Rivals300: Counting down the 5-star recruits in the updated rankings

High school football is underway across the country, and the latest Rivals300 rankings for the 2026 class have been updated following nearly a month of games, scrimmages and jamborees.

The latest release includes dozens of players moving in and out of the top-300 nationally, including four prospects earning their coveted fifth star. Rivals’ rankings now include 16 five-stars and will ultimately end the cycle in January with 32 to match the first round of the NFL Draft.

Ahead of the full update dropping later today, we’re counting down each of the five-stars in the Rivals300:

1) OT Jackson Cantwell – Miami

School: Nixa (Mo.)
Scout’s Take: “Jackson Cantwell is a big-framed offensive tackle with eye-popping athleticism and functional strength as a high school underclassman. Measured at over 6-foot-7, 205 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.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

2. QB Jared Curtis – Georgia

School: Nashville Christian (Tenn.)
Scout’s Take: “At 6-foot-3.5, 225 pounds, Curtis pairs a big frame with an elite arm and plus movement skills. He improved his accuracy and efficiency as a junior, and no quarterback in the 2026 cycle makes more impressive individual plays on a weekly basis than Jared Curtis. He has a quick, elastic arm and regularly hits small window throws over the middle of the field. The arm talent allows for Curtis to access and attack all areas of the field. The improvisational skills also stand out.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

3. EDGE Carter Meadows – Michigan

School: Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga
Scout’s Take: “Checking in at over 6-foot-6, around 225 pounds, and arms that measure over 35 inches, Meadows is on the short list of the most physically-impressive prospects in the 2026 cycle. The Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga pass rusher pairs his monster frame with elite functional movement skills. The ability to bend as a young prospect of his size is rare. Meadows is highly loose and fluid. He makes impressive plays while tracking down plays in pursuit and shows strong hands while working as an edge setter. A developmental prospect, we currently view Meadows’ physical upside as one of the highest in the cycle.“ — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

4. OT Kelvin Obot – Utah

School: Fruitland (Idaho)
Scout’s Take: “We’ve loved the Idaho native’s junior film since last October. Obot shows outstanding functional athleticism and is a dominant player against weaker competition. Since February, we’ve nailed down verified measurements and Obot is bigger than expected, checking in at north of 6-foot-5.5 and 300 pounds with plus length. We feel like the great film, stellar movement skills, projectable frame, and multi-sport background (53-1 foot shot put throw this spring) give him one of the higher upsides at offensive tackle in the cycle.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

5. ATH Lamar Brown – LSU

School: Erwinville (La.) University Lab
Scout’s Take: “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. He 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. Enters his senior season more proven as an offensive lineman than defense on Friday nights. Would be the top interior offensive line prospect in the 2026 cycle if he wanted. Should be considered a high-upside, developmental defensive line prospect who will need to make strides in his overall technique as he gains more experience on that side of the ball.” — Cody Bellaire, Rivals National Scout

6. EDGE Luke Wafle – USC

School: Middletown (N.J.) Hun School
Scout’s Take: “Luke Wafle pairs ready-made size at over 6-foot-5, around 245 pounds, with excellent on-field play. He is very well-rounded as a pass-rusher. He wins with athleticism and also has excellent play-strength. You see him win with speed to power, blow by offensive linemen on the edge and he is a highly-physical finisher in the backfield, has some emphatic finishes and the ability to corral ball-carriers. A high-end multi-sport athlete, excellent basketball player and strong thrower in track and field. We view Wafle as one of the more ready-made prospects in this cycle and one who could make an early impact in college, given the ability and polish he’s shown to this point as a prospect.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

7. EDGE Zion Elee – Maryland

School: Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy
Scout’s Take: “Zion Elee owns freakish physical and athletic tools at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds with 35.5-inch arms and elite combine and on-field athleticism. Elee had a highly productive sophomore season at Joppatowne (Md.) High. He’s continued to up his game since transferring to talent powerhouse Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy for his junior season. His first-step quickness, scary length and closing speed jump off the film. St. Frances played a national schedule and Elee had stretches of top matchups where he’s looked like the clear top prospect on the field – as a junior. There’s a way to go in the cycle and Elee has plenty of competition for the top spot. To this point his combination of physical traits and on-field play at the premium EDGE position put him in pole position.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

8) RB Savion Hiter – Michigan

School: Mineral (Va.) Louisa County
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.”

