Breaking down the initial Rivals 2028 Top 100

Monday marks Rivals’ first rankings release for football prospects in the 2028 cycle with the initial Top 100. The ranking comprises prospects entering their sophomore seasons. It will be expanded to the Rivals300 next spring and updated on a regular schedule throughout the remainder of the cycle.

The 100 prospects that compose the watch list have an early four-star rating. The majority have a grade of 90 (the lowest four-star grade), with one prospect holding a grade of 91.

With that said, it is extremely early in the 2028 cycle. This ranking is very much a projection and will certainly change drastically over the next two to three years. Prospects emerge and develop at different rates.

Many of the prospects who will end up as the best in the cycle have yet to emerge on the national radar. This is particularly the case with positions that involve physical and skill development, like offensive line and quarterback, among others. In assembling this ranking, we looked to emphasize contributions on the varsity level, with the understanding that some physically gifted prospects may play at top high school programs where it’s harder to get on the field as a freshman. This is an extremely early snapshot of the 2028 cycle, as there are three full seasons of high school football remaining for this group.

Let’s get into some storylines surrounding this initial rankings release.

Brysen Wright headlines a talented group of athletes

Brysen Wright debuts as the No. 1 overall prospect in the initial Rivals 2028 Top 100 and is the lone 2028 prospect to hold a 91 rating. The big wide receiver out of Jacksonville Mandarin sets the pace as the most advanced prospect in the 2028 cycle at this early stage. At 6-foot-3.5, 210 pounds, Wright would not look out of place on a college football field as a fifteen-year-old. Wright was the most dominant pass-catcher we saw on the 7-on-7 circuit this spring and summer, consistently turning in outstanding performances against upperclass competition. He shows early signs of possessing transcendent ball skills, with the ability to make incredible in-air adjustments, contorting his body to come down with difficult grabs. Wright possesses extremely strong hands and consistently dunks on defenders in jump ball situations. He also looked to take a positive step with his speed and route-running, showing more separation in the off-season than we saw on his freshman film. That’s not to say Wright didn’t have a very good freshman year, too. He was the leading wide receiver on a team that included Rivals Industry Top 100 prospect and current Texas wideout Jaime Ffrench.

It’s very early, and this ranking comes with the massive caveat that Brysen Wright will have stiff competition for the No. 1 spot as time passes. He will also need to show continued improvement over the next three years. Jeremiah Smith, the last wide receiver to finish as the No. 1 overall prospect, showed massive growth over his high school years and looked like a generational prospect at the position.

Several talented athletes among the skill positions and defensive backs follow Wright inside the top 20 of the initial 2028 Rivals Top 100.

Athlete Gaige Weddle (No. 3) is one of the best overall football players of the group at this early stage. The younger son of former All-Pro safety Eric Weddle is a two-way star at San Diego Rancho Bernardo. Weddle lines up at quarterback and safety and shows outstanding two-way playmaking ability. He is a rangy defender with ball skills and highly advanced tackling ability. On offense, he rushed for 635 yards and nine touchdowns, while throwing for 12 more scores through the air. Listed at around 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Weddle looks to have a projectable frame and could grow into a top defender with positional versatility.

A’Mir Sears (No. 4) checks in as the top cornerback early on in the Rivals 2028 Top 100. At over 6-foot-1, Sears pairs excellent stature with polished cover skills. We’ve come away impressed with his natural cover ability, as he’s shown a knack for staying in-phase with receivers. Sears turned in a productive freshman season, picking off four passes while also making several plays behind the line of scrimmage.

Safety Giovanni Tuggle (No. 11), wide receiver Deandre Bidden (No. 12), and running backs Zaiden Jernigan (No. 13) and Sean Simon (No. 15) are notable athletes outside of the top ten. Tuggle has great freshman film and is a ballhawk, picking off six passes as a freshman. Bidden is a speedy playmaker. Jernigan and Simon went for 1,386 yards and 1,602 yards, respectively, and flash excellent burst and contact balance.

An early look at the top 2028 QBs, led by Champ Monds

Several high-upside prospects lead a very promising group of quarterbacks early on in the 2028 cycle.

