The 2026 class rankings will be updated this week and No. 1 is up for grabs. Jahkeem Stewart reclassified up to the 2025 class in October and since then Jackson Cantwell has moved into the top spot.
The national recruiting analysts - Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney, Greg Smith and Sam Spiegelman - give their takes on who they think should be ranked No. 1 in the Rivals250.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown
Thursday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown
Friday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?
Saturday: Rankings Roundtable
FRIEDMAN’S VIEW: Ryder Lyons
The Rivals250 is a projection to the NFL Draft so that means the top prospect in the rankings is a potential No. 1 overall pick. The fact is that quarterbacks are selected No. 1 in the NFL Draft at a rate much higher than any other position so the overwhelming majority of the time a quarterback should be at the top of the Rivals250. Ryder Lyons is my No. 1 quarterback right now and the logical selection for No. 1 in the Rivals250 because of the trend in the NFL Draft.
Lyons is a fantastic quarterback prospect with the arm talent, accuracy, mobility, field awareness, and playmaking abilities. There is a natural athleticism to his game that makes it look easy on the field.
There is a caveat to having Lyons at No. 1. He is expected to take a year-long religious mission before he gets to college. Its potential impact on his development as a quarterback could make somebody like Faizon Brandon or Jared Curtis a better choice by the end of the rankings cycle.
GARCIA’S VIEW: Jackson Cantwell
There is a bit of a logjam at the quarterback spot for the 2026 class, combined with key reclassifications up to 2025, yet Cantwell remains the highest-floor option to consider atop the rankings at this time. He has just about all the surface-level traits one could ask for at the offensive tackle position, with an immense frame, verified athleticism and the type of national recruitment an elite prospects demands.
GORNEY’S VIEW: Ryder Lyons
In 20 of the last 28 NFL Drafts starting with Peyton Manning in 1998, a quarterback has been taken No. 1 overall so the odds are not only heavily in their favor but it's almost a shock when a QB isn't first off the board.
That has informed our rankings process over the last many years where if there is an elite quarterback then they should be put No. 1 overall even if we love players at other positions because the history of the NFL Draft dictates that move.
And Ryder Lyons is an elite quarterback who is so perfect for today's position. He has all the tools to be an elite pocket passer but he's incredibly dynamic outside the pocket, throwing on the run or making people miss with his feet. Lyons is like a perfect mix of all the elite quarterbacks in the game wrapped into one with incredible dual-threat capabilities.
It gets a little tricky because Lyons is planning to take a religious mission after high school but he's so talented that I still think he's the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class - even if it takes him a little longer to prove it.
SMITH’S VIEW: Jackson Cantwell
There are other players pushing Cantwell in this discussion but he remains a clear No. 1 for me. Cantwell has a rare blend of size with a massive wingspan, athleticism and a great mentality. He’s a state champion thrower and could be an Olympian there like his parents were if he didn’t stick with football. The Missouri native also has a high football IQ and wants to be great. Cantwell is the total package as a cornerstone tackle.
SPIEGELMAN’S VIEW: Faizon Brandon
Faizon Brandon is surgical orchestrating his offense up and down the field. He boasts outstanding arm talent to make throws all over the field and the ability to extend plays or improvise outside the pocket. During a live evaluation this fall, we loved how Brandon stepped up in big moments -- converting pivotal downs and distances and using unique arm angles to slice up defenses. The five-star prospect is consistently accurate and composed and made some big-time throws in different parts of the field when asked to. At a lean 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Brandon is hard to contain when he breaks the pocket, which is another added element to his game.
He's undoubtedly one of the best at the most premium position, and Brandon's current body of work and upside warrants No. 1 consideration
