Top Takeaways from 247Sports' New 2018 Composite Rankings

Just midway through their high school careers, members of the 2018 college football recruiting class continue to command a larger spotlight. 

This group, still 18 months away from a national signing day that will see them pledge allegiances to powerhouse programs across America, spent the past several months showcasing talent on a widespread camp circuit.

Analysts throughout the recruiting industry had an opportunity to evaluate these athletes, observing which players have made strides since their sophomore season. 

An ongoing evaluation process will continue during the year-and-a-half ahead, but August presents an excellent checkpoint to measure prospects' progress. Fresh off competitive showcases and faced with immense expectations entering the season, these rising juniors continue to receive ratings from scouting services such as 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and Scout.

The cumulative outcomes of such scores result in 247Sports' composite rankings, and a new, shuffled list of 2018 recruits was revealed on Monday. In total, 28 athletes are primed to enter the fall with 5-star status.

Ranking	Name	Position	High School	Recruitment Status
1	Trevor Lawrence	QB	Cartersville (Cartersville, GA)	Uncommitted
2	Xavier Thomas	DE	Wilson (Florence, SC)	Uncommitted
3	Micah Parsons	DE	Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, PA)	Committed to Penn State
4	Jalen Hall	WR	Hawkins (Los Angeles, CA)	Uncommitted
5	Zamir White	RB	Scotland County (Laurinburg, NC)	Uncommitted
6	Brey Walker	OT	Southmoore (Moore, OK)	Committed to Oklahoma
7	Justin Mascoll	DE	South Gwinnett (Snellville, GA)	Uncommitted
8	Tyreke Johnson	S	Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, FL)	Uncommitted
9	Teradja Mitchell	LB	Bishop Sullivan Catholic (Virginia Beach, VA)	Uncommitted
10	Matt Corral	QB	Oaks Christian (Thousand Oaks, CA)	Committed to USC

Peach State passer Trevor Lawrence maintains his grip on the No. 1 spot, while Georgia defensive end Justin Mascoll and Virginia linebacker Teradja Mitchell jumped up to join him in top-10 rankings. They replace Atlanta offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (dropped from No. 10 to No. 11) and Florida cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr. (slid from No. 7 to No. 13).

Surtain is one of seven 5-star prospects from prep schools in Florida, which easily leads all states in this category. Georgia (four) and California (three) follow behind, combining with the Sunshine State to account for half of the complete 5-star collection.

These revised rankings provide us with plenty of storylines to explore, so let's jump into a few intriguing topics of note.

Quarterbacks Carry Considerable Clout

Initial projections put this group of passers in rare territory, as five quarterback prospects are considered 5-star talents. The volume here stands out when measured up against recent cycles.

Clemson commit Hunter Johnson is currently the position's lone 5-star prospect in 2017 rankings, while the 2016 (two), 2015 (three) and 2014 (one) recruiting cycles also fell considerably short in this department.

However, it's important to note that these 2018 prospects can expect to see more focus from opposing defenses during their final two high school campaigns. Increased pressure, along with enhanced scrutiny throughout eventual Elite 11 efforts, tends to expose competitors and impact ratings.

Lawrence leads the way, which has been the case since initial 2018 rankings were revealed. He's collected 6,697 passing yards and 69 touchdown tosses through two prep seasons, completing 62 percent of attempts while limiting turnovers to 11 interceptions.

Standing 6'6", 196 pounds, Lawrence is focused on favorites Clemson and Georgia, and a commitment could occur at any time. If he maintains No. 1 status through signing day, it would be the first time a quarterback tops composite rankings since 2009 (Matt Barkley).

"It's good to say I'm the No. 1 quarterback in this class, but that doesn't mean that I'm better than everyone else just because of the rankings," Lawrence told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles before his sophomore season. "I have to show that hard work pays off, and I have to prove it every Friday night. The last thing you want is to have people saying you don't deserve it because you don't prove it."

USC pledge Matt Corral and Washington commit Jacob Sirmon are 5-star recruits rated second and third, respectively, among pro-style passers. Notre Dame commit Phil Jurkovec and Auburn pledge Joey Gatewood round out this promising group, identified as the class' premier dual-threat quarterbacks.

Jurkovec, a 6'5", 190-pound Pennsylvania product, sits atop dual-threat rankings after his dominant sophomore campaign. He tallied 2,560 yards through the air, 1,250 yards on the ground and 31 total touchdowns in 2015.

"He's got a frame that gives him a lot of room to grow," Elite 11 instructor Matt James told B/R after observing Jurkovec in Columbus, Ohio. "He has big hands. The ball comes slinging out of his hands. He's still learning, but he can make all the throws downfield. ... He's got a lot of room to improve, and I think that ceiling is what makes him so high on people's boards."

Beyond 5-star territory, passers are prevalent throughout composite rankings.

Artur Sitkowski (No. 70 overall; uncommitted), Cameron Rising (No. 108; uncommitted) and Jack West (No. 110; Stanford commit) are other highly rated pro-style prospects. The list of top dual-threat recruits includes Emory Jones (No. 34; Ohio State commit), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (No. 65; uncommitted) and Casey Thompson (No. 102; uncommitted).

