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          2024 ESPN 300: New No. 1 QB, plus risers and more from updated rankings

          Alabama commit Julian Sayin has become the top QB prospect. Student Sports
          • 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 18, 2023, 08:30 AM ET

          The senior season for college football recruits in the 2024 class is past the halfway point, which means it's time to update our ESPN 300 rankings.

          While there is no change at the top spot of the 300, this new release includes three new No. 1 positional prospects: QB Julian Sayin, OT Jordan Seaton and DE Williams Nwaneri. The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Nwaneri enters the top 10 after posting 30 tackles, eight for loss including four sacks. Dylan Raiola remains the top pocket passer, but after a long debate, Sayin takes over the No. 1 overall QB spot. He has had a more consistent career and has had stronger senior season where he is completing nearly 80% of his passes.

          Here's everything you need to know about the latest rankings:

          Jump to a section:
          Biggest risers | New entries
          Under the radar | Top scheme fits

          Top risers in the 2024 ESPN 300

          WR Jeremiah Smith

          New ESPN 300 rank: 7 | Previous ranking: 9

          Committed: Ohio State Buckeyes

          The 2024 wide receiver class already featured multiple five-star recruits and impressive high-end talent. Smith is one of them and is inching closer to claiming the No. 1 spot. We were impressed both times we scouted the Ohio State commit this season. He is a big target at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, with an impressive blend of speed, body control and tremendous ball skills. He reminds us of 2008 five-star WR Julio Jones. In addition to his talent, teammates and coaches at Chaminade-Madonna High speak highly of his work ethic and leadership. Smith has been difficult to contain in high school play. He caught 16 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns against Bergen Catholic. He also performed well in a big win over rival Miami Central, catching eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns, including a one-handed score that was a "SportsCenter Top-10" highlight. The Buckeyes' commit has all the tools to arrive on campus and make an immediate impact as a freshman.

          OT Jordan Seaton

          New ESPN 300 rank: 19 | Previous rank: 91

          Uncommitted

          Sometimes change is good. That looks to be the case for Seaton, who has taken a big step forward in maximizing his talent since transferring to IMG ahead of his senior season. Seaton is massive, and weighed around 330 pounds earlier in his career, but has taken advantage of the resources around him at IMG and transformed his body, settling into the 290 to 300-pound range. He's still a big and powerful blocker, but shedding the weight has accentuated and improved his mobility, flexibility and balance. Seaton's physical improvements and performance this year have pushed him up the rankings and he is now the No. 1 offensive lineman.

          TE Caleb Odom

          New ESPN 300 rank: 70 | Previous rank: 112

          Committed: Alabama Crimson Tide

          Carrollton played in the ESPN High School Football Showcase early in the season, which provided a good opportunity to reevaluate Odom. He has continued to rise upon subsequent evaluations. He's a tall, lengthy target who creates matchup issues because of his ability to high point the football and win contested catches. He is also fast, tracking at around 20 mph in play speed. An Alabama commit, Odom has proven to be a favorite target for highly touted underclass QB Julian Lewis. Odom caught 60 passes for more than 1,000 yards as a junior and currently leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and TDs as a senior. Odom's length, speed and playmaking ability reminds us of 2018 ESPN 300 TE Kyle Pitts.

          DE Amaris Williams

          New ESPN 300 rank: 99 | Previous rank: 251

          Committed: Florida Gators

          Williams initially impressed at a camp this offseason. He posted strong testing data that included a laser 1.73 10-yard split and a 4.5 short-shuttle at nearly 260 pounds. You're now seeing that athleticism on the field as a senior at both defensive line and running back. The Florida commit possesses a quick initial burst with the redirection skills and range to be a factor in pursuit in the defensive trenches. He is also showing good strength, toughness, and a team-first attitude, tenaciously blocking on offense.

          DT L.J. McCray

          New ESPN 300 rank: 23 | Previous rank: 293

          Uncommitted

          The versatile defensive lineman worked his way into the ESPN 300 this offseason after an impressive showing on the camp circuit. Now, with several senior games under his belt, those measurables are translating into disruptive play and dominance in the trenches. An explosive player, he can disrupt with quick penetration but can also take on blockers with good power and active hands. McCray is one of the most sought-after remaining uncommitted players, with Auburn, Florida State, Florida, Georgia and Miami all battling for the highly rated defensive lineman.

          Top new entries

          QB Hauss Hejny

          ESPN 300 rank: 269

          Committed: TCU Horned Frogs

          We first saw Hejny after his sophomore season at the Under Armour All-America Camp in Dallas, where he was one of the most impressive players in attendance. He has never been very big, physically, but he entered the year as a respected four-star prospect who ranked just outside of the ESPN 300. Hejny is now rising amid a spectacular senior season. He has thrown 20 touchdowns to zero interceptions and is completing 73% of his passes. Despite lacking ideal measurables, reminds us of LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier.

