8/24/2016 football Edit

Eight new four-star prospects in updated Rivals rankings

Woody Wommack • Rivals.com

Social Media Director

After a summer of new evaluations there were plenty of changes to both the Rivals100 and the Rivals250. But those weren’t the only moves impacting some of the top players in the country.

There were also eight players who earned their coveted fourth stars. While they didn’t quite make the top 250, it’s still worth noting their new evaluations.

The Rivals.com analyst team reveals the players that rose up the latest rankings and the reasons behind the movement.

Note: The prospects below are listed in alphabetical order.

Brown's defining characteristic is his size. He has impressive length that lets him close well. What makes him special, however, is that he is capable of covering like a corner despite having a safety's frame. He's a versatile prospect that is capable of shining in a number of different roles and systems. Brown is committed to Arkansas. - Rivals.com Southeast analyst Rob Cassidy

For one reason or another I always missed Calcaterra on the 7-on-7 circuit in California this summer but finally got to watch him at The Opening, and I saw why Oklahoma loved him so much. The Sooners' commit is a big receiver or agile tight end who is a mismatch problem because of his speed and size mix. Plus, Calcaterra has shown the ability to make tough catches. The Oklahoma coaches have compared him to a Mark Andrews-type player and I definitely see the comparison. -- Rivals.com National analyst Adam Gorney

The LSU commit is a super athletic for a player his size, and he turned heads at several camp events this summer. He’s still raw when it comes to his footwork and fundamentals, but his ability to move combined with his potential makes him an ideal candidate to blossom at the next level. - Rivals.com Southeast analyst Woody Wommack

Elliss is a massive 6-foot-5, 330-pound defensive tackle who pushes the pocket, takes on two blockers with ease and gets into the backfield to make plays. He's also the son of Luther Elliss, who spent almost a decade in the NFL and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection, so the four-star understands what it takes to be successful in football. Elliss has the talent to be special: He's tough, plays with a lot of drive and has a great body to be a run stuffer and to disrupt the backfield. His recruitment remains wide open. -- Gorney

Hicks is used all over the field for La Mirada, which makes sense, because he's so athletic and intelligent that he makes plays in all three phases. The four-star is probably best at corner because he's so sudden breaking on the ball, tipping passes away or out-leaping receivers for jump balls. He's also a really talented receiver who has excellent hands and can make defenders miss. He remains wide open in his recruitment and is still working on some official visits. -- Gorney

Melton has been on the scene for a long time and amassed an impressive offer sheet before committing to Rutgers. He is electric with the ball in his hands and can score from anywhere on the field. The concern with Melton has always been his size, but he has bulked up a bit and seems like he is more of a physical presence on the field. -- Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic analyst Adam Friedman

Tuipulotu is an aggressive gap-shooter who played inside and outside in his junior season but almost certainly projects as a defensive tackle in college. The Washington commit could also add some good weight and I don't think it will slow down his speed at all. He sheds blocks easily, he aggressively pursues the ball and he attacks offensive players in the backfield, tracking them down and recording sacks all the time. -- Gorney

The Washington commit is shifty coming out of the backfield, he can sneak through the smallest holes and he can cut away from defenders easily. Once Wedington gets to the second level, no one can catch him, so he can break off big runs at all times. Not only is he a tremendous asset at running back, but the four-star can be used at cornerback and on special teams, and he brings huge value to those spots as well. -- Gorney