The list starts today in the same place that it started back in August of 2018. J.T. Tuimoloau sets the pace in the 2021 class. Hailing from Washington, Tuimoloau is 6-foot-4.5, 277 pounds and he has all the traits and characteristics to hold on to that No. 1 spot. He plays a premium position, projecting to defensive tackle, but he’s not just a massive body. He’s an athlete with the pass-rush skills to play on the edge — and he even flashes tight end ability at this stage. Tuimoloau extremely productive on film. He’s a high-end basketball player with translatable athleticism and programs from Alabama to Ohio State to Stanford have signed off on him as one of the top priorities in this cycle.
As the nation’s No. 1 prospect, Tuimoloau is the first inductee into the five-star pool as well and at this early stage in the evaluation process, he doesn’t have a lot of company. Only two other players have earned early five-star grades.
New 247 ranks