          ATH Lawayne McCoy

          ESPN 300 rank: 270

          Committed: Florida State Seminoles

          Testing data is an important factor when evaluating prospects. Sometimes, though, you need to know when on-field performance overshadows the testing numbers. McCoy is a great example of this. His measurables don't jump off the page, but he's the quintessential "football player" for Miami Central this season. He projects as a wide receiver for Florida State, but when we saw McCoy this season, he was a key two-way player who made five catches for 92 yards and a touchdown while battling injury. McCoy has good length and hands at receiver. His high school coach says he's a tough throwback player who made one of the biggest plays in program history -- a game-sealing interception to beat IMG Academy a year ago.

          RB Kahnen Daniels

          ESPN 300 rank: 266

          Committed: Florida Gators

          A Wildcat quarterback, Daniels is clearly tough to stop despite being the focal point of his team's offense, already topping 1,000 yards for the third consecutive year despite several games left in his season. He has good length and size at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, showing enough power to run through contact. Daniels doesn't have elite top-end speed, but he quickly accelerates to expose daylight and has good balance and agility to elude defenders.

          Under the radar

          QB Josh Flowers

          ESPN 300 rank: 288

          Committed: Mississippi State Bulldogs

          He has been remarkably efficient, throwing 16 touchdowns to just five interceptions while adding 10 more rushing touchdowns. The two-sport athlete has good arm talent and is a gifted deep ball passer. He is not in a pass-happy offense and is an integral part of the run game, providing a lot of production for his team. We feel he has been undervalued in the recruiting process.

          RB Davion Gause

          ESPN 300 rank: 299

          Committed: North Carolina Tar Heels

          You'd think it would be difficult to underrate the starting running back for the No. 2 high school team in the country, but Gause plays alongside a pair of five-star receivers at Chaminade-Madonna. He won't go overlooked much longer. Gause is a big, powerful runner with good balance, earning the nickname 'Bullet' as a child for the way he hit defenders in Pop Warner football. He arrived a bit thinner for his senior season and is showing more burst, as evident when he ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns in an early season win over St. Frances Academy.

          DL Brandon Davis-Swain

          ESPN 300 rank: 229

          Committed: Colorado Buffaloes

          Colorado has a smaller class, but Davis-Swain is a big addition and provides needed help to the trenches. He arrived at the Under Armour Baltimore Camp 20 pounds heavier this offseason, which initially raised some concerns, but he has carried the extra weight well in games this fall and is putting forth MVP-level production. Davis-Swain shows good explosiveness despite the added size, allowing him to be more powerful and versatile. He has shown good physical tools and improvement. Davis-Swain has a chance to become a quick contributor in Boulder.

          CB Trajen Greco

          ESPN 300 rank: 217

          Committed: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

          A big riser who jumped into the ESPN 300, Greco looks like a hometown steal for Georgia Tech. He projects to cornerback and uses his 6-foot-1 frame well, showing good length, agility, and aggressive play style. It might be tough to only use him on defense because of his versatility. His head coach at Mill Creek High School noted that Greco is their most athletic player, deploying him at times in the Wildcat and at receiver where he can utilize his outstanding ball skills. Greco is a very good football player who was ranked too low as a three-star, but is no longer under the radar.

          Top scheme fits

          DE Jacob Smith

          ESPN 300 rank: 89

          Committed: Kentucky Wildcats

          Like Josh Allen and J.J. Weaver before him, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound hybrid DEL/OLB will fit quite nicely at the "Jack" position for Mark Stoops. Smith is super long and rangy, covering a ton of ground on the run. He has enough twitchiness to win with his first step as a pass rusher and tested well at camp this past spring. Smith ran a 4.79 40-yard dash and a 7.39 three-cone L-drill, which is very impressive.

          QB-DT D.J. Lagway

          ESPN 300 rank: 16

          Committed: Florida Gators

          The timing could not be better for Lagway's arrival at Florida with Graham Mertz moving on after this season. Coach Billy Napier wants a dynamic runner and passer at the helm and Lagway will make the Gators more difficult to defend. He has completed 77% of his passes for a staggering 41 touchdowns to just four interceptions through eight games. He has also rushed for 389 yards and six touchdowns. Lagway can't get to Gainesville fast enough.

          TE-H/WR Jaden Reddell

          ESPN 300 rank: 51

          Committed: Georgia Bulldogs

          You've probably noticed a guy named Brock Bowers if you've paid any attention to Georgia the past two seasons. He is one of the more unique athletes and skill sets in college football. Reddell is projects like Bowers coming out of high school. The Bulldogs see him as a utility weapon that could line up anywhere, especially on the inside, and be an athletic mismatch. Reddell, who now weighs 205 pounds, will gain weight, but he'll likely never have the bulk of a true tight end.