Ask Farrell: Is this the best elite crop of DL in Rivals history?
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There have been only four other times in Rivals history dating back to 2002 where there have been four defensive linemen among the top 10 and the 2020 class could be the fifth as Jordan Burch, Bryan Bresee, Sav’ell Smalls and Myles Murphy are all in that range of the newly-updated Rivals100.
Bresee and Murphy are already committed to Clemson, Burch has Clemson and South Carolina among his favorites and Smalls still has a long list of suitors.
Getting four defensive linemen that high in the rankings also happened last recruiting cycle with Alabama’s Antonio Alfano, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens and Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal. Both Alfano and Leal had tremendous weeks at the All-American Bowl and Thibodeaux was great at the Under Armour game to shoot up the rankings.
In 2017, it happened with Florida State’s Marvin Wilson and Josh Kaindoh along with Jaelan Phillips and Ohio State’s Chase Young, who has proven to be the best of the bunch so far in college football.
The 2012 and 2010 classes also boasted four defensive linemen among the top 10.
This latest release of rankings saw all four of those players mentioned above move up in the rankings. Burch saw the biggest bump, up 10 spots all the way to No. 3, followed by Bresee at fourth overall, Smalls at No. 7 and Murphy right at No. 10.
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell if this foursome is the best of the top-10 bunches or if he prefers another year group of defensive linemen from an earlier recruiting cycle.
"The 2012 class is probably my favorite for defensive linemen in the top 10 with Mario Edwards, Jonathan Bullard, Eddie Goldman and Noah Spence because there was a nice mix of tackles and ends and athletic kids who could change positions.
"Last year was exceptional as well and if not for Phillips' career-threatening injury, 2017 would have been special as well and still could be with Young leading the way.
"This year, I like Burch a lot, I like our move of Bresee to defensive tackle and I have questions about Smalls and Murphy a bit. Smalls could be a hybrid guy and that is his best position at the next level and Murphy has all the skills but needs to be more physical. But all four are terrific prospects with high ceilings.
"However, give me the 2012 class when it comes to this question. They were awesome to watch and scout."