Champ Monds (No. 2) leads the quarterback group at this early stage. At 6-foot-2.5, 220 pounds with massive 10.5-inch hands, Monds is the most physically advanced prospect of the group and turned in the best freshman season, in our opinion. Monds has a live arm and made several high-level throws as a freshman at Vero Beach (Fla.) High, while passing for 2,234 yards and 23 touchdowns against five interceptions. He’s a true dual threat with very good combine speed that translates to Friday nights. Monds is already a load to tackle and rushed for 502 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. Despite being the most physically developed 2028 quarterback, Monds is also one of the youngest and few who were not held back. He should be considered a major contender for the No. 1 overall spot with continued growth as a sophomore.

Christopher Vargas (No. 20) is the No. 2 quarterback in this initial 2028 ranking. The 6-foot-4, 175-pounder from Danvers (Mass.) Saint John’s Prep shows one of the stronger arms we saw on freshman film from the group. Vargas is a tall, loose athlete who shows the ability to drive the ball downfield at an advanced level for a freshman.

Jayden Wade (No. 22) may be the most physically gifted signal caller early on in the 2028 cycle. The 6-foot-3.5, 183-pounder is a strong-armed passer who is an elite athlete, ripping off impressive times in the combine setting. Wade worked as a backup at IMG Academy last fall and has just a few dozen pass attempts at the varsity level under his belt, despite being a full year older than most of his peers. His high ranking is a projection based on the immense physical ability we’ve seen in flashes in his limited reps and camp showings. We should have a much better feel for where he stacks up among the group after his first year starting at the national powerhouse.

Donald Tabron II (No. 29) is one of the more battle-tested prospects of the group, leading his Detroit Cass Tech team to a state title as a freshman. With that said, Tabron has plenty of developmental upside with a big frame 6-foot-3.5, 180-pounder with plus athleticism.

Neimann Lawrence (No. 38) is one of the more polished passers, flashing a clean throwing motion. The 6-foot, 190-pounder is particularly effective working in the intermediate area of the field and showed the ability to make throws into small windows as a freshman. He’ll see an uptick in competition after transferring to Miami Northwestern.

Intriguing group of big defenders in the Rivals 2028 Top 100

Several big defenders round out the top prospects in the initial Rivals 2028 Top 100.

Marcus Fakatou (No. 5) is a behemoth defensive lineman with eye-catching movement skills and power. At 6-foot-7.5, 265 pounds Fakatou plays as a big defensive end for Orange (Calif.) Orange Lutheran. He flashes encouraging first-step quickness and has the power to forklift offensive linemen into the backfield. Fakatou had a productive freshman season, notching 10 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Jalanie George (No. 6) is another big defensive end who made high-level plays on film as a freshman. George showed advanced play speed, tracking down ball carriers in backside pursuit. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, his combination of size and burst off the edge sticks out. George had a strong freshman season with 11 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Kellan Hall (No. 7) is a two-way lineman at the high school level who projects as a high upside talent along the defensive front. At around 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Hall is a top athlete who impressed us at Under Armour’s Nashville camp in the spring. He was hyper productive as a freshman, tallying 21 tackles for loss. He’s also one of the youngest top prospects in the cycle, turning 15 years old in June.

Deshawn Simmons (No. 8) is a big, disruptive linebacker who could ultimately grow into an EDGE in time. Simmons was a standout on the camp circuit, measuring at around 6-foot-3, 215 pounds while posting excellent combine numbers. He backs that up with strong freshman film.

EDGE Asher Ghioto (No. 9) is an elite athlete who makes a bunch of plays behind the line of scrimmage on Friday nights. The Jacksonville Bolles product checks in at around 6-foot-4, 235 pounds and wins with high-level burst and effort level. Ghioto stalks down ball carriers from sideline to sideline and could make a jump as a sophomore with continued improvements to his pass rush repertoire.

Kameron McGee (No. 10) is another jumbo athlete to know early on in the 2028 cycle. McGee stars on both sides of the ball, lining up as a wide receiver and pass rusher. We like his upside the most off the edge early on. Regardless, he is a top athlete who makes big-time plays on both sides.