Early senior season evaluations prompt 2024 On300 rankings update
On3 has updated its football prospect rankings for the 2024 cycle. This rankings release marks the fourth update this year and is driven by early senior season evaluations.
The senior season is a pivotal evaluation point in On3’s rankings process. The final prep season proves to be among the best indicators of ability as a college football player, manifested by the NFL Draft. On3 has reviewed a considerable amount of video, including an extensive number of full high school games in formulating this update. We’ve also begun tracking production with the understanding that it’s still early in the season and some prospects have played fewer games than others. Movement in this update represents an early snapshot of what we’ve seen so far this fall. The following updates will also focus heavily on the remainder of the season.
Our goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential in college football, as manifested by the NFL draft. We now have 19 prospects rated as five-stars and will finish with 32 five-stars every cycle.
Let’s get into some of the storylines surrounding this update.
Race for No. 1 overall remains open
The top four of the On300 remains unchanged with Missouri commit Williams Nwaneri holding down the top spot. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder now ranks as an EDGE prospect and has lined as an outside pass rusher for much of the season to date. Despite Nwaneri remaining as the No. 1 prospect, the race for the top spot remains wide open in our eyes. Ohio State wide receiver commit Jeremiah Smith (No. 2) is coming off an eye-popping showing against a top program and continues to look like one of the top wide receiver prospects in several cycles.
Georgia cornerback commit Ellis Robinson IV (No. 3) and Texas EDGE commit Colin Simmons (No. 4) remain within the top five. Robinson has played well early on as a senior and has continued opportunities to impress both throughout the season and on the all-star circuit. Simmons figures to play deep into December as his Duncanville (Texas) High team will look to repeat as state champions. That’s all to say, we’re likely to see the dynamic pass rusher in many more big games this fall. At quarterback, Alabama pledge Julian Sayin (No. 6) remains as On3’s top-ranked prospect at the position and is playing at a high level early into his senior year.
Five new 5-star prospects
Most notably, this update sees five prospects earn their fifth star from On3, bringing the current total to 19. This update adds two new five-star prospects, bringing the current total to 19. As noted above, we will finish every cycle with 32 five-stars.
Offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (No. 7) was an easy call to earn his fifth-star after turning in a very strong start. The 6-foot-5, 295-pounder transferred from Washington (D.C.) St. John’s to IMG Academy for his senior season and has shown to be the most technically advanced offensive tackle in the cycle to this point. Seaton’s high level of skill is readily apparent both on film and in person. He plays with advanced awareness and coordination. The inherent feel for leverage combines with strong hands that stymie pass rushers on contact. He plays with control and balance. We also like Seaton’s physicality and nasty on-field demeanor. We view the new five-star as a high-floor prospect with the ability to get on the field early in his college career.
Seaton has taken in games at Alabama and Colorado this fall. Read more about his recruitment here.
Defensive lineman LJ McCray (No. 8) is off to a torrid start to his senior season. The 6-foot-6, 280-pounder is one of the more physically-gifted defenders in the cycle. While McCray was a very good player for Daytona (Fla.) Mainland as a junior, he’s shown very encouraging improvement early on this fall and has the look of a rapidly ascending prospect. The new five-star is living in the backfield on Friday nights. The first-step quickness, active and violent hands, plus athleticism and high effort level stand out on a consistent basis. He’s pacing to be one of the more productive defenders in the cycle. The elite play paired with his considerable physical gifts makes McCray an easy call to earn a fifth star. McCray has a top five of Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Florida State and Miami and has taken in games at Florida and Miami so far this season.
South Carolina pledge Josiah Thompson (No. 9) has a case as the highest upside offensive lineman in the cycle, in large part due to his outstanding reactive quickness. The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder is a nimble, flexible athlete who moves like a much smaller player. Thompson’s lateral movement skills project well as a pass protector. The Dillon (S.C.) product has the look of a pure left tackle at the next level. As a senior, Thompson also shown improved play strength and finishing ability. He moves to the second level with ease and is playing with a physical edge.
Clemson commmit Sammy Brown (No. 17) has put together a highly impressive body of work and athletic resume that screams top prospect. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder has a phenomenal athletic profile as a multi-sport star and two-way standout on Friday nights. Brown’s speed and strength have been well known for some time. With that said, we’ve seen him show continued growth as a linebacker. Brown has shown progression in his ability to trigger and diagnose along with is comfort in coverage. Additionally, the effort level and overall athleticism continue to be sensational. Through four games, Brown is averaging 123 rushing yards and close to 11 tackles per contest.
Texas A&M commit Weston Davis (No. 18) rounds out the trio of offensive linemen to earn five-star status with On3 in this update. At 6-foot-6, 280-pounds with high-end length, Davis is one of the more high upside players at the position in the cycle. The Beaumont (Texas) United standout was a basketball-first athlete prior to picking up football midway through his high school career. Davis has shown noticeable strides as a senior. He’s a big-framed, easy mover and plays with a nasty streak. The Aggie pledge has had some eye-popping individual moments early on this season. Davis may not be as polished as some others at this stage, but looks to have a very high ceiling. He’s just scratching the surface of immense potential.
