Takeaways from ESPN's Latest Shifts in Its 2016 Player Recruiting Rankings

Late Tuesday morning, ESPN released its revised ESPN 300, and while a few athletes in the 2016 class were introduced to the elite list, a couple of athletes made significant rises—and noteworthy drops.

Here are a few takeaways from the list:

WR Davis continuing to rise

Ask anyone at IMG Academy, and with all the talent on the football team, Drake Davis is the athlete to keep an eye on.

Davis went from unranked to No. 76 in the ESPN 300. The 6'4", 215-pound receiver is one of Shea Patterson's favorite targets on the field, and he's also a major recruiting target for Patterson, an Ole Miss commit.

Ole Miss, LSU, Texas A&M, Clemson and UCLA are the schools to watch for Davis, who has said on multiple occasions that Ole Miss is his current leader. Along with being a solid receiver and special teams contributor, Davis also excels in soccer and track and field.

DT Manuel loses fifth star

While Shavar Manuel is considered a top-10 prospect nationally, ESPN decided to strip the defensive tackle of his fifth star.

Per ESPN's evaluators, Manuel is an "explosive big man who can create problems as easily inside as he used to do on the edge." The evaluators are fans of Manuel's ability, but they credited the loss of the fifth star to "consistent maximization of that ability."

Manuel is still ranked No. 9 overall and the No. 4 defensive tackle in the 247Sports composite. He has 20 offers and has schools like Auburn, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Florida State high on his list.

Credit: 247Sports.com

Close QB battle gets closer

Although Georgia commit Jacob Eason is ranked higher than Stanford pledge K.J. Costello in the 247Sports composite rankings, Costello not only outranks Eason but also Patterson, as well.

Costello is the top-ranked pocket-passing quarterback and the No. 14 overall player, according to ESPN. Eason is the No. 2 pocket-passing quarterback and No. 16 overall. Patterson, listed as a pro-style quarterback by the 247Sports composite, is ESPN's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback but ranked No. 18 overall.

One thing's for certain: All three quarterbacks are excellent options if you need a signal-caller to play early next season.

Credit: 247Sports.com

DE Burns makes an impression

Remember the name Brian Burns. Over the summer, Burns showed he was just as worthy to earn an invitation to The Opening as the other defensive linemen present.

As the nation's No. 11 weak-side defensive end, Burns was rewarded for his stellar play with a spot in the ESPN 300. Per ESPN, Burns has 10 sacks through seven games, which makes sense as he was very disruptive in 1-on-1 drills at The Opening.

Burns, a 4-star athlete in the 247Sports composite, is a solid speed rusher who uses his slim, 6'5", 215-pound frame to his advantage against larger, slower offensive linemen. Georgia, Florida State, Florida, LSU, Auburn and Alabama are among the schools to keep an eye on for Burns.

North Carolina pledge is bigger, better

North Carolina defensive end commit Tomon Fox is becoming more of a player to watch in the 2016 class. Fox has gained more than 25 pounds since his junior year, and he's been able to maintain the quickness that makes him an intriguing speed rusher.

Fox, whose Hudl page says he's now 6'3" and 240 pounds, committed to North Carolina in June but has more than 20 offers. Fox is a 3-star player according to 247Sports composite, but further evaluation of the bigger, much-improved Fox could be grounds for granting him a fourth star.

The Tar Heels are hoping to sign Fox in February and win a big recruiting battle against the other Power Fives recruiting him, including Notre Dame, Penn State, Auburn, Arkansas, Michigan, UCLA and a handful of others.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles