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Updated 2019 Rivals100: Three new five-stars, J.T. Daniels is No. 1

The first numerical Rivals100 for the class of 2019 has been released, which means we now have our first No. 1 in the class: USC quarterback commit J.T. Daniels. Three new five-stars join the mix as well, with many other prospects pushing for that status as they begin their junior campaigns.

NEW RELEASE: Rivals100 for 2019

DANIELS SITS ATOP 2019

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Daniels, who won't wow you with measurables, has amazing football instincts and downfield vision, and his long ball is as pretty as you’ll see in high school football. The game is never too fast for him and he rarely makes the wrong read.

Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney has seen Daniels many times and breaks him down.

“Daniels is the most college-ready quarterback I've scouted in eight years as a regional analyst and that includes Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and many other elite quarterbacks who have come through the West in that time. He had a fantastic sophomore season where he didn't make many mistakes and called the offense himself from the field,” Gorney said. “He has an advanced understanding of defenses, he wants to learn more all the time and then he has the physical tools and the heart to go out on the field and produce. Daniels throws a phenomenal deep ball and his accuracy is already elite. It's hard to believe he's only going to be a junior in high school.”

Louisiana defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher checks in at No. 2 in the Rivals100. He was a somewhat polarizing choice to follow Daniels. When Sopsher is on, he’s dominant and just toys with his opponents but, like every defensive tackle, he can get frustrated with constant double and triple teams. It was an interesting debate between Sopsher and defensive end Christopher Hinton from Georgia, ranked No. 3 in the Rivals100. Sopsher is more physically dominant and closer to his ceiling while Hinton has excellent upside and could end up at a few different positions.

Georgia wide receiver, and Bulldogs commitment, Jadon Haselwood, checks in at No. 4 with his combination of hands, size and ability to make tough catches. California defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is No. 5 with his freaky pass rush ability.

Our team of analysts breaks down the new five-stars who check in at Nos. 6, 7 and 8, along with some other Rivals100 prospects to keep an eye on as the season begins.

NEW FIVE-STARS

“Wease achieves his five-star status after capping off an impressive spring and summer with top performances at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas and Prime 21, where he showed his versatility and playmaking ability against some of the top defensive backs in the nation. He's gotten longer since his sophomore season, but has the wheels after the catch to pick up big yards. As he's continued to develop, he's shown more confidence as well, as he really believes he is the best player on the field at all times. Wease recently released a top 14, but the heaviest favorites in the group are likely LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oregon, TCU and Texas.” – Nick Krueger, Rivals.com Texas Recruiting Analyst

“Part of the rationale for Henderson picking up his fifth star is that he has been every bit as impressive as Wease at events this spring and has a lot of the same characteristics as a receiver. He's not quite as tall as Wease, but his hands are as consistent as it gets and where he's really been impressive is his ability to win contested battles for passes with defenders, in addition to his smooth route-running. Henderson also is very good at making adjustments to come back to the ball on misfired passes and can bail out quarterbacks while making spectacular plays in the process. Henderson committed to Oregon at the end of July. ” - Krueger

“Webb is a monster. He is just a different type of guy. He is not all over social media and he loves to read in his free time, but when he is on the field, he loves to put defensive linemen on their backs. He plays with great leverage, strong hands and a nasty demeanor. It is not normal that you see a center with five stars, but Webb is not normal either. He is special. Alabama, Auburn and Georgia are his top three schools.” – Chad Simmons, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

RIVALS100 PLAYERS TO WATCH

“There is a level of freaky athleticism Harrison possesses that few others in the last five years, let alone this class, can claim. He is every bit his listed height and weight, and has been timed in the 4.6 range for the 40-yard dash. He most recently made recruiting visits to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State.” – Josh Helmholdt, Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst

“Ford has a unique blend of size and speed but what makes him special is his ability to see running lanes and how he affects the passing game. He runs a bit upright but punishes defenders. Ford is a dangerous receiver that can take it the distance on screen passes or short dump-offs. Ohio State, North Carolina, Clemson, Penn State and a few others have made a strong impression already.” – Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst

“Wright is a great prospect with the size, frame, quickness and length to be a franchise left tackle. He has the agility to stop speed rushes on the outside but is strong enough to prevent defensive linemen from beating him inside. Alabama, Ohio State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Kentucky and North Carolina are in the best position with Wright.” - Friedman

“Sanders is committed to Alabama. While it’s unclear how many carries he’ll get in a loaded backfield at IMG Academy, Sanders has the build of a college back already. The Crimson Tide have been high on his power running style and his acceleration for some time.” – Rob Cassidy, Rivals.com Florida Analyst

“Knox really impressed during the spring and summer, helping him vault up the rankings to near five-star status. He has elite size and terrific hands, and he still has the room to get bigger and stronger moving forward. Ohio State, Tennessee, Florida and several others are among his early favorites.” – Woody Wommack, Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst

“The best is yet to come for Stripling, who showed last season how physically dominant he can be, but there is still some rawness to his game. He showed enough this spring and summer, however, that he's learning and applying pass-rush moves that are going to make him even more of a force of nature than he already is at this point of his development. Stripling has taken recent visits to Florida, Texas and Texas A&M, but also holds offers from Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame and other top national programs.” - Krueger

“The one-time LSU commit has NFL bloodlines and the type of swagger you expect to see in an elite cornerback. As a cover man he has good size and above-average speed, and it's likely he will only get bigger and faster as his career moves along. LSU, Alabama and several other programs are in the early mix for Stingley.” - Wommack

“Pappoe had double-digit offers before he started high school. He's had a bigger impact early in his high school career at Loganville Grayson than former five-star defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche. Pappoe plays fast, he is a great athlete and Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Nebraska, among others, are recruiting him hard. He is a linebacker who will be able to stay on the field and be successful against the spread offenses many teams run today in college football.” - Simmons

“A Florida commit, Goolsby is, simply put, a freak. He has elite size but moves like a much smaller prospect. As he becomes more explosive, his upside will only increase. His size, strength and agility make him a player with five-star potential should he put everything together down the road.” - Cassidy

“When he first burst onto the national recruiting scene, Dobbs' frame looked like it would translate best to defensive end. He has since filled out and looks more like an offensive lineman, while possessing elite skills for the position. Ohio State could be emerging as the team to beat in his recruitment.” - Helmholdt

“Steele proved to me this offseason that he is a fantastic defensive back and can excel at either cornerback or safety. He has excellent size and length to be a top-notch corner and he proved to be a lockdown specialist at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge presented by adidas. Through this offseason, Steele has also proven to be someone who can easily move to safety and make plays as well. He's unassuming at times and doesn't chirp a whole lot but Steele just goes out there every single play and shuts down top receivers. The recent UCLA decommitment will keep UCLA on his list while Stanford, USC, Alabama and Notre Dame appear to be other options.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst

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