5-star recruits in the 2026 Rivals Industry Ranking

The summer recruiting calendar has been on fire over the past two months, with more than a dozen of the nation’s 5-star recruits coming off the board since May 1.

As the month of July winds down, we’ve seen rankings updates that have changed the list of players a bit. But as their senior seasons of high school football begin over the next few weeks, 28 of the nation’s 32 five-stars in the Rivals Industry Ranking are now committed. As is the case each year, we’re not one with the fireworks when it comes to these elite prospects, but below is the list of current five-stars and where they’re committed.

About: The Rivals Industry Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services. This system is the industry’s most advanced, complete, and unbiased measurement. It equally weights the primary recruiting media services. For football, the algorithm is weighted as follows: Rivals (33%), 247Sports (33%), and ESPN (33%). 

EDGE Zion Elee — Maryland

School: St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1 NATL.

Scouting Summary: “Electric speed rusher with an elite combination of athleticism and length off the edge. Measured around 6-foot-3, 220 pounds prior to his junior season. Has truly elite length, with arms that measure 35.5 inches. Pairs the rare length with top-shelf athleticism. A standout in the combine setting who transfers the speed over to the field. Plays with an eye-popping burst, dating back to his sophomore year at Joppatowne (Md.) High. Explodes into the backfield with high-end first-step quickness. Transferred to Baltimore power St. Frances Academy for his junior season and turned in a strong campaign, racking up 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks against top competition.

…Showed game-wrecking tendencies in showcase games. Often plays as a standup pass rusher. Has blow-by speed off the edge. Play strength and ability to set the edge is solid but will need to continue improving. Rare athletic and physical traits combined with consecutive years of high-level production make him the top EDGE prospect in the 2026 cycle entering his senior season.”

ATH Lamar Brown — LSU

School: University Lab (La.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 2 NATL. (No. 1 ATH)

Scouting Summary: “The rare prospect with five-star ability on either line of scrimmage. A true jumbo athlete. Measured in at around 6-foot-4, 285 pounds before his senior season. Has a plus length with arms around 34 inches. A mega athlete in the camp setting, posting some of the best testing numbers on the national camp circuit for a lineman. Lines up at right tackle and defensive end for his high school. Elite athleticism and movement skills show up on both sides of the ball. Fires off the snap from his right tackle position. Flashes outstanding twitch in pass protection and working to the second level. Can take defensive linemen for a ride once engaged. Shows disruptive ability as a big defensive end. Has the power to hold his ground and sift through the trash to make plays in the backfield. Can close quickly on the quarterback. Touts a strong background as a thrower in track and field, winning an indoor state title in the shot put (56-2.75 feet) and an outdoor gold medal in the discus (151-6 feet) as a junior.”

OT Jackson Cantwell — Miami

School: Nixa (Mo.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 3 NATL. (No. 1 OT)

Scouting Summary: “Big-framed offensive tackle with eye-popping athleticism and functional strength as a high school underclassman. Measured at over 6-foot-7, 305 pounds prior to his sophomore season. Has solid length with 33.5-inch arms and big hands. Owns a phenomenal athletic profile as one of the top shot put throwers in the country for his age group. Posted a personal best throw of over 64 feet as a freshman. Also posted strong testing numbers in the college camp setting. Transfers those gifts over to the football field where he shows strong coordination and function strength. Moves well laterally and plays with a good anchor. Initially began his career as a tight end and has grown into an offensive tackle. Has deep athletic bloodlines with both parents being Olympic track and field athletes as throwers. Younger for the cycle with a May birthday.”

QB Dia Bell — Texas

School: American Heritage (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 4 NATL. (No. 1 QB)

Scouting Summary: “Precision passer with the arm talent, size, and athleticism to translate to college football and beyond. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with a 10-inch hand before his junior season. Mechanically clean with a smooth throwing motion that he replicates with consistency. Has polished footwork that is married to his upper body. Shows high-level arm talent, delivering well-placed passes to multiple levels of the field. A dangerous operator from the pocket. Able to evade pressure, reset his feet, and fire. Throws a pretty deep ball. Was a first-year starter as a sophomore and showed marked improvement while playing top competition as a junior.

…Flashed an added playmaking element and rushing component to his game down the stretch of his junior season. Ripped off long runs, including two 40+ yard touchdown runs against top programs. Completed 70.6% of his passes for 2,597 yards (11.4 yards per attempt) and 29 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2025. Also rushed for 561 yards and five touchdowns. Also has a basketball background. Is the son of long-time NBA veteran guard Raja Bell. The level of improvement displayed throughout his junior season should be taken as an encouraging sign of his long-term upside.”