9. QB Dia Bell – Texas

School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage
Scout’s Take: “From an arm talent perspective, Texas commit Dia Bell is as good as anyone in the 2026 cycle. He’s the definition of a natural thrower. His ability to manipulate the football and throw consistently catchable footballs from multiple arm angles is a treat to watch. He can dice up defenses on Friday evenings and makes special throws. He’s someone that has tons of upside especially as he develops and fills out his frame down the line.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

10. EDGE Rodney Dunham – Notre Dame

School: Charlotte (N.C.) Myers Park
Scout’s Take: “Rodney Dunham has the look of a natural pass rusher. At around 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with plus length, he has a developmental frame along with excellent get-off and bend around the edge. Dunham is a coordinated athlete and shows encouraging flashes of pass rush skill. He makes impressive plays in pursuit. Dunham doesn’t turn 17 years-old until July, so he is younger for the cycle and has room to continue developing from a size and strength perspective.” — Cody Bellaire, Rivals National Scout

11. OT Grayson McKeogh – Notre Dame

School: Glenside (Pa.) La Salle College
Scout’s Take: Grayson McKeogh is another prospect who had a serious jump in the rankings in our previous update. The 6-foot-7, 280-pounder appears to be such an easy mover in space at his new weight and still has the foot speed to dominate on an island. He continues to add polish to his game in pass protection and looks more and more comfortable with every game he plays. He needs to continue to get stronger as he physically develops, but that should come with time and entering a collegiate strength and conditioning program. If he can add more pop in his pads combined with his technical advancement, he is going to be a menace at the next level.” — Cody Bellaire, Rivals National Scout

12. WR Jase Mathews – Auburn

School: Leakesville (Miss.) Greene County
Scout’s Take: “Jase Mathews is the first wide receiver to earn a fifth star for Rivals in this cycle, and we feel like he has a strong case as the most skilled receiver in 2026, at least from what we’ve seen so far. He’s got good size, high end ball skills, and is dangerous with the ball in his hand. He just has a well-rounded skill set and has made some impressive plays early on in his senior year. I think the receiver group is still very much unsettled, but we felt good enough about what we’d seen from him to earn the fifth star.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

13. EDGE Richard Wesley – Texas

School: Los Angeles (Calif.) Sierra Canyon
Scout’s Take: “Richard 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. 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 a step this year.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

14. DL Khary Wilder – Ohio State

School: Junipero Serra (Gardena, CA)
Scout’s Take: “Khary Wilder appeared primed for a big senior season based on what we saw from him at Rivals Five-Star over the summer, and that’s certainly the case through four games. Wilder has been very productive. I think he’s certainly playing the best football we’ve seen from him to this point in his career. He is a really versatile defensive lineman. He lines up all over the line. He’s physical, plays with great strength and really punches above his weight from a strength perspective. He has first step quickness and is a very physical finisher who plays with a ton of effort and a guy who we’ve seen live in the backfield and can create a lot of disruption early on in his senior year. He’s much more productive to this point in his senior year than he’s been at any point as well. He’s playing at a really high level, and we kind of came out of this ranking feeling like he’s pacing to be one of the top defensive linemen in the cycle.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

15. OT Immanuel Iheanacho – Oregon

School: Baltimore (Md.) Georgetown Prep
Scout’s Take: “Mountain of an offensive tackle prospect. 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 prior to his junior season. 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. Gained nearly 40 pounds as a junior, weighing in at over 380 pounds on official visits. Will need to trim down and maintain his movement skills. Must also continue improving his overall consistency in the high school football setting, but has considerable upside given his physical gifts.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

16. DL James Johnson – Texas

School: Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
Scout’s Take: “Well-rounded prospect with many positive indicators that make him the early favorite for the top defensive lineman in the 2026 cycle. Has a compact build at over 6-foot-2 and around 285 pounds. Owns compensatory length with arms that measure around 33.5 inches. Lives in the backfield on Friday nights. Uses first-step quickness to gain an early advantage on offensive linemen. Shows excellent power at the point of attack, uprooting offensive linemen and disengaging to find the football. Has the skill set to develop into a dangerous interior pass rusher. An elite finisher in the backfield. One of the most productive defensive linemen in the cycle on a per-game basis, racking up 29 tackles for loss in nine contests as a junior. Posted an elite 60-4.5 shot put mark as a junior. Does not have the most imposing frame, but one that is in line with many recent top draft picks at the position. Younger for the cycle, turning 17 years old in June before his senior season.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings