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          2023 football recruiting rankings: New five-stars, rising prospects

          Nico Iamaleava, Caleb Downs, Arch Manning, Keon Keeley and Malachi Nelson ESPN Illustration, images courtesy On3/Chad Simmons
          • Craig Haubert
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            Craig Haubert
            ESPN Staff Writer
            • National recruiting analyst and analyst for ESPNU
            • More than a decade of college and pro coaching experience.
            • Graduated from Indiana and Nebraska-Omaha
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          • Tom Luginbill
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            Tom Luginbill
            ESPN Analyst
            • Senior National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN.com
            • Coached in four professional football leagues
            • Graduated from Eastern Kentucky and Marshall
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          Oct 12, 2022, 07:00 AM ET

          The senior season for college football recruits in the 2023 class is past the halfway point, which means it's time to update our ESPN 300 rankings.

          Many recruits in the top 10 have produced, including record-breaking seasons from USC's Malachi Nelson and Texas' Arch Manning, ranked the Nos. 1 and 2 QBs and overall prospects in the class. Manning broke Isidore Newman High School's (Louisiana) career passing yard and TD records previously held by his uncles Eli and Peyton, respectively. Nelson has added to his own career passing yard and TD records, having amassed 90 TDs. Like Manning, Nelson is on pace to crack the 7,000 career passing yard mark, and we still feel his higher level of competition gives him the slight edge in our rankings.

          Beyond Nelson, Manning and Oregon commit Dante Moore (who remains at No. 3 overall), a fourth quarterback entered the top 10. Oklahoma commit Jackson Arnold made the biggest noise and earned a fifth star (more on that later). It is the first time in the ESPN 300 era that four quarterbacks have landed inside the top 10 overall.

          Below, we break down the five prospects that achieved five-star status, notable prospects who climbed the rankings and those who went from unranked to top 300.

          Jump to:
          New five-stars | Big climbers | New faces

          Meet the five recruits who earned new five-star ratings

          Jackson Arnold, QB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 8 (previous: 15)

          Arnold is having an excellent senior season, posting a 5-0 record while going 66-for-108 for 1,075 yards. He has completed 61% of his passes and has been remarkably efficient with the football in a similar fashion to Arch Manning, having tossed 13 TDs to just one interception. He has also been a positive force on the ground with 140 rushing yards and four TDs. Right now, the Oklahoma Sooners wish he was already on campus. He has a smooth stroke, and the ball jumps off his hand. He also possesses good feet and pocket mobility. We love his confident style of play, and he continues to show the it factor that coaches covet under center.

          Caleb Downs, S
          ESPN 300 ranking: 12 (previous: 16)

          Downs has earned a fifth star midway through the season as he has lined up at just about every skill position on the field -- and produced. The Alabama commit could project at multiple positions for the next level, but we really like his range and versatility on defense. He's very similar to Malaki Starks during his high school career with elite range and ball skills that Starks is displaying for Georgia. On offense, Downs has posted 18 carries for 137 yards and seven TDs while hauling in 18 catches for 178 yards. On defense, he has tallied 33 tackles, one sack and three interceptions.

          Makai Lemon, WR
          ESPN 300 ranking: 13 (previous: 19)

          Hopefully a recent ankle injury doesn't sideline Lemon too long, but even if he didn't take another snap this season, he has established himself as one of the elite receivers in this class. Having the top-ranked QB in the nation, Malachi Nelson, delivering passes is a nice luxury, but Lemon is also a key target for his fellow five-star teammate. The USC commit reminds us of current Trojans standout WR Jordan Addison. Though not quite as lengthy, Lemon possesses many similar traits, blending great quickness and change-of-direction with top-level body control and ball skills. He maximizes those elite physical traits with tenacious competitiveness.

          Peyton Bowen, S
          ESPN 300 ranking: 14 (previous: 30)

          A long-time Notre Dame commit, Bowen remains a key target for programs like Texas A&M and Oklahoma, and it is not hard to see why. Among the most dynamic defenders in the class, he will be a quick contributor to both defense and special teams once he arrives to South Bend. A physical, downhill hitter, Bowen has shown in camp settings that he is also very coachable, instinctive and versatile. He is also one of the fastest players in this class, posting among the best laser-tested 40 times this offseason (4.53) while also notching an elite max speed score at nearly 22 mph. That latter metric demonstrates that his speed translates to his play in pads.

          David Hicks, DT
          ESPN 300 ranking: 15 (previous: 17)

          Recently making headlines by committing to Texas A&M over Oklahoma, Hicks is extremely productive on the field with college-ready physical tools. He's a big body that has tested well, running a 7.5 L-Drill and 4.34 shuttle (Under Armour Dallas event) at nearly 280 pounds this offseason. This blend of size and mobility allows him to be disruptive and versatile. As he has shown for Paetow High School (Texas) this season, he can line up at various spots along the defensive front to exploit matchups. Possessing a good initial burst, excellent power and strong hands, Hicks has demonstrated he can be extremely difficult to contain with over a dozen tackles for loss and multiple sacks already in 2022.

          Four recruits who soared up the rankings

          Damon Wilson, DE
          ESPN 300 ranking: 30 (previous: 57)

          Even in a losing team effort, Wilson dominated during an in-season evaluation. A prospect with an impressive frame (6-4, 235), he's explosive and flexible -- traits that have been accentuated with his physical style of play. Capable of chasing down QBs with a relentless motor, he's also able to set the edge and defend the run. His head coach speaks highly of Wilson's work ethic and leadership off the field. Georgia and Ohio State are among the top teams battling for his commitment.

