The college football recruiting class of 2019 is beginning to take shape and, with National Signing Day in the rear view mirror for the 2018 class, the focus is now firmly on next year's group. With that in mind, the 247Sports composite is an exceptionally useful tool in evaluating prospects from coast to coast and, recently, there was a significant change at the top of the heap in 2019.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, an extremely talented five-star defensive end from Thousand Oaks (Calif.), operated as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class and, while this certainly isn't a knock on his upside, the new No. 1 is defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher. Geaux 247 brings word of the news and with good reason, as LSU is considered to be the significant front-runner for the 6'5, 279-pound rising senior from Amite (La.).
There is plenty of room for a back and forth at the top and, frankly, no reason to question the impressive ability of both Thibodeaux and Sopsher at this point. Still, there is always a bit of extra emphasis paid to the top overall player in the 247Sports composite and, as of mid-February and with nearly an entire 12-month period before National Signing Day, that player is Ishmael Sopsher.