Writers for the Rival sites can voice opinions on players they think the Analyst need to take a closer look at...but, they aren't involved in actually ranking the players on a nationwide scale.
Bobby Burton, Mike Farrell, Jeremy Crabtree and Barry Everest have the most say in the national picture. For the Southeast, it's primarily Barton Simmons (covers the SEC) and Farrell (ACC and Big East.)
Site owners can have a say in the matter, as long as it makes sense. As example, Mike Scarborough (TigerBait.com - LSU) sent an email out stating that every DB Saban recruited for LSU should be given a 5* because Saban knows DB's (when CNS was at LSU.) Of course, he doesn't quite hold that view today. I'm not saying it was BOL, but last year when they were holding the MS vs AL All-Star game and Alonzo Lawrence was doing more than holding his own against Julio and De'Andre Brown the national guys took a closer look at Lawrence...which, resulted in his HUGE bump up the ratings charts.
In his article that I noticed the other day it wasn't "anti-Bama" but it was the kind of reading that Rebel fans may take as a sign that Ole Miss has a shot at Austin Long, OT out of Briarwood Christian in Memphis. That said, from everything I've heard it's not going to be a race between Bama and Ole Miss for his signature. I wouldn't go as far as to say he's ours, but he's definitely a heavy Bama lean.