The next update for the 2026 Rivals250 will come out on Monday and there is plenty of chatter about who should be the next five-star.
With a total of 22 five-star prospects right now, which elite prospect will get his fifth star next? Our national analyst team of Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Greg Smith and Sam Spiegelman give their takes on who they’d like to see as a five-star prospect.
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FRIEDMAN: Samari Matthews
Matthews has been competing against elite receivers for years and now the North Carolina native has come into his own. His height, playing strength and wingspan are in line with first-round projections and he has the speed necessary to beat nearly every receiver who lines up across from him.
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Matthews has an outstanding feel for the position and very clean footwork. He consistently gets his hands on the ball and has a tendency to jar the ball loose when he hits receivers. Matthews has the short area quickness to be able to stick with smaller, shiftier receivers and the size to consistently win in jump ball situations.
He has challenged himself on almost a weekly basis this offseason and he’ll continue to face top-ranked receivers as the spring and summer progress.
GARCIA: Jake Kreul
At what point does the IMG Academy star’s domination force our hand toward that fifth star? Kreul was once viewed as a pass-rush specialist with his diverse skill set off of the edge, and he still dominates about every setting with his progress there, but he has also rounded out his game and proven to be a three-down player against elite competition.
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The pass-rushing prowess alone combines a lot of what NFL talent evaluators covet, from a quick first step to polished moves on a frame with verified length (80.5-inch wingspan on a 6-foot-3 frame) to boot. Throw in elite athleticism and bend, a true motor and improved strength to hold the point against the run and the easier argument has become why to push Kreul through to the top of the class as opposed to holding him back.
GORNEY: Mark Bowman
Georgia telling any tight end that they’re the next Brock Bowers might be a stretch – except if it’s Mark Bowman because he has a ton of the same qualities as a player and might even be more advanced at the same stage.
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Bowman might never put up monster stats at Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei because they spread the ball around so much and use ball control with the running game but he’s a willing blocker, a fantastic route runner and catches everything thrown his way. He’s so consistent and so physically impressive that he can be counted on by any coaching staff.
This is an absolutely loaded tight end class so there are a lot of impressive players but Bowman is the complete package. He could end up as a first-rounder so he should be even more in the five-star discussion.
SMITH: Jonas Williams
Williams has the complete package at quarterback. He’s a very smart player that protects the ball well and isn’t reckless. He sees the field well and can process information quickly. The Illinois native has a good arm to fit the ball into tight windows when needed but can also escape the pocket to create big plays.
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Williams has slowly been rising up the board but he’s ready to make the leap to coveted five-star status. He’ll be a great fit in Lincoln Riley’s USC offense where he could be a star.
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SPIEGELMAN: Lamar Brown
The next five-star prospect in the 2026 class should be Lamar Brown. He is already the No. 1 interior offensive line prospect for a reason. He has a fantastic athletic profile and is a multi-sport athlete that competes on the offensive and defensive line as well as in track and field.
At 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds or so, Brown is able to block well in space, dominate at the point of attack and reach multiple levels as a run blocker. He’s also shown in a camp setting how well equipped he is in pass protection. Programs are recruiting Brown to play on both sides of the ball, but we believe that he offers first-round potential as an interior offensive line prospect.
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