There's Another 5-star Receiver from Hawkins High School

Expect this Los Angeles squad to boast one of the country's most impressive aerial assaults in 2016, as defenses must deal with tandem receivers Joseph Lewis and Jalen Hall.

Both prospects are considered 5-star talents, with Lewis listed No. 2 among 2017 pass-catchers and Hall leading the position in 2018 rankings.

"I believe we're the best receiver duo in high school football. No doubt," Hall told B/R at The Opening, where both teammates impressed. "We both attack the ball and have the ability to dominate. Us together is almost unstoppable."

Lewis, like Hall, landed on the national recruiting radar early, and each athlete carries more than 30 scholarship offers. Nearby USC is a key contender to perhaps keep them together in college, but opportunities across college football loom large.

Credit: Tyler Donohue

Hall, a 6'3", 186-pound playmaker, has added offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Oklahoma since March. He caught 112 passes for 2,191 yards and 18 touchdowns during the past two seasons, per MaxPreps. 

Hall, who is now No. 4 overall in composite rankings, is joined by Louisiana standout Terrace Marshall in 5-star company. Another physically imposing receiver (6'4", 190 lbs), he collected 1,343 yards and 14 touchdown catches as a sophomore at Parkway High School.

Only one of the top 30 receivers in composite rankings is committed to a college (4-star Montel Parker pledged to Texas A&M in February). Jacob Copeland (Florida; No. 3 receiver), Brian Hightower (Florida; No. 4 receiver) and Jahan Dotson (New Jersey; No. 5 receiver) help headline a group coveted by coaching staffs.

The Big Men Play a Big Role Near Top of Rankings

Linemen account for nearly one-third of 5-star recruits, including four of the top seven overall prospects.

Perhaps no position features players who develop more from a physical and fundamental standpoint during the final two years of high school, but early impressions are impressive.

South Carolina defensive end Xavier Thomas leaps to No. 2 overall in composite rankings, and he's now considered the top defender in this class. His dominant underclassman career included 129 tackles—34 for loss—and 17 sacks.

In-state Clemson and South Carolina are notable suitors for his services, though this recruitment process seemingly expands on a daily basis. He added five offers on July 29, landing scholarships from Notre Dame, Texas, Oregon, Ole Miss and Michigan.

"I've tried to stay humble and bring a lot of toughness to the field," Thomas told B/R at The Opening. "I know there are a lot of eyes on me now, but I'm focused on controlling what I can."

He repeatedly challenged older linemen during the event, receiving on-field tutelage from Miami Dolphins star Ndamukong Suh and downright bullying opponents at times despite his status as one of the youngest attendees at Nike's world headquarters.

The same can be said for Georgia offensive guard Jamaree Salyer, who is listed No. 2 overall among linemen on his side of the ball.

"Jamaree is just a dog, and to be that strong so young is special," Pace Academy (Atlanta) teammate and Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle commit Andrew Thomas told B/R at The Opening. "He's not just aggressive and physical, though. He's very smart and plays offensive line like a technician."

Georgia hopes to reunite Thomas and Salyer in Athens, but schools such as Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State will attempt to stand in the way,

Only Oklahoma commit Brey Walker is listed above Salyer in 2018 offensive line rankings. The 6'7", 299-pound prospect is among this cycle's most physically imposing prospects and pledged to the Sooners last November.

Ohio tackle Jackson Carman (No. 15 overall; uncommitted), Tennessee tackle Cade Mays (No, 16; committed to Tennessee) and Tampa tackle Richard Gouraige (No. 25; uncommitted) also carry 5-star designation.

While Carman and Mays are mainstays in the upper echelon, Gouraige surged 11 spots to earn his fifth star.

On the defensive side, Penn State pledge Micah Parsons checks in at No. 3 overall in composite rankings after being bumped by Thomas. The 6'3", 235-pound prospect tallied 190 tackles—47 for loss—and 32 sacks during his first two high school seasons, per MaxPreps.

Beyond Thomas and Parsons, elite defensive linemen include Georgia end Justin Mascoll (No. 7 overall; uncommitted), Florida tackle Taron Vincent (No. 14; uncommitted) and Maryland tackle Austin Fontaine (No. 32 overall; uncommitted).

Several Recruits Earn "Blue-Chip" Label

The term "blue-chip prospect" is typically attributed to athletes who carry a 4- or 5-star rating. There were nine new additions to this group in updated composite rankings, according to Chad Carson of 247Sports.

Florida offensive tackle Chris Bleich joins fellow Penn State commit Parsons in blue-chip territory, along with other Sunshine State studs in cornerback Ken Montgomery and running back Jalen Patterson. Patterson, a Miami pledge, is rated No. 6 overall among all-purpose backs.

Tennessee commit Alontae Taylor is another notable recruit who climbed up from the 3-star bracket. The former Vanderbilt pledge, who projects as defensive back or receiver in Knoxville, rushed for 3,223 yards and 36 touchdowns while playing primarily quarterback during his first two prep campaigns, per MaxPreps.

Credit: 247Sports

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow Tyler via Twitter @TDsTake.