Farrell 50: Some Heisman contenders emerge in countdown
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With the college football season nearly upon us, it’s time for another installment of the Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. However, as usual here at Rivals.com, we take a quick look at how each ranked out of high school and if they are exceeding or simply living up to expectations. Today we continue with Nos. 6-10, highlighted by two of the most dynamic defenders in the country and some Heisman contenders.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
The skinny: Barrett did not waste any time as he committed to the Buckeyes in mid-April. His commitment came approximately three weeks after he spent two days on campus during a visit. Barrett became the starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman after Braxton Miller was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. He responded by passing for 2,834 yards and 34 touchdowns, while rushing for 938 yards and 11 scores, but broke his ankle against Michigan. Last season he served as the back-up to Cardale Jones for the first eight games before finishing this season as the starter. This season he will back in charge of the Buckeyes offense and looks to regain the flash he showed in 2014.
Farrell’s take: Barrett’s senior season was cut short due to an ACL tear, which hurt his ranking especially as a dual-threat quarterback because it led to some questions about his mobility. Even then, we ranked him as the No. 7 dual-threat QB, so it was clear we liked him quite a bit. I remember him at the Elite 11 the summer before his senior year and he made some amazing throws, especially on longer passes and during the more pressure-filled periods of the camp, but he also didn’t look overly comfortable as a pocket passer. He’s shown how dynamic he can be in Urban Meyer’s offense and a Heisman this year is a possibility.
The skinny: James avoided any recruiting drama by committing to Florida State almost three years before his National Signing Day. Nowadays when a recruit commits as early as James did, they seldom stick with that school, but he never wavered and signed with the Seminoles. As a true freshman, James performed like a veteran, finishing with 91 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. With James’ skillset, athleticism and instincts, he has the potential to become one of the top all-around players in the country this season.
Farrell’s take: I’ve said it before and I will say it again, James is the most athletic and dynamic safety I have ever scouted and that’s saying something. And, after an average start, he came on and became a dominant defensive back as expected as a freshman. He can blitz, he can tackle in space and support the run and he can cover a ton of ground in the passing game. And this is only the beginning as he will be an absolute star in college and beyond. It was a toss-up between James and Jabrill Peppers at these two spots.
The skinny: Peppers narrowed his list to Michigan, Ohio State, LSU and Stanford by the spring after his junior season and committed to the Wolverines in late May. After receiving a medical redshirt after his true freshman season, Peppers moved over to safety last fall and became a major contributor on the defensive side of the ball. He also found his way into the offensive backfield and scored two touchdowns. This season, look for Peppers to play more of a hybrid safety/linebacker position on defense, get touches at running back, wide receiver and wildcat quarterback on offense, and also return punts.
Farrell’s take: Peppers was one of the bigger names in the recruiting world, at least for the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing this. A cornerback and running back who also played some safety in high school, his move to linebacker this upcoming season comes as a bit of surprise looking back on his high school career. But it’s not a pure linebacker role as he will be in coverage a lot and of course doing his thing on offense and special teams. From the first time I saw him as a freshman corner at Bosco to his dominant years at Paramus Catholic, this kid was always special and is one of the best playmakers in college football.
The skinny: Despite earning offers from Washington State, Rice and Florida Atlantic, Mayfield ended up walking on at Texas Tech. Mayfield became an immediate starter for the Red Raiders as a walk-on. However, after winning Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors, Mayfield decided to transfer to Oklahoma and enrolled in January of 2014. After sitting out in 2014, Mayfield flourished last season with the Sooners, passing for 3,700 yards and a Big 12-leading 36 touchdowns, while throwing only seven interceptions. After finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season, there are plenty of expectations this fall in Norman for Mayfield and the Sooners.
Farrell’s take: With a gunslinger’s mentality, Mayfield had a great high school career, but many felt he was a system kid and he didn’t get a ton of offers. Now that he’s settled into the OU spread offense and has been driving opponents crazy with his ability to extend the play and run when needed, he’s one of the top players in the country heading into the season and a Heisman candidate. I’m happy with his three-star ranking since we saw something none of the local schools did at least, but he has clearly outplayed his ranking and his leaderships skills are off the charts.
The skinny: Freeman trimmed his list to Oregon, UCLA, USC and Florida before committing to the Ducks in July. The Oregon coaching staff did a fantastic job identifying his talents early on, which allowed them to develop a relationship with Freeman before other schools. With the Ducks, Freeman has been a huge part of the offense since day one. After rushing for 1,365 yards as a true freshman, he returned last fall and rushed for 1,838 yards and a Pac-12 leading 17 touchdowns in 2015. While Christian McCaffrey receives most of the running back publicity in the Pac-12, another huge season from Freeman will definitely turn more eyes towards Eugene.
Farrell’s take: We knew Freeman was good as a top 60 prospect with great size, but we didn't know he'd fit so well into the speedy offense of Oregon where smaller, slashing backs tend to get the attention. He was the best player on a team that came on at the end of the season and his production on the ground and in the passing game has been invaluable. He has increased his quickness in college and he's tough to bring down like he was out of high school. He could put up monster numbers this season.