Rivals Five-Star: Five programs that should be pleased

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Rivals Five-Star was held yesterday at the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice facility, as more than 100 prospects from across the country came to compete.

Here are the five programs that should be the most pleased based on Wednesday’s elite event.

It should be a surprise to no one, but Alabama also had a lot to look forward to in Jacksonville. And the Crimson Tide are certainly going to feel great about how they shaped up.

Quarterback Keelon Russell continued his completely dominant offseason with a Quarterback Challenge victory. His stock is at an all-time high, even after rising to No. 47 overall in the most recent Rivals250 update. When the next update comes along, Russell will be among the first in discussion for a rise into five-star status.

There were two big men who will be protecting Russell in the near future who were trying to raise their own stock. Michael Carroll, who is 6-foot-6, 298-pounds, was one of the best offensive lineman we saw. One of the best reps of the day came against 2026 No. 1 prospect Jahkeem Stewart as he chopped the five-star defensive lineman to the ground. Next to him was offensive lineman Micah Debose, who projects on the interior at 6-foot-5, 330-pounds.

If fans were in attendance, there would have been quite a bit of War Eagle chants when the big men were going at it. The massive 6-foot-6, 320-pound Malik Autry was dominating in the trenches. Using a variety moves between power and some intriguing speed with some spin moves sprinkled in. Currently No. 157 in the Rivals250, the Opelika, Ala., native is in good position to see that number move up a bit.

Another major winner of the day was four-star safety Eric Winters, who committed to Auburn just earlier this month. There are returns for the Tigers as the safety was extremely smooth and in control all day long. A near flawless day with clean coverage and skillful execution on playing the ball, Winters, who ranks No. 108 in the Rivals250, may be in line for a top-100 ranking.

There were just two Tiger commits participating in the Rivals Five-Star, but Brian Kelly and his staff should be extremely pleased with their representation.

One of the top performers in Jacksonville was five-star running back Harlem Berry, who won the Fastest Man award and most importantly, the Running Back MVP award. Berry is a dynamic weapon that can tear up defenses in the passing game just as much as he can in the run game. His receiving ability was on full display in the 1-on-1 reps as well as in 7-on-7 competition.

On the opposite side of the field was LSU linebacker commit Keylan Moses, who was flashing his coverage ability all day long. Matching up against running backs and tight ends primarily, Moses used his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and great athleticism to knock down passes and give quarterbacks fits to find passing windows.

LSU will also be in the mix for Jaime Ffrench over the course of his recruitment. The four-star receiver impressed all day in Jacksonville.

The reigning champions may have had a slightly smaller group of commits at the Rivals Five-Star, but they impressed in a number of ways.

The clear winner of the day for the Wolverines was offensive lineman Avery Gach. The 6-foot-5, 285-pounder played with a mean streak all day, which led to him leaving with the Offensive Line MVP award. He was involved in some of the top matchups, including some exciting tilts between him and the Ohio State Buckeyes duo of London Merritt and Zion Grady.

A recent commitment for Michigan, running back Jasper Parker may not have been the most talked about name coming but he definitely left with more buzz. An absolute thriller in the passing game, Parker was nearly undefeated in his 1-on-1 reps. A strong build at 6-foot, 200-pounds, Parker is a fantastic piece to develop in Michigan’s style and could even help the Wolverineds expand into new looks.

Ohio State was one of the most represented programs in Jacksonville at the Rivals Five-Star, boasting a strong five commitments.

Five-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair is the clear leader of the class and will certainly be in the discussion to be the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the Rivals250 as the cycle progresses. St. Clair took home the Quarterback MVP award.

One of the St. Clair’s future targets was on hand in four-star tight end Nate Roberts. An old school style of tight end prospect, Roberts will surely be a weapon in the physical Big Ten, being utilized as a receiving threat, but also in line as a blocker.

There were three elite big men in the event all headed to Columbus. Five-star offensive lineman Carter Lowe continually got better as the day went on, repeatedly facing off against some of the top prospects in America. Some of those he faced were future Buckeye teammates London Merritt and Zion Grady, who each came out on the winning end of a majority of their 1-on-1 reps. Merritt certainly proved he is well on his way to developing into an impact player in the defensive front.