Rankings Roundtable: Which 2027 prospect is the most likely five-star?
The national analyst team has been out on the road all offseason checking on top prospects, updating evaluations and finding new prospects who will rise up the rankings.
Which player in the 2027 class is most likely to end up as a five-star? Our national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Greg Smith and Sam Spiegelman – give their takes below.
FRIEDMAN: David Jacobs
There’s so much to like about Jacobs at this point in the process. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive end out of Georgia is a force against the run and holds up well at the point of attack. He has sky-high potential as a pass rusher but still needs to refine his hand techniques a bit.
Still, Jacobs was very productive as a sophomore, posting more than 100 tackles, 12 sacks and more than 30 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also boasts high-end athletic traits, which can be seen on the basketball court during the winter.
We just saw five defensive end/edge defenders go in the first round of the NFL Draft and it isn’t a stretch to think Jacobs could develop into that type of player.
GARCIA: Mark Matthews
The long and rangy offensive tackle has improved his game as much as any prospect over the last 12 months or so, making the switch not only from basketball, but from working primarily as a defensive lineman. He flashed at the end of St. Thomas’ state title run as a blocker and has blossomed further this offseason against stout competition.
Matthews has a plus wingspan and athleticism, not to mention a frame that will carry more good muscle as he inches closer to playing on Saturdays. His current state, however, is much further along than one would expect given his lack of experience. That department will take care of itself, but there is also a willing competitiveness that the South Floridian brings to the table that may help push his growth that much more forward in the years to come.
Combine it all, at a premium position like the blindside protector, and the trajectory points to a five-star ceiling.
GORNEY: Zyron Forstall
When I see Forstall on tape, I see an Abdul Carter-like player who is so versatile in the front seven of the defense that he can rip off the edge and beat any offensive tackle or he can overpower people and run right through them.
What is also special about the New Orleans (La.) Jesuit defensive end is that he can stand up and play linebacker – like Carter did in high school – and blitz like a madman. I love his frame, his intensity, his aggressiveness and I don’t see any way Forstall doesn’t end up as a five-star with two more years of high school football left.
SMITH: Trae Taylor
The Nebraska commit has all the makings of a future five-star quarterback. Standing at 6-3 and 190 pounds already, he’s still growing into his frame and will likely be bigger when he enters college. Taylor sees the field well and processes information quickly to make decisions.
The Illinois native has a strong arm but he can also layer the football to make intermediate throws. Barring major regression he’ll end up reaching five-star status.
SPIEGELMAN: Kennedy Brown
Brown is set to be one of the biggest risers in the new Rivals250 for the 2027 class. We believe the versatile offensive lineman can play tackle but we already know he can also slide inside and play multiple positions upfront. He is extremely strong with excellent feet, plays well with leverage and is a finisher at the point of attack.
After multiple live evaluations, Brown has proven to be the cream of the crop in a star-studded group of offensive linemen in the 2027 class. We view his upside potentially as the best of any we’ve seen so far in this rankings cycle.
