ASK FARRELL: Is Marquise Brown going to go in the first round of the NFL Draft?
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
Out-of-state recruiting is especially important if you want to vie for a national championship or even to just contend in your division. In this series we look at players recruited out of state that will have a big impact on their teams, and conference battles, in 2019. We start with some of the quarterbacks that stand out.
Recruiting: Lawrence committed to Clemson in December of his junior season. While he held offers from many of the top programs in the country, it was Georgia who came closest to beating out the Tigers. He never wavered on his pledge to the Tigers.
Farrell’s take: Is there a more important out-of-state recruit than Lawrence to Clemson? The freshman led the Tigers to the national title and continues to prove that Dabo Swinney can recruit with anyone in the country. Georgia certainly isn’t that far from Clemson, South Carolina but the impact of this out-of-state grab can’t be understated.
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Recruiting: Despite claiming that USC was his “dream school”, Tagovailoa committed to Alabama after he took a trip to Tuscaloosa during the spring after his junior season. He also made stops at Auburn and Ole Miss during this trip. Both USC and UCLA continued to pursue Tagovailoa, but neither was able to beat out the Tide.
Farrell’s take: This one looked like it was all USC before that trip to Tuscaloosa and then everything changed. Tagovailoa led Alabama to one national title by coming in the second half and relieving Jalen Hurts against Alabama and he led the Crimