a strong playoff performance for his Eagles team that resulted in the program’s second state championship along with coming out of the Under Armour All-America week as one of the event’s top pass-catchers. Cook’s route-running, route leverage IQ and separation has made him one of the elite receivers in the state of Texas since his arrival on the scene as a sophomore.
“As his career has gone on, Cook has overcome early struggles with strength to now become one of the more elusive ball-carriers. He is one of the more sure-handed receivers after early drop issues. His skillset will make him an immediate contributor for Texas that can line up inside or outside.” – Nick Harris, national recruiting analyst
*****
“Zalance Heard earns his fifth star after a strong senior season and a big performance at the Under Armour All-America week. His eye-boggling size at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds makes Heard one of the more physically imposing players in the entire country, and he’s able to retain that strength to create athleticism and bend in defending agile edge rushers from the tackle position.
“Heard may need a year at LSU to turn his small amount of bad weight into more muscle and strength, but once that’s attained, there’s a good chance that Heard will be competing for all-SEC nods as soon as he touches the field.” – Harris
*****
“Yhonzae Pierre will make his NFL money on passing down situations in the SEC. As far as a pure speed rusher off the edge, Pierre is a heat-seeking missile targeting quarterbacks; that first step is amazing. SEC teams will not have the luxury of running the other way or scheming against Pierre the way Alabama high school squads did when he lined up for Eufaula.
“The new five-star closed his senior campaign with 64 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 23 tackles for a loss. In San Antonio, Pierre was unstoppable in one-on-one reps against top offensive linemen. Coming to Texas ready to play helped Pierre earn that fifth Rivals’ star.” – Wright
*****
“Suntarine Perkins put his team on his back down the stretch in the Mississippi state playoffs, including in the state championship game when he rushed for 337 yards and four touchdowns while also recording an interception on defense to take the title home. Additionally, Perkins also showed out at both the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and the Under Armour All-America Game.
“Perkins’ athleticism in the second level makes him a versatile prospect that can rush the passer or drop back into coverage against SEC weapons out of the backfield. For a program that has excelled at finding transfer portal gems, Ole Miss found a high school prospect in-state early. And he has turned into one of the top players in the country who is officially a five-star.” – Harris
