Is Justin Fields college football’s best 2018 recruit? 247 now thinks so

[Published July 4 and updated with 247’s rankings change.]

It doesn’t really matter whether Clemson QB commit Trevor Lawrence or uncommitted dual-threat Justin Fields has the higher rating. Both Georgians are excellent high school players and college prospects.

But if you need a new sports debate for the time being, give this one a try.

At 6’3 and 221 pounds, Fields stars in football and baseball for Harrison High School. He decommitted from Penn State in June, after having been committed for half a year, and has a list based closer to home. Over the last three weeks, Fields has visited UGA, Auburn, FSU, Florida, and Bama and has good things to say about each.

At this past weekend’s The Opening Finals, the year’s biggest national recruiting event, Fields’ name rang out constantly. Already the MVP of The Opening’s Orlando camp, he added QB-specific Elite 11 MVP and Finals MVP honors while leading his 7-on-7 team to a dominant championship, throwing five touchdowns and no INTs in the finale.

He’s the first name on our All-Opening Team and was the standout at an event that included Lawrence, No. 2 overall recruit and defensive line MVP Xavier Thomas (also a Clemson commit), and dozens of other blue chips.

Lawrence entered the event as the No. 1 recruit on the 247Sports Composite, with Fields No. 2 among QBs. A week after The Opening, 247’s own ranking (which is part of the Composite) moved Fields to No. 1 overall.

This makes sense:

And watching it from afar definitely felt like this:

He’s given interviews praising elements of several Southeastern schools, like their track records of success at QB, their respective traditions, and thin depth charts that would allow for immediate playing time.

When asked by SB Nation’s Bud Elliott to predict where some star targets will commit, Fields didn’t tip his hand:

Fields thinks Anthony Schwartz will go to Florida. Schwartz might be the fastest player at The Opening. He also believes tight end Kyle Pitts will pick the Gators. Fields expects Georgia receiver Kearis Jackson to stay home and play for Georgia, and for Alabama receiver Justyn Ross to pick Auburn. He thinks Brennan Eagles will pick Texas.

In the June update to SB Nation’s QB Dominoes feature, Elliott covered what top contenders have to offer:

Auburn has the Cam Newton connection, as Fields idolizes the former Tigers QB and plays on his 7v7 team, which is sponsored by Under Armour, as is Auburn. If 7v7 was like AAU in basketball recruiting, the apparel company connection might be seen as the most important piece in this recruitment. But football is different, so we’ll wait to see if it matters. Auburn also has a wide open QB room after transfer QB Jarrett Stidham leaves in a year or two.

Florida, having just accepted a transfer from QB Malik Zaire, may offer the most immediate playing time, especially if class of 2016 QB Feleipe Franks is not developing as fast as UF would like. And Fields is a better prospect at the same age than Franks.

Florida State has Jimbo Fisher, the coach among the four schools with the clear best track record for developing quarterbacks, and has some room given that 2015 signee De’Andre Johnson and 2016 signee Malik Henry are no longer with the program.

And Georgia is the in-state school, which cannot be ignored, but it has signed five-star QBs in back-to-back years, so playing time might be the toughest in Athens. His sister has also committed to play softball for Georgia.

And, yeah, there’s always Bama, too.

Though Fields would like to get it done before his senior season begins.

“I want to get back to all of the top schools,” Fields said, clarifying that meant the five he recently visited. He’s said he has Auburn and UGA return plans already made.

I sure don’t know. Lawrence is amazing as well. Considering how frequently Clemson plays other top Southeastern schools these days, we might get a chance to see this one settled on the field.