The latest Top247 for college football's 2025 recruiting class is here, headlined by a Sweet 16 of initial 5-stars.
Andrew Ivins
Spring is a good thing. After giving the Top247 for the class of 2025 an extensive makeover back in late November, the scouting department at 247Sports has once again updated its rankings.
This time, the tweaks come in advance of the spring evaluation period.
While our new-look Top247 might not include a ton of widespread changes, it does feature 10 new five-star prospects and nearly two dozen newcomers.
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Fueling the moves has been the first half of the offseason camp and combine circuit as well as the tail end of the all-important junior seasons.
THE SWEET16: OUR INITIAL 5-STARS
Last cycle, 247Sports rolled out its earliest 32-player five-star field ever. After some self-scouting, we have elected to wait a little bit longer to name 32 five-stars as we want to collect as many data points as possible. But that doesn't mean that we aren't still getting aggressive with the rankings. Below is our first wave of five-stars.
1.Bryce Underwood,QB,LSU commit:Underwood rose to No. 1 in the Top247 last update and earned a 99 grade. Our thoughts haven't changed on the signal-caller. Underwood has posted a 40-2 record the past three years at Belleville (Mich.) and thrown 120 touchdown passes while running for 21 more scores. He's young for the class and has continued to improve his mechanics. Underwood's blend of size, arm talent and athleticism reminds us at times of a youngDeshaun Watson.
2.David Sanders Jr.,OT:Sanders, who also holds a 99 grade, played his entire junior season with a torn labrum in his shoulder and was still named Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina. Yes, he remains on the learner side, but he's got the traits to be a franchise left tackle with his reach and reactionary skills. Sanders also rushed the passer this past fall at Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day and was credited with 32 quarterback hurries to go along with four sacks.
3.Devin Sanchez,CB,Ohio State commit:Sanchez is a skilled cover corner with the size and speed to match wide receivers of all different flavors. He totaled 11 pass breakups and five interceptions as a junior for a Houston North Shore squad that played for a Texas Class 6A Division I state title. Sanchez not only tracks the football well, but is advanced with his footwork and can maintain phase like few others out on the perimeter.
4.Dakorien Moore,WR,LSU commit:It has been an impressive two months for Moore. After being tabbed astheAlpha Dog of a loaded Battle Miami event, he opened up his track and field season with a 10.65-second effort in the 100-meter dash and a 23-foot-1 1/4 long jump. Moore was simply a chunk-play machine as a junior for a Duncanville (Texas) program that won a Texas Class 6A Division I championship, racking up 1,303 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
5.Na'eem Offord,CB,Ohio State commit:Another height/weight/speed cornerback, Offord did it all as an 11th-grader for a Birmingham (Ala.) Parker program that made a run to the state's 6A semifinals, making an impact in the secondary and as a run-first quarterback. Offord is comfortable — and effective — in bump-and-run coverage and physical enough to carve out a role on the boundary side of the field.
6.Tavien St. Clair,QB,Ohio State commit:St. Clair continues to charge up our board. If you compare the final game of his sophom*ore season to the final game of his junior season, he looks like a completely different quarterback as he shows much more command. We remain bullish on St. Clair's imposing build and methodical approach. He set school passing records at Bellefontaine (Ohio) with 3,083 yards and 37 touchdowns.
7. Elijah Griffin, DL:Griffin is a quick-twitched interior defensive lineman that can work out of a variety of different alignments. He's already believed to be hovering around 285 pounds, but appears to still have plenty of growth potential with his large features (81-inch wingspan, 10-inch hands). Griffin was voted Georgia's AAA Defensive Lineman of the Year after helping Savannah (Ga.) Christian Prep reach the state finals.
8. DJ Pickett, CB:Pickett represents an extremely rare body type in the 2025 cycle. He's listed at 6-foot-2 but might be pushing 6-foot-4. There has been plenty of internal debate about what position best suits the Zephyrhills (Fla.) standout. After watching him move around at Battle Miami, we have bought into the idea of him being a cornerback on Saturdays. His lanky frame reminds us of current Dallas Cowboys corner Nahshon Wright.
9. Zayden Walker, LB:Walker is a juiced-up front-seven defender who has flashed the ability to play in an on- or off-ball role in an odd front at the game's highest levels. He has done nothing but produce since he was a freshman at Ellaville (Ga.) Schley County and stuffed the box scores as a junior with 27 quarterback hurries, 16 1/2 tackles for loss and seven sacks to go along with 13 rushing touchdowns.
10. George MacIntyre, QB, Tennessee commit:MacIntyre might have won just two games as a junior at Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy, but the tape tells a different story. A savvy mover that can slip out of tackles and keep plays alive, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller owns an advanced deep ball and has no issues attacking the deeper third with his power and touch. He must keep progressing, but the long-term ceiling remains extremely high.
11. Kaliq Lockett, WR:You will be hard pressed to find a wide receiver with better junior highlights than Lockett, who exploded for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns on 59 catches at Sachse (Texas). He's a freaky athlete with big mitts and long arms that can elevate over defenders with his superb body control. Lockett must add some functional strength in the coming years, but he's a potential game-breaker.
12. Jonah Williams, LB:Williams is a three-phase defender with a chance to be a true chess piece in an era of football where position lines continue to blur. He was utilized in a variety of different ways this past season at Galveston (Texas) Ball and found success as a safety, linebacker and pass rusher. Schools will need a vision for Williams, but he's got plenty of physical clay to mold for the long haul.
