Rivals Rankings Director and National Transfer Portal Analyst Adam Friedman is accompanied by Caleb Jones from AuburnSports.com, Paul Strelow from TigerIllustrated.com and Jack Knowlton from TideIllustrated.com to go through three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Five-star QB Julian Lewis moves to Indiana
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1. Auburn currently has the best defensive back class of the 2025 cycle.
Friedman: FICTION. I really like the group Auburn has assembled right now, but there are two other teams that I think have better defensive backs right now. Ohio State’s combination of five-star prospects Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord along with top-40 talent Faheem Delane, Rivals250 safety Cody Haddad and four-star prospect DeShawn Stewart is top-notch.
I also really like what Miami is doing with a group led by five-star Hylton Stubbs and three other top-100 talents: Bryce Fitzgerald, Jamboree Antoine and Chris Ewald Jr. The Hurricanes also have commitments from four-star Timothy Merritt and Amari Wallace.
Jones: FICTION. Auburn’s defensive back class is impressive, but it’s hard to say definitively that it’s the best in the country. Safeties Anquon Fegans and Eric Winters and cornerback Blake Woodby are the highlights of the Tigers’ defensive back class and make it debatable, but I still give Ohio State the edge. With two five-star cornerbacks in Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord and top-tier four-star safety Faheem Delane, the Buckeyes currently have the best class.
Auburn is still pushing for the Offord move, which, if it comes to fruition, would earn Auburn enough money to lay claim to the best DB class in the country.
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2. Clemson and all programs in the Carolinas will struggle to keep five-star players from leaving their country.
Friedman: FACT. Eight of the Carolinas’ last nine five-star players have signed with either North Carolina, South Carolina or Clemson, but that trend may be a thing of the past.
Five-star player David Sanders Jr. was considered a surefire prospect for Clemson when he began his recruitment, and the Tigers likely would have signed him a few years ago. The changing NIL environment makes it difficult for these programs to compete with those with large NIL foundations. Clemson’s NIL philosophy has hurt in the pursuit of Sanders, and he won’t be the last five-star player turned off by the Tigers’ approach. South Carolina, North Carolina and NC State seem inconsistent at best with their NIL efforts, which doesn’t bode well for their chances of keeping a five-star player from leaving the state.
Tennessee has Sanders and 2026 star quarterback Faizon Brandon is also quickly rising in the rankings, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Vols signed North Carolina’s No. 1 picks two times in a row.
Strelow: FACT. Look, NIL has changed the recruiting chain. Nebraska has its merits and all, but Clemson isn’t going to be abruptly replaced by the Cornhuskers in David Sanders’ top five if not primarily for financial reasons. That’s hard to argue.
Recruiting is a different game now and it’s harder for everyone to maintain home-field advantage. Alabama is losing ground to Auburn and others in its backyard.
Although it’s partly due to impact, Clemson and the Tarheel State’s two prominent representatives – North Carolina and NC State – will need to improve their team results to have a longer run in the Carolinas.
Tennessee shows the purchasing power to win at any time, and it is safe to assume that the Vols will be as present in North Carolina as they were in Phil Fulmer‘s first attempt.
Georgia has a lot of prestige and Ohio State, among others, will still be able to secure its spots.
NC State has had the opportunity to mix and match with several out-of-state students over the past two classes.
However, there is still much to be done to change its image. Mack BrownThe window appears to be closing as North Carolina has been unable to capitalize on Drake Maye’s tenure. Clemson still gets the big names here and there, but the Tigers need to get back to national championship contention and the playoffs if they want to retain the strength they’ve shown over the past decade at North Carolina.
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3. Alabama still has the best linebacker class in the 2025 cycle despite losing Jaeden Harmon to Tennessee.
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Friedman: FACT. Alabama has assembled a stellar group of linebackers this recruiting class and it’s still the best despite losing Rivals250 linebacker Jaeden Harmon to Tennessee. The Crimson Tide have commitments from top-100 linebackers Darrell Johnson and Luke Metz. Alabama has already traded multiple programs for each of them. Kalen DeBoerThe staff traveled to Ohio to sign Rivals250 linebacker Justin Hill, and they traveled to California to bring in Abduall Sanders, a Rivals250 linebacker from powerhouse Mater Dei. Don’t forget about four-star player Dawson Merritt from Kansas.
Ohio State has two top-100 linebacker commitments and a third Rivals250 linebacker commitment, while Texas A&M has three Rivals250 linebacker commitments. At this point, none of them can match what Alabama has put together so far.
Knowlton: FACT. Despite Harmon’s retirement, linebackers remain Alabama’s second-strongest position behind the offensive line in 2025. Alabama addressed the linebacker position in the spring, signing Harmon, Abduall Sanders, Darrell Johnson and Luke Metz. While Harmon is no longer in the class, Metz, Johnson and Sanders are all ranked in the Rivals250 and remain committed to the Crimson Tide. Alabama secured another Rivals250 linebacker in Justin Hill this summer, as well as four-star Dawson Merritt, and enters the season with an elite selection of players and a newly created linebacker spot.
Should Alabama increase its production, it would only further cement the Tide’s status as having the best linebacker group in 2025. Ohio State, Miami and LSU all have strong LB groups, but Alabama’s linebacker class remains the strongest and most versatile in terms of future impact, even with Harmon’s retirement.
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