Movement within the quarterbacks
This update sees some shuffling towards the top of the quarterback group. As noted above, Alabama commit Julian Sayin (No. 6) remains as the top prospect at the position in the On300. Sayin is playing at a high level this fall. The game is moving slow for Sayin, who is completing close to 79% of his passes at 10.8 yards per attempt. He’s thrown for 13 touchdowns against zero interceptions. Sayin has also shown some added improvisational creativity and is making plays with his feet more often than he did as a junior.
Florida commit DJ Lagway is off to a hot start to his senior season and is now solidly on five-star watch, checking in at No. 20. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder is playing the best football of his career to date. He’s a very high usage playmaker for his Willis (Texas) High offense, averaging over 365 total yards and north of five touchdowns per game through four contests. The physical talent has always been readily apparent, but Lagway is showing early signs of putting it all together as a senior. The operating efficiency and overall consistency are the best we’ve seen from him to this point. That improvement, paired with the best off-script playmaking ability in the cycle is very encouraging.
Florida State pledge Luke Kromenhoek (No. 21) continues to show a translatable skill set. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is not in an offense that will see him post gaudy stats, but the high-end arm talent and well above average movement skills show up in every game. Kromenhoek has a quick release and live arm that he uses to make high-level throws over the middle of the field. We’ve seen him make some very nice individual plays in big moments already, leading his team to an undefeated start and No. 1 state ranking in its classification.
Georgia commit Dylan Raiola (No. 33) moves from the No. 2 to No. 4 quarterback in the On300 with Lagway and Kromenhoek moving up. Raiola is in his first season at powerhouse Buford High, after transferring in from Arizona. He continues to show arguably the best deep ball in the cycle. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder is most comfortable when playing from the pocket and when given time to push the ball downfield. Initially tabbed as the No. 1 prospect in the cycle by On3 as a rising junior, Raiola has had some twists and turns over the past two seasons, with multiple moves and varying levels of play. Moving forward, we’ll be watching to see how he settles in at Buford and looking for improved efficiency, sustained consistent performances and movement skills.
Much of the quarterback group saw their ratings stay static aside from the shuffling towards the top. We did however see Penn State commit Ethan Grunkemeyer (No. 137) move up within the On300 and Missouri commit Aidan Glover (No. 248) and Texas Tech pledge Will Hammond (No. 251) earn their fourth stars and also move into the On300. Grunkemeyer impressed with his mechanics and arm talent at the Elite 11 Finals and is off to a strong start as a senior, showing improved overall play. Glover is one of the higher upside athletes as the position and is having a very productive start to his season. The same can be said for Hammond, who is a steady, productive passer who is putting up big numbers early on.
Notable risers within the On300
A handful of prospects made notable jumps within the On300.
LSU tight end commit Trey’Dez Green (No. 39) moves well into the top 100. The 6-foot-5.5, 230-pounder is easily one of the most physically-gifted tight ends in the cycle and has made some astounding catches early on as a senior. Green transferred to Louisiana powerhouse Zachary in the offseason and has made clear strides after spending time in the weight room. He looks like one of the bigger mismatches in the passing game early on this fall.
Minnesota safety commit Koi Perich (No. 58) pairs an outstanding athletic profile with great film as a two-way playmaker. The Esko (Minn.) Lincoln Secondary standout is making impressive plays as a receiver and safety this season, showing impressive play speed and physicality. Also a strong track athlete and above-the-rim basketball player, Perich has a bunch of positive indicators as a prospect.
Texas A&M defensive line pledge Gabriel Reliford (No. 70) continues to move up after an outstanding start to his senior season. The 6-foot-2.5, 265-pounder plays with a ton of juice. He flies off the edge and is a true hair-on-fire effort level player. Reliford’s speed-to-power and dogged effort in pursuit pop off the film. He’s living in the backfield early on this season and could easily be in for a 15-20 sack campaign at this rate.
Ohio State wide receiver commit Jeremiah McClellan (No. 81) continues to show one of the more well-rounded skill sets at the position. McClellan is a sturdy, technical receiver with strong hands at the catch point and some of the best after-catch ability in the cycle.
Notre Dame EDGE commit Bryce Young (No. 120) is a riser in part due to continued physical growth. The son of Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Bryant Young looks much bigger as a senior and has an intriguing combination of size and athleticism relative to others at the position.
Penn State interior offensive line commit Cooper Cousins (No. 129) has put together some of the best early senior film we’ve seen from the position thus far. At 6-foot-5.5, 305 pounds, Cousins is a large center who has shown a high-end combination of balance, anchor, hand strength and second level movement skills.
19 new On300 entrants
No. 201 LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa – Notre Dame
No. 210 S Reggie Powers – Michigan State
No. 247 TE Ryner Swanson – BYU
No. 248 QB Aidan Glover – Missouri
No. 251 QB Will Hammond – Texas Tech
No. 253 Red Morgan – Alabama
No. 255 Tyanthony Smith – Texas A&M
No. 258 Dylan Williams – Oregon
No. 260 OT Jacob Ponton – Texas Tech
No. 262 EDGE Elias Williams – Missouri
No. 269 LB Brady Pretzlaff – Minnesota
No. 276 OT Marcus Mascoll – Florida
No. 277 S D’Mon Marable – Purdue
No. 279 EDGE Adam Kissayi – Clemson
No. 282 EDGE Kellen Lindstrom – Tennessee
No. 291 EDGE Amontrae Bradford
No. 293 WR Rico Scott – Alabama
No. 295 CB Daniel James – Cincinnati
No. 299 WR Jerrae Hawkins – Florida