QB Jared Curtis — Georgia

School: Nashville Christian (Tenn.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 5 NATL. (No. 2 QB)

Scouting Summary: “Elite arm talent with creative playmaking ability. Has a big frame, measuring in at around 6-foot-3.5, 225 pounds with a 9.5-inch hand prior to his junior season. Looks like the top arm talent in the 2026 cycle. Ball explodes off his hand. Generates considerable velocity on throws to all areas of the field. Has a loose, natural throwing motion. Capable of delivering impressive passes from several arm angles. A pure rotational athlete who does not need his feet set to throw accurate passes. Plays with a gunslinging mentality and is not afraid to drive the football into tight windows over the middle of the field. A fluid athlete who is tough to corral in the backfield. Dangerous playmaker and improviser.

…Had some unbelievable second-reaction plays as a junior, evading pass rushers and uncorking throws 50+ yards downfield. Made impressive strides with his accuracy and decision-making as a junior. Completed over 70% of his passes for 2,830 yards (11.1 yards per attempt) for 40 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while leading his team to a state title. Also rushed for 637 yards and 18 scores. Does not play top competition and is older for the cycle. Will need to continue improving his consistency, but the pure arm talent and playmaking ability give him one of the highest upsides in the 2026 cycle.”

OT Immanuel Iheanacho — Oregon

School: Georgetown Prep (Md.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 6 NATL. (No. 2 OT)

Scouting Summary: “Mountain of an offensive tackle prospect with light-footed movement skills. Has truly rare dimensions for a young offensive tackle. Checked in at nearly 6-foot-7, 350 pounds with startlingly 36-inch long arms and big hands. Shows good flexibility and functional movement skills at his immense size. Owns one of the more powerful punches we’ve seen among offensive tackle prospects in the past few cycles. Absolutely stones defensive linemen at the point of attack. Length, hand strength, and girth create a nearly unmovable anchor. Played on the defensive line early in his high school career, showing off some nice athleticism. Also has a basketball background. Turned in a strong showing at the Under Armour All-America Game before his senior season. Will need to continue improving his overall consistency in the high school football setting, but has considerable upside given his physical gifts.”

WR Tristen Keys — LSU

School: Hattiesburg (Miss.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 7 NATL. (No. 1 WR)

Scouting Summary: “Contested catch maven who looks like the top wide receiver prospect early in the 2026 cycle. Has good size, measuring at ver 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with good length as a junior. Turned in a strong junior campaign, catching 58 passes for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading his team to a deep playoff run. Excels in contested catch situations, elevating to come down with acrobatic grabs. Hangs in the air and is able to contort his body into favorable positions. Displays a huge catch radius, high-pointing the football and coming down with one-handed grabs. High-level ball tracker with the ability to locate and corral the ball over his shoulder.

…Shows some route-running nuance. Has some shake off the line of scrimmage and is able to stack corners with his releases. Runs hard after the catch. Able to attack all areas of the field with his well-rounded skill set. Made some huge plays in big contests as a junior. Also a star on the 7-on-7 circuit before his junior season. Good marks in track and field in the high jump (6-0 feet) and triple jump (43-2 feet). Also plays basketball. Can continue improving his top-end speed.”

8. RB Savion Hiter

School: Louisa County (Mineral, VA)

Scouting Summary: “Gifted runner with an advanced blend of athleticism, fluidity, and instincts as a high school underclassman. Physically developed, measuring in at over 5-foot-11 and around 200 pounds prior to his senior season. Registers as a strong athlete, running an 11.11 second mark in the 100-meters as a freshman. Also jumped close to 45 feet in the triple jump – an outstanding mark. Turned multiple dominant seasons as a high school underclassman, including a 1,698-yard, 26-touchdown junior campaign that saw him run for 10.8 yards per carry. Looks to be a natural runner. An extremely fluid and smooth mover who changes directions effortlessly. Shows excellent acceleration. Cuts on a dime and makes defenders miss in space. Runs with pace and instincts. A strong tackle-breaker who runs through contact due to a strong leg drive. A phenomenal high school football player who also makes big plays on defense. Has the potential and upside to be one of the best running back prospects in several cycles.”

LB Tyler Atkinson — Texas

School: Grayson (Ga.)

Atkinson on Texas: “My OV to Texas was eye-opening … This could be my last visit before I make the right choice, and I really feel it was a great decision to visit there. This was my fourth visit with the Longhorns outside of pretty much living in Austin the past month for training. I have made some great connections there for sure … Coach Sark and the entire staff made me feel like a priority and that I could be a key piece to the defense … I feel really good about Texas, and they are one of my top schools to consider.”

