re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition

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The two most dominant guys today so far have been Alex Leatherwood and Jhamon Ausbon

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LaBryan Ray gets around Edward Ingram on three straight reps.

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Robert Hainsey goes to the ground during back-to-back reps against Tyler Shelvin.

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3 star DT Phidarian Mathis having a good day against the run

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From Chad Simmons:
DL Labryan Ray is killing it. Won three reps in a row. His technique is better than anyone's on the DL. Likely a Bama lean

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Who is the No. 1 player in the class of 2017? It's a title that is as debatable as any No. 1 in recent memory. Ask the four primary sites that cover college football recruiting and you'll get three different answers. As we near Feb. 1's National Signing Day, opinions are getting more disparate than streamlined.

This is the time of year when the debate gets settled. The All-American game circuit puts the best players in the country on an equal footing and gives some closing context to a race that is years in the making.

In most years, the culminating battle is spread between the two major All-American games or it's not much of a battle at all with only one or two real contenders for the top spot. This year is unique. In the estimation of 247Sports, all of the legitimate candidates for the No. 1 spot have elected to play in the U.S. Army Bowl. That means when Army Bowl practices get going next week in San Antonio, the No. 1 spot will be decided where it should be: on the field.

These are the top candidates for the top spot.

The offensive tackles 

Foster Sarell, OT, Washington – The current No. 1 player according to 247Sports, Sarell earned that title after dominating The Opening Finals over the summer. He's tucked away in Washington and doesn't play a high level of competition so his film can only tell you so much. These types of settings are where we get our read on whether Sarell is a potential No. 1 NFL pick. Because of his limited exposure to elite competition, a good week in San Antonio is a requirement for him to hang on to that top spot. Every physical trait you want from a No. 1 player is there. You can't draw up a better-looking franchise tackle.

Walker Little, OT, Texas – Nobody has Little ranked higher than we do at 247Sports (No. 2 overall) and that's because I don't think there's a player in this class that has as high of a ceiling as the 6-foot-8, 305-pounder. The Stanford commit has matured from a gangly, awkward aspiring tackle to a dominating force on the edge over the last two years. Like Sarell, his competition level is suspect in high school but if he dominates San Antonio similar to the way he dominated The Opening Finals this summer, his upside could carry him to that No. 1 ranking.

The running backs

There hasn't been an East vs. West debate this heated since Biggy and Tupac. Everyone out West believes in California native and Alabama commit Najee Harris as the nation's No. 1 running back and every southerner is equally convinced it's Mississippi's own Cam Akers, a recent Florida State commit. Both had tremendous senior seasons and both possess the rare physical traits for the title but we'll sort out our final opinion in San Antonio.

247Sports has never had a running back rank as the nation's top overall player (the 247Sports Composite, on the other hand, has tabbed Leonard Fournette and Joe McKnight as No. 1 players). Positional value makes it rare to even have a back in the discussion but this year's duo of top backs has forced itself into the debate. Both have rare size and athleticism combinations and both have the productivity on the high school level to state a case.

In 2014, the Army Bowl featured Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey, Royce Freeman and Joe Mixon, among others. Those guys all looked phenomenal during the week at Army so we know what an elite back should look like in this setting. To reach No. 1, Akers or Harris will have to surpass an already high bar.

The edge terror

Right now, there's one defensive lineman that is heading into San Antonio within striking distance of No. 1 and that's UCLA commit Jaelan Phillips. The kid is 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, he put up 21 sacks as a senior and he's athletic enough that he could play middle linebacker if he wanted to.

In today's game, Phillips is a valued commodity because of his ability to affect the quarterback on defense with his pass rush, his instincts to get into throwing lanes and his athleticism to comfortably drop into coverage.

This is one of the best offensive line classes we've ever seen. Phillips will be battling the current No. 1 and No. 2 prospects in the country all week during practice at offensive tackle. If he dominates the week against that kind of competition, he'll be a no-brainer for No. 1.

The wildcards

There are no finalists for the No. 1 ranking. The candidates aren't exclusive to the guys above or even the names below. With a good enough week, there's no telling who could steal that title. Here are a few wild cards to keep an eye on.

AJ Epenesa, DE, Illinois – On paper, he's a No. 1 candidate because of his size and athleticism. He's 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, is an elite basketball player and he's one of the best discus throwers in the country. The Iowa commit hasn't had much exposure on the camp circuit. We'll see what he's all about next week.

Austin Jackson, OT, Arizona – A wild card because we just haven't seen much of him on a national scale. Jackson has a power forward's build and lots of toughness and athleticism. There's no telling what we'll get out of a kid brimming with upside.

A quarterback – The top quarterback in each cycle should always have a shot at the No. 1 ranking. Unfortunately Davis Mills will have a hard time rising to the nation's top spot because of a playoff injury. He'll also have to watch from the clubhouse as his ranking as the No. 1 quarterback is contested by some talented contenders. Alabama commit Tua Tagovailoa, Clemson commit Hunter Johnson and Georgia commit Jake Fromm are among the talented arms heading to San Antonio with the physical tools to contend for No. 1.

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From Corey Bender:
DL Labryan Ray has been dominant in one-on-ones. Exploding and utilizing his athleticism at 6-5, 270. Can't draw them up much better either.

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