          Cedric Baxter Jr., RB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 39 (previous: 58)

          Baxter has already scored 10 touchdowns and rushed for 1,066 yards through five games for Edgewater High School (Florida). If he continues at this pace, he'll easily surpass the 2,000-yard mark and likely before the playoffs. The Texas commit is the definition of a true power back. He pushes the pile and is a one-cut slasher that gets downhill and always falls forward. He is also much faster than he looks on film, having posted a sub-4.6 laser-to-laser 40 time.

          Suntarine Perkins, ATH
          ESPN 300 ranking: 47 (previous: 72)

          Like Downs, the versatile Perkins has been ultra-productive on both sides of the ball. He has starred on defense with 45 tackles, three sacks, one INT and two fumble recoveries. We feel he projects at strong safety or nickel linebacker given his range and explosive closing ability in the box. Offensively, Perkins has scored 10 touchdowns while being featured as a running back. He has displayed excellent ball skills on both sides of the ball. He is currently committed to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.

          Damari Brown, CB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 111 (previous: 223)

          One of the most coveted remaining uncommitted defensive backs, Brown has really impressed during an in-person evaluation this season. A prospect that the American Heritage (Florida) staff believes possesses similar tools to former Alabama standout and first-round NFL selection Pat Surtain II, Brown is a fluid player with good feet. Facing a talented offensive team in Los Alamitos (California) early in the season, Brown regularly responded when tested with excellent positioning and instincts. American Heritage has produced elite talent, and Brown displays the tools to be the school's next outstanding player out of that secondary.

          Six new faces in the ESPN 300

          Derion Gullette, OLB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 148

          Gullette is out for his senior campaign due to an offseason knee injury, but his rare physical traits were too much to ignore for this update. We tracked Gullette running 20.76 mph as a ball carrier, which is the elite territory for linebackers, especially at 225 pounds. Gullette, who also plays basketball and competes in track and field, is listed as an OLB in our rankings. The Texas commit has the range to remain in an off-the-ball role, but also has the size to play on the edge. These are highly coveted traits.

          Kenyon Sadiq, ATH
          ESPN 300 ranking: 153

          Sadiq is one of the premier big skill prospects in the country. The 6-4, 225-pounder posted rare testing measurables across the board for an athlete of his size at our Northern California camp this offseason. He jumped 32 inches on the vertical test and broad jumped 122 inches, showing elite lower-body explosion on a big frame. Those traits have translated into even more big-play production on the field this fall. Depending on Oregon's needs and his development, Sadiq could play WR or in a TE-H role. Along with ESPN 300 commits WR Jurrion Dickey, WR Ashton Cozart and RB Dante Dowdell, the Ducks have assembled one of the most physically impressive hauls of skill players in this class.

          Grayson Howard, OLB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 179

          Howard has contributed since his freshman year but is in the midst of another monster season on the field. He has developed steadily since we first saw him as a 180-pounder at our Jacksonville Camp in 2020 and blew up on the trail following an outstanding performance at our Orlando Camp in 2021. Now that he bulked up to 215 pounds at 6-3, he demonstrates elite short area explosiveness for linebackers. Howard can disrupt off the edge and track down faster backs in pursuit. He's a great front-seven building block (along with ESPN 300 DE Desmond Umeozulu) for South Carolina.

          Arion Carter, ILB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 280

          It is not often that Memphis has a commit ranked in the ESPN 300, but they will likely need to fight to hold him. A riser not just on our board, Carter has gained the attention of several Power 5 programs with official visits set this fall to Alabama and Ohio State. A versatile athlete who has also played running back, Carter's best fit looks to be on defense, where he has impressed thus far in 2022. At linebacker, he has demonstrated great agility to work through traffic as well as be effective in coverage. He has also displayed explosive closing burst with the ability to deliver pop as a tackler. The evaluation process never ends, and Carter is a good example as he climbed the rankings during his senior season.

          Roderick Robinson II, RB
          ESPN 300 ranking: 290

          Robinson made headlines in September by rushing for 476 yards and eight touchdowns in a game and currently has 1,650 yards and 24 scores on the season. The 6-1, 240-pounder registered laser-to-laser 4.7 40-yard dash times (4.5 hand-timed range) in each of the last two offseasons at our events and was recently tracked running 20.5 mph, making him one of the top size/speed combos at running back in this cycle. UCLA gained his commitment in May, but despite the Bruins' hot start on the field, the four-star Robinson flip his pledge to Georgia on Monday. The Bulldogs now have a high-carry workhorse to wear down SEC defenses with enough wiggle and quickness to also make defenders miss in the hole. Robinson has good hands out of the backfield, can pass block and has coveted every-down tools.

          Cooper Flanagan, TE
          ESPN 300 ranking: 293

          Notre Dame has a rich history at tight end, including the top prospect at the position for this upcoming draft in Michael Mayer, and the more we watch Flanagan, the more similarities we see between the two. Like Mayer, Flanagan has great size (6-5, 230) and a versatile skill set in blocking and pass catching. He has grown over three inches and gained more than 50 pounds since we first evaluated him. Flanagan also impressed off the field during our week-one broadcast of the GEICO High School Showcase with a strong leadership presence. He comes from a De La Salle (California) program that produces successful prospects.