CB Brandon Arrington — Texas A&M 

School: Mount Miguel (Calif.)

Coach’s Take: “Brandon is one of one. A lot of guys are fast. A lot of guys are tall and have length. It is rare to have a guy like Brandon, who can do it all. What really makes him different is how competitive is. Brandon hates to lose. He can go out there and shut down any receiver one-on-one in the country because of his talent and that drive. The little things really separate him. Brandon is Olympic fast, and he is a track star too, so once he focuses fully on football, it will be scary. Brandon has never played football full time, so once he does and continues to develop, he has a chance to go down as the best to come out of San Diego and go in the first round of the NFL Draft.” — Mount Miguel head coach Verlain Betofe 

11. QB Faizon Brandon — Tennessee

School: Grimsley (N.C.)

Scout’s Take: “Arguably the best performance at the Night at Neyland camp. His frame and build at his age for the position is exactly how you would draw it up. Strong, dense build with great weight distribution throughout his frame and still moves around comfortably with twitch. Top-tier arm talent who throws with excellent zip. Ball jumps out of his hand and has tremendous velocity. Gets the ball up and out quickly. Has the ability to adjust arm angle and throw off-platform comfortably. Layers the football well and can make throws at every level of the field. Put on a performance that was truly impressive.”

12. OT Felix Ojo — Texas Tech

School: Lake Ridge (Texas)

Scouting Summary: “Developmental offensive tackle with the frame, length, and physicality to develop into a top prospect at the position. Measured in at around 6-foot-6, 275 pounds with plus length before his senior season. Has a lean, long frame and should be able to add considerable mass once in a college strength program. Pairs his long arms with outstanding hand strength to stun defenders on contact. Punch is palpable, both on film and in the camp setting. Latches onto defensive linemen and manipulates them to his will. Plays with a nasty edge, working to finish blocks. Flashes dominance as a run blocker. Play strength, length, and solid athleticism point to upside in pass protection.

…Showed considerable growth in his game from his sophomore to junior seasons. Will need to improve his lower body flexibility as he can play high and displays some hip stiffness. The youngest top offensive tackle prospect in the cycle, turning 18 years old in July prior to his freshman season of college football. Rapid rate of improvement and notable strengths give him one of the higher upsides among 2026 offensive tackles.”

13. EDGE Rodney Dunham — Notre Dame

School: Myers Park (N.C.)

Scouting Summary: “Athletic pass rusher with the skill set and functional movement skills that point to a high upside. Measured at around 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with good length as a junior. Lines up on the edge for his high school team, rushing the passer out of two and three-point stances. Limber athlete who has very smooth movements. Displays outstanding get-off, bursting off the snap. Has excellent curvilinear movement skills, showing the ability to accelerate while rounding the edge. Dips his shoulder to shirk contact with offensive tackles.

…Closes quickly on ball carriers once in the backfield. Play speed is evident as he stalks down ball carriers from behind. Shows burgeoning power at the point of attack, shedding offensive linemen once engaged. Will need to continue developing from a physical and technical standpoint. Could stand to improve his production. A younger prospect for the cycle, turning 18 years old in July before his freshman season of college football.”

14. S Jett Washington — Oregon

School: Bishop Gorman (Nev.)

Insider’s Take: “Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman standout Jett Washington altered the way quarterbacks attacked Lo-Pro with his length and range. Washington was in passing lanes and got his hands on a couple football as well including a pick on a hail mary heave to end the morning session. He had two picks erased by penalty elsewhere on the field. — On3’s Steve Wiltfong on Washington at Overtime’s OT7

15. TE Mark Bowman — USC 

School: Mater Dei (Calif.)

Scout’s Take: “Bowman could be the best route-running tight end prospect we’ve seen come through the high school ranks in recent years. His change of direction is as good as you’ll see from a young tight end prospect. He joins Oregon commit Kendre Harrison and Ian Premer in comprising a very strong top group at the position for this early in the cycle.”

16. S Jireh Edwards — Alabama

School: St. Frances Academy (Upper Marlboro, MD)

Notable Quote: “The guys, Coach DeBoer, he’s a real winning coach,” Edwards said of why he committed to the Tide. “He wants to win badly. I feel me and him will match perfect. The way they brought my family in with open arms. They love my family. I feel that’s perfect. They did stuff other schools didn’t do. They welcomed me with warm hugs and all that other stuff.”

17. TE Kendre Harrison — Oregon

School: Reidsville (N.C.)