13. Justus Terry, DL, Georgia commit:Terry was a top performer at theUnder Armour Next Camp in Atlantaa few weeks ago. He possesses excellent length for an interior lineman and has showcased the ability to both bend and redirect exceptionally well for someone of his stature. Terry has won on Friday nights at Manchester (Ga.), primarily with his raw power. He could bake into a true war daddy in the middle with some seasoning.
14. Josh Petty, OT:One of the youngest prospects that we have uncovered in the 2025 cycle, Petty checks off box after box. A full-time two-way player at Roswell (Ga.) Fellowship Christian School, one could make the case that Petty is a bonafide Power Four defensive linemen given how he closes on quarterbacks. However, his natural body control and ability to climb as a drive blocker suggests ample potential on the offensive side of the ball.
15. Andrew Babalola, OT:Of our 16 five-stars, Babalola is probably the biggest roll of the dice, but we're going all in on the Kansas native. A converted basketball player, Babalola is taller than 6-foot-5 and blessed with long levers. It has taken some time for him to find his bearing on the gridiron at Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest, but he took major strides forward as a junior, showing much more block-finishing confidence. Babalola is raw, but the payout could be enormous.
16. Julian Lewis, QB, USC commit: Lewis moved up a year and reclassified back in January. He might not be as physically gifted as the other quarterbacks, but there's no question that he's an elite distributor who can manipulate defenses with his eyes. In two years at Carrollton (Ga.), Lewis has posted a 25-3 record in the Peach State's top classification. His completion percentage, yards per attempt and interception rate all rank near the top for the 2025 arms.
SEE THE FULL TOP247 PLAYER RANKINGS
OTHERS IN 5-STAR CONSIDERATION
It wasn't exactly easy settling on 16 five-stars, which is a number that reflects half of the first round of the NFL Draft. A few prospects were heavily considered for a fifth star and could very well end up earning that designation when we roll out our first full 32-player five-star field in May.
Warner Robins (Ga.) edge rusherIsaiah Gibsonracked up 17 sacks and 55 quarterback pressures as a junior. He was an instant eye-catcher at the Under Armour Next Camp in Atlanta with his budding frame. Gibson now sits No. 17 in the rankings, after jumping from No. 236 in the Top247 to No. 83 in November.
Jared Smithis another intriguing pass rusher. He is a bit of acombine godwhostill hasn't fully put it together under the lights after transferring midseason from Spain Park (Ala.) to Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson. Smith checks in at No. 18 in the new Top247 after debuting back in August of 2022 at No. 5 in the initial top 100 for the class of 2025.
Edwardsville (Ill.) defensive linemanIose Epenesahas no shortage of fans at 247Sports, but he is someone we just haven't had a ton of live exposure to over the years. The younger brother of former Iowa star and current Buffalo Bills defensive lineman AJ Epenesa owns one of the top discus marks in the cycle and has flashed plenty of athleticism up front. Iose ranks No. 20 overall.
Positional value for tight ends is a hot topic inside scouting circles these days with Georgia'sBrock Bowersin the NFL Draft spotlight.
We elected to not stamp any tight ends with a fifth star this update but remain very high on Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County'sElyiss WilliamsandLinkon Cureof Goodland (Kansas). You could also toss San Antonio Alamo Heights jumbo athleteMichael Terry IIIinto the potential tight end category.
Williams, Cure and Terry are all decorated multi-sport athletes, which continues to serve as a key indicator for long-term success at the position. They also had monster junior seasons. Terry is No. 19 in the new Top247 while Williams, who is verbally committed to Georgia,enters at No. 21 and Cure rises to No. 27 after apromising outing at Battle Miami.
MORE NOTABLE RISERS IN THE TOP247
There are plenty of new faces in the Top247, but there's also some more established names who made significant moves.
Derek Meadowshas spent the past two seasons serving as a secondary option to blue-chip talents such asZachariah BranchandElija Loftonat Las Vegas Bishop Gorman. He might not have the on-field production just yet, but he's a 6-foot-5 wide receiver with elite speed markers. He simply took over Battle Miami for significant stretches of play. Meadows is up 80 spots to No. 32 overall.
Auburn defensive line commit and Opelika (Ala.) standoutMalik Autrywas the Alpha Dog of the Under Armour Next Camp in Atlanta. It's still very early, but the 2025 cycle seems to be a little light on burly defensive tackles and Autry, who tips the scales at around 320 pounds, had limited issues dictating play in the middle as a junior. He shot up 55 spots to No. 34 overall.
There's a new top-ranked running back inAkylin Dear. The workhorse out of Quitman (Miss.) tested in the upper percentile this past month and has proven to be a patient, physical runner who can pull away from back-seven defenders in the open field when he gets a chance. He settles in at No. 42 overall, which is good enough for a 128-spot rise.
It was more of a Pro Bowl type of setting atNike's Next Ones eventin Las Vegas, which coincided with this year's Super Bowl. Still, the takeaways on Indianapolis Warren Central edge rusherDamien Shanklinwere promising. He's a high-motor, athletic defender who appears to just be scratching the surface of what he could be, hence why he jumped up 120 spots to No. 47 overall.
Gabe Brooks, Greg Biggins, Cooper Petagna, Hudson Standish and Tom Loy all contributed to this report.
