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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Logan Newman

A new 5-star group: 247Sports updates its list of best players in the class of 2025

247Sports Bryce Underwood Ohio State Julian Lewis USC Isaiah Gibson Justus Terry Naeem Offord St. Clair (Person) Caleb Cunningham

As the school year comes to a close, 247Sports has updated its list of five-star players for the soon-to-be seniors in the class of 2025.

Thirty-two players who will be graduating next year are ranked as five-star players, the top of the blue chips of the high school football world. LSU quarterback commit Bryce Underwood maintained his No. 1 spot after impressing the recruiting outlet early this summer, but other spots have shifted.

Tavien St. Clair

The Ohio State quarterback commit, ranked No. 2 by 247Sports, earned lofty praise from the outlet: “No signal-caller has made more of a year-over-year improvement.”

Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, St. Clair completed 70% of his passes last year, according to the outlet. He is ranked No. 16 on the 247Sports Composite rankings, which combines rankings from other recruiting leaders like Rivals and ESPN, showing the development 247Sports perceives in his game.

Underwood has long been widely considered the top prospect in the class, but St. Clair could make a run at being the top QB and player with another outstanding season.

Ohio State reps the top of the class

The Buckeyes must be feeling good seeing this updated ranking. In addition to St. Clair taking the No. 2 spot, two other Ohio State commits are among the top six players in the class.

Star cornerback Devin Sanchez, ranked No. 4, maintains his ranking as the best cornerback in the group. He dominated for North Shore last season and had five interceptions, according to MaxPreps.

He could form a dynamic CB tandem with No. 6 Na’eem Offord, also committed to the Buckeyes. A state qualifier in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, Offord can keep up with any receiver.

247Sports wrote, “There’s plenty of debate behind the scenes as to who should hold the tag of CB1.” That’s no problem for Ohio State.

Zayden Walker

Walker’s new ranking of No. 10 on 247Sports is substantially different from his Composite ranking, No. 21. According to 247Sports, Walker impressed 247Sports with a 52-foot, 5-inch shot put toss and has been recorded running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash.

His power and speed, along with a 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame, places him as the second-ranked linebacker in the class of 2025, behind Jonah Williams at No. 7.

Kaliq Lockett

Kaliq Lockett overtook Caleb Cunningham as the No. 2 receiver in the country, behind Dakorien Moore. Lockett recorded 59 receptions for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior and, according to 247Sports, has a 6-foot-7 wingspan. He’s now listed at No. 11 overall in class.

USC’s presence

Only three players have committed to a university in the 11-20 range of the rankings. Those three are defensive lineman Justus Terry, quarterback Julian Lewis and EDGE rusher Isaiah Gibson.

All three are committed to USC.

Terry, ranked No. 12, is listed at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds. His ranking is lower than the composite ranking, and 247Sports wrote that it wants to see him “improve his game plan as a pass rusher” but has the potential to “be a true difference-maker.”

Lewis, at No. 16, has often been considered the second-best quarterback in the class. This new 247Sports list has it differently. That’s not for lack of performance, as he completed 66% of his passes for 3,094 yards, 48 touchdowns and two interceptions last year.

Gibson is ranked one spot below Lewis, and 247Sports loves him in comparison to peer outlets — he’s still at No. 55 on the composite. He recorded 17 sacks last season.

Massive differences between new 247Sports ranking and Composite ranking

Gibson’s ranking No. 17 on 247Sports and No. 55 on the composite is a large gap, a difference of 38 spots. But that’s not the largest disconnect between industry-wide rankings and 247Sports’ recent analysis.

Auburn commit Malik Autry, a defensive lineman, is ranked 178 on the Composite and No. 29 in the new rankings. 247Sports says this is because he’s able to beat double teams and get into run lanes at his 6-foot-5, 320-pound size. He “might need a developmental year or two, but he projects as the ideal nose,” 247Sports wrote.

The largest gap was the penultimate player ranked five-stars, Jerome Myles — No. 31 on 247Sports’ new list and No. 228 on the Composite. “He checks off box after box for us,” wrote 247Sports, citing his blistering 10.36-second run in the 100-meter dash that broke a 43-year-old record and his performance in the championship game after returning from injury.

As other outlets begin to update their rankings over summer, will we see corresponding rises for Autry and Myles? Or does 247Sports see something others don’t?