Scout’s Take: “Freakish two-sport athlete who is one of the most physically imposing prospects in the nation, regardless of class. A true ‘first off the bus’ type. Listed at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds. Plays both tight end and defensive end for his high school team. Moves like a much smaller player. Runs well and shows the ability to separate from linebackers. Has considerable mismatch ability as a pass catcher. Does not lumber unlike many players of his size. Also flashes intriguing upside as a pass rusher on defense. Doubles as a national basketball prospect with high major offers. Averaged over 21 points and 15 rebounds per game as a high school freshman on the hardwood. Has genuine positional ambiguity at this stage in his evaluation, but owns one of the higher physical upsides in the 2026 cycle early on.”

18. QB Keisean Henderson — Houston

School: Houston Legacy SSS (Texas)

Scout’s Take: “Henderson is one of the top athletes in the country regardless of position. With everything we had seen going into the Navy All-American Bowl, we knew that his dynamic ability as a runner and deep ball were quite impressive as a quarterback prospect. However, we felt the junior film left us questioning his consistency and accuracy as a touch passer in the deep/intermediate levels of the field. We knew he had the fastball, but could he throw the slider or the changeup? As we have seen in his ability as a passer throughout his high school journey, we were able to see steady improvement each day of practice, culminating with an On3 MVP performance by the end of Navy All-American Bowl week. Henderson displayed whippy arm action to get the ball out effectively from multiple arm slots. He also showed the fastball during the routes-on-air and 7-on-7 periods in practice.”

19. EDGE Richard Wesley — Texas

School: Sierra Canyon (Calif.)

Scout’s Take: “Wesley is the top pass rusher on the West Coast this cycle. Was the No. 1 edge prospect in the 2027 cycle before reclassifying. He reclassified into a really, really strong EDGE group nationally in 2026. Richard Wesley, I think for starters he is really well built. For a 16-year old, very advanced physically. Muscled up, filled out build. He has been a really good player at Sierra Canyon to this point. Had a very productive season last fall: 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks and I think considering that was really technically his sophomore season, second varsity season, I think that’s encouraging and looking for him to take step this year.”

20. WR Chris Henry Jr. — Ohio State

School: Mater Dei (Calif.)

Scouting Summary: “Big receiver with a rare combination of size, athleticism and coordination as a young prospect. Measured in at over 6-foot-4.5 and around 185 pounds prior to his sophomore season. Tests as a strong athlete, posting an electronically-timed 4.65 second 40 yard dash at Under Armour’s Ohio Camp. Flashes outstanding functional movement skills at his size, with the ability to sink his hips and change direction with ease. Projects as a high level route runner as he continues to progress. Not overly long for his height, but flashes good ball skills and catch radius. Has strong pedigree as the son of the late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry. Projects as one of the top receivers early on in the 2026 cycle.”

21. S Bralan Womack

School: Hartfield Academy (Brandon, MS)

Latest on his recruitment: “I like where Ohio State is at with Rivals’ No. 1 safety Bralan Womack but Florida has come strong and Auburn rose the ranks with their terrific summer official visit. Texas A&M rounds out the top four.” — Steve Wiltfong, Rivals Vice President of Recruiting

22. EDGE Anthony Jones

School: St. Paul’s Episcopal (Mobile, AL)

About: After starting his high school career split between receiver and linebacker, Jones has grown into one of the nation’s most feared pass-rushers at the high school level. As a junior, he notched 75 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 20 quarterback hurries and a pair of forced fumbles. 

23. LB Xavier Griffin — Alabama

School: Gainesville (Ga.)

Griffin on his decision: “What stood out to me about Alabama was the brotherhood that the players and the recruits have,” he told Rivals. “It was unmatched for me. I felt like I was already part of the team when I was there. I didn’t feel like I was on a recruiting visit. The recruits, the ones that were already committed and already there, made us feel at home. There were some people I didn’t know when I went there and I left feeling like I had known them for a while.” 

24. WR Cederian Morgan — Alabama

School: Benjamin Russell (Ala.)

Notable Quote: “It was easy at first. I grew up an Alabama fan, it was my dream school and I knew I wanted to go there, so I thought it would be easy. In the beginning, it was cool and fun. Then I started looking at Florida, and they gave me a lot to think about. The visits there, their offense and Florida was the school that gave Alabama some competition and made the decision tougher. On my official visit to Alabama, I knew for sure that I was going to Alabama. When I was on the official visit, I told coach DeBoer, coach Shep (JaMarcus Shephard) and the staff that I was committing.” — Morgan to Rivals’ Chad Simmons

25. OT Keenyi Pepe — USC

School: IMG Academy (Fla.)

About: Pepe saw playing time as a freshman on a loaded IMG squad in 2022, and was named to All-American teams both of his first two years on a really deep offensive line. This fall, he took over as the team’s starting left tackle and helped anchor one of the country’s best lines. In May, he committed to the Trojans over Miami, Oregon, and a host of other programs.

26. TE Kaiden Prothro — Georgia

School: Bowdon (Ga.)

Notable Quote: “Nobody else is like Georgia for me,” Prothro told Rivals. “I have been there a lot, they have a lot there to help me improve and Georgia was just different for me from the other schools on my list … There are a lot of things I love about Georgia. How the program is run really stands out. What coach (Todd) Hartley does in the tight end room is big for me. Being able to go against first-round draft picks every day at practice and how they compete fits me too. Georgia just has what I am looking for.”

27. CB Chauncey Kennon — Florida State

School: Booker (Fla.)

Notable Quote: “It’s a dream school. I always wanted to be at Florida State,” Kennon told Warchant ahead of his June OV to Tallahassee. “As y’all know, my sister goes to Florida State, my family grew up liking Florida State, so it’s just always been a dream school.”

28. WR Calvin Russell — Syracuse

School: Northwestern (Fla.)

Russell on his decision: “I’m not going to lie, I made [my decision] a couple of days ago. Michigan came close, but Coach Fran, the individual he is, how he was raised, I feel it. How he carries himself, the men I was raised around are similar to him, that’s why I want to be there.”

29. CB Jorden Edmonds — Alabama

School: Sprayberry (Ga.)

Scout’s Take: “Edmonds turned in a stellar showing at Under Armour Atlanta. The corner and defensive back groups were the deepest on hand and Edmonds was the clear top performer of the bunch. The 6-foot-2.5, 175-pounder flashed outstanding fluidity throughout the workout. He made easy work of position drills and was great during the 1-on-1 period. Edmonds took a bunch of 1-on-1 reps and gave up very little through the air. He got things going with a pass breakup against On300 wide receiver Nalin Scott. Edmonds had no issue sticking with shifty wide receivers in the slot, effortlessly flipping his hips while moving at high speeds. He later came down with an interception while defending a wheel route, doing a great job of turning to locate the football. Edmonds’ combination of size, elite length, fluidity, and ball skills made him an easy choice for the On3 MVP.”

30. EDGE Carter Meadows — Michigan

School: Gonzaga (D.C.)

Scout’s Take: “Rangy EDGE prospect with a rare combination of frame and movement skills. One of the most physically impressive prospects in the 2026 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-6, 225 pounds as a junior. Has vines for arms that measure around 35 inches to go with large hands. Could easily be a 280-pounder before it’s all said and done. Pairs the great frame with impressive functional athleticism A fluid, flexible athlete who has excellent bend. Has the natural tools to develop into a dangerous pass rusher down the line. Length pairs with good play strength to result in an effective edge setter. Also shows his athleticism in tracking down plays in pursuit. Doubles as a good high school basketball player while playing top competition on the hardwood. Will need to continue progressing as a pass rusher while upping his production. Pure physical upside is among the highest in the 2026 cycle.”

31. OL Darius Gray

School: St. Christopher’s School (Richmond, VA)
Latest on his recruitment: “Rivals’ No. 1 interior OL is down to five finalists and our eye is on Tennessee, LSU and South Carolina with the blue-chipper from Virginia. The Gamecocks have been trending at the top with Gray for long stretches of this recruitment, but there has been sky-high confidence in Baton Rouge about the Tigers’ chances in this one. Brad Davis is a bona fide Recruiter of the Year candidate who could lock down the honor by landing Gray’s commitment.” — Sam Spiegelman, Rivals National Analyst

32. QB Ryder Lyons — BYU 

School: Folsom (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 32 NATL. (No. 5 QB)

Coach’s Take: “I just think he’s a phenomenal athlete. You take a look at a kid who, he has a basketball background. It’s not that he’s a superstar in the basketball court or anything, but you do see a guy that’s very athletic. So he’s able to just create. He’s one that, yes, he could use his legs to end up, having a 50 yard run out there, but he’s also going to do a real good job using his legs just to create space and buy just a little bit more time to end up making a big play down field. That’s something that is pretty common that you’d see on him. If there was a Heisman Trophy that would go out to high school football, you would imagine that Ryder would definitely be in the mix for that just with his style of play. He’s just a big-time play maker, and it comes very natural to him too. So that’s that’s the awesome part.” — Quarterback trainer Danny Hernandez