The Rivals 2025 rankings are set to update in just a few weeks, and the list will expand significantly (it currently lists 40 prospects). Dozens of players will see their names on the list for the first time and some prospects are simply sure things to make the impending cut.
This week in I've Got Five On It, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy examines five players that are good bets to break into the rankings when things refresh.
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2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 40
Transfer Portal: Latest news
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1. JERMAINE O’NEAL JR.
ABOUT HIM: The son of the six-time NBA All-Star, O’Neal Jr attends Dallas’ Dynamic Prep Academy and has long been on the radar of scouts and college coaches alike. The 6-foot-5 wing is a weapon on the perimeter and is a threat to take defenders off the dribble, but shoots the ball well enough that he must be respected from deep. His long-armed build gives him tremendous defensive upside and his bloodlines make a statement of their own. O’Neal’s father coaches him at Dynamic Prep, for which the soon-to-be-ranked prospect most recently turned heads at this month’s Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.
RECRUITMENT: O’Neal Jr. holds early offers from Missouri, Arizona State, SMU, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. The Texas-based powers are also kicking the tires on his recruitment, which is very much still in its infancy.
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2. PATTON PINKINS
ABOUT HIM: The son of Texas Tech assistant coach Al Pinkins, who played his college ball at NC State before making multiple D-I coaching stops, Patton Pinkins attends Frenship High School in West Texas and stands 6-foot-5. His length and shooting ability – both from distance and the midrange – make the shooting guard an intriguing prospect to watch as he adds polish and becomes a more complete weapon. Pinkins made a mark on a handful of major events this summer and seems to be on track to collect a number of high-major offers down the road.
RECRUITMENT: Texas Tech is Pinkins’ lone high-major offer as things stand, but mid-major schools such as Georgia Southern, Radford and UTSA have made things official.
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3. CALEB WILSON
ABOUT HIM: Wilson is a slam-dunk when it comes to being ranked in the near future, as the 6-foot-7 forward has all the makings of a major national prospect. Wilson’s athleticism is just as intriguing as his length. Once known best as a highlight machine that leaned heavily on athleticism, Wilson has become a more refined prospect in the last half year or so.
Our Travis Graf is particularly high on the sophomore, who plays his high school ball for Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Georgia. Wilson has taken steps as a shooter from the outside and has the length and motor to defend multiple positions.
RECRUITMENT: Indiana, Alabama, Cincinnati, Xavier and Georgia are among those that have already offered Wilson. It feels as though his upside may eventually command serious blueblood interest should he continue to develop.
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4. ALEX LLOYD
ABOUT HIM: The Florida-based guard is an explosive scorer capable of taking over games, and he did just that in a recent outing at the City of Palms Classic. There, Lloyd averaged 21 points and four rebounds in two games at the event to put an exclamation mark on a six-month run of impressive play.
There are few guards in the 2025 class that can score with Lloyd, who brings the ability to score in the half-court and in transition. He’ll need to take strides when it comes to setting up teammates while limiting turnovers, but his motor, versatile offensive skill set and length make him a tantalizing long-term prospect, to say the least.
RECRUITMENT: Miami, Florida State and Florida have all offered the sophomore. Kentucky has also shown preliminary interest, but has yet to offer. Lloyd, who grew up a Miami fan, also hopes to land offers from Michigan State and North Carolina.
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5. WILL RILEY
ABOUT HIM: The Canadian-born Riley is a hyper-intriguing prospect that boasts remarkable versatility for a sophomore. Riley, who attends The Phelps school in Pennsylvania, stands 6-foot-7 and has legitimate guard skills. He’s a well above-average shooter that uses a herky-jerky change of pace to create space and get to the basket off the dribble.
His length, ball-handling ability and scoring prowess has placed him squarely in the mix for a spot inside the top 25, and that might be conservative. He’ll need to continue to grow as a defender and add polish, but he’s well on his way to becoming a national prospect.
RECRUITMENT: Kansas State and NJIT have offered Riley, who is currently playing his first season on American soil. It's much too early to venture any sort of guess at which schools may have the best chance of landing the impressive wing.
