Friedman: Facts. After meeting Malachi Goodman for the first time on Wednesday, there’s no doubt he will add his fourth star in the next rankings update, and a move into the Rivals250 is certainly a possibility. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound rookie tackle is not overly heavy and has excellent athletic skills for a player his size. Goodman has great strength and displays quick feet and balance while performing various drills. Georgia, Penn State and Auburn (where he will visit this weekend) are in the best position right now, but USC and Alabama are good in this game.
O’Leary: Facts. Goodman is one of Paramus Catholic’s top prospects since the return of five-star Rashan Gary in 2016. He’s 6-foot-5, weighs about 315 pounds, and has a very good grip. He’s also very athletic, possessing a lot of strength for his size, starting with his strong lower body, which allows him to move defensive linemen around with ease. He’s easily one of the best players in the state of New Jersey and should definitely be in the Rivals250, one of the deepest classes in New Jersey’s history in recent years.
Friedman: Facts. I’m going to play devil’s advocate here, but I do think Will Black and Owen Strebig should be ranked pretty close. I’d give Black the edge right now because he has the tools to make an impact early in his career over Strebig, but Strebig may have more long-term potential.
Watching Blake work out in person this week, what’s been impressive is his physical maturity and how quickly and powerful he can move. He possesses the skills and physical attributes that should allow him to play guard or tackle at the next level, and that versatility could help him earn a ranking and ultimately help him enter the NFL draft.
James: Fiction. The rankings of Strebig and Black should certainly be closer than they currently are, with Strebig ranking 43rd overall and Black outside of Rivals250. But for now I’m still rooting for Strebiger over Black.
Strebig physically feels more like a complete product. He’s tall, strong and plays with an aggressive attitude. He also tested himself against tough competition on the camp circuit, which should help prepare him once he gets to Notre Dame. But Strebig needs to improve his pad level and knee bend to reach his full potential.
Black is technically more sound than Strebig. He does a good job with pad level and knee bend for his size, and his athleticism shows on the field. His biggest improvement may be hand position and strength. Black has tremendous potential, but his road to getting there may be a little longer than Strebig’s.
Will Black end up being a better college offensive lineman than Strebig? Of course I could buy that. His potential might be higher as a more natural left tackle, while Strebig might be best suited at right tackle. But I wouldn’t rush into ranking potential versus production.
Friedman: Novel. I reserve the right to change this answer until we see more of Darren Iginabong this fall, but, after watching his practice on Wednesday, saw him end up in the loop. The Georgia commit has extremely high potential and is much more physically developed than expected at this point in his career. Iginabong possesses a strong lower body and still displays the agility we’ve come to expect from the former basketball player. His skill set was rudimentary late last season, and he hasn’t participated in any skills camps this offseason, so there’s still a lot to learn about him before declaring him the top defensive end in the area.
May: Novel. I wouldn’t say Ikinnagbon should be the highest-ranked player right now, just because the other players are proven commodities. But there’s no question about the ceiling and upside the New Jersey prospect possesses. He’s long and athletic, making him a priority target for Georgia. A strong senior season would certainly put him in contention for the top spot.
