Super Bowl 50: Impact five-stars

With Super Bowl 50 approaching quickly, we thought it would be interesting to look at the top two-, three-, four- and five-stars that should impact the game. Today, we look at the five-stars, with each and every one of them on the Carolina side.

Related: Impact two-stars at Super Bowl 50 | Three-stars | Four-stars

The skinny: Cam Newton was a five-star coming out of high school and then again coming out of Blinn Community College in 2010. After starting his collegiate career at Florida and making his way to Blinn for one season, he found a second FBS home at Auburn. His one season with the Tigers culminated in a national championship for Auburn and a Heisman Trophy for Newton. Selected first overall in the 2011 draft by Carolina, Newton was the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year as he improved the Panthers from 2-14 to 6-10. In his third season, he led the Panthers to the first of three straight playoff appearances, which culminated in this season's 15-1 record, where he is regarded as a heavy favorite to win league MVP. He has earned three invitations to the Pro Bowl in his five-year career.

Farrell’s take: A two-time five-star on Rivals.com, once as a senior coming out of high school and then again as the No. 1 JUCO player in the country. There was never much doubt that Newton would impact with his size and athleticism and he has become a dominant run-pass guy at the next level. I'm proud that we were the only site to have him as a five-star out of high school. He helped set that big quarterback standard that has led to a different way of evaluating the tall, athletic yet huge quarterbacks out of high school. Newton has improved so much in the area of accuracy it’s beyond impressive.

The skinny: No. 10 overall, the No. 2 tight end and the No. 1 recruit from New Jersey in the class of 2003, Greg Olsen originally followed his brother Chris Olsen to Notre Dame, but when Chris transferred to Virginia, Greg quickly transferred to Miami without ever playing a snap in South Bend. Since being selected with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Olsen has established himself as one of the more reliable tight ends in the league over the last nine seasons. His level of productivity has increased in Carolina, as he and Newton has developed into a lethal combination. He has been Newton’s main target in the playoffs, totaling 12 receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown in their two wins.

Farrell’s take: Olsen was one of the highest-ranked tight ends in Rivals.com history and has certainly panned out. He was a monster in high school who was too big and athletic to be covered and teamed up with his older brother, Chris Olsen, who signed with Virginia. One of the best tight ends I've ever seen, Olsen has had a great career, but this year he has taken his game to yet another level.

The skinny: No. 10 overall, the No. 1 running back and the No. 1 recruit from Washington in the class of 2005, Jonathan Stewart committed to Oregon over Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, Washington and Cal. Stewart decided to forego his senior season after after a big junior season saw him rush for 1,722 yards and 11 touchdowns. Selected with the 13th overall pick by Carolina, he has spent his entire professional career with the Panthers. After overcoming some injury difficulties in recent years, Stewart is once again Carolina’s lead back and responded with 989 yards and six touchdowns this season. In the playoffs, he has also carried the load, with 189 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries.

Farrell’s take: Stewart was our top running back in 2005 despite playing in the remote Northwest corner of the country because of his size/speed combination. He could churn out the tough yards and run through tackles, but he also had great feet that allowed him to bounce it outside when he saw daylight. His NFL career has been interesting as he’s mostly split time, so his emergence as the go-to-guy for the best team in the NFL this late in his career is impressive.

The skinny: No. 2 overall, the No. 1 cornerback and the No. 1 recruit from Ohio in the class of 2004, Ted Ginn was considered a heavy Ohio State lean from the start, but still decided to play out his process. After taking official visits to Columbus, USC, Michigan and Pittsburgh, he committed to the Buckeyes at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Ginn showcased his game-breaking abilities during his collegiate career, which ended after his junior season. After being selected ninth overall by Miami in 2007, Ginn spent time with the Dolphins, Cardnials, 49ers and Panthers. It wasn’t until his second stint with Carolina, which began this season, that Ginn truly flourished offensively. After totaling 11 touchdown receptions in his first eight NFL seasons, Ginn grabbed 10 in 2015. This postseason he has added two receptions for 52 yards.

Farrell’s take: Ginn was an elite athlete out of high school as a cornerback, wide receiver and return man and was one of the most dynamic players in the Rivals.com era from Ohio. We projected him as a cornerback at first, but his love of offense and ball skills led to a career catching the ball rather than defending it. His NFL career until this season has been considered a disappointment, but he has been huge in the Panthers' run to the Super Bowl.

The skinny: No. 4 overall, the No. 1 safety and the No. 1 recruit from California in the class of 2012, Shaq Thompson had a rather hectic recruiting process that saw him commit, de-commit and re-commit to Cal, and then finally commit to Washington. With the Huskies he earned a reputation of being a playmaker, both on defense and offense. This led to his selection by Carolina with the 25th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. Starting 10 games for the Panthers at outside linebacker in 2015, Thompson surprised many with a very productive season that saw him finish with 50 tackles and one sack. In the playoffs, he has chipped in with six more tackles, but with the injury and question marks surrounding Thomas Davis’ condition, the window may be open for Thompson to have a big Super Bowl.

Farrell’s take: You'd be hard pressed to find a better overall athlete in the 2015 NFL Draft and in the class of 2012. Thompson was one of the most physically-impressive players at his position I’ve seen. He was not only quick for his size in coverage, but he arrived at the ball with a thump and had that two-way ability. He’s off to a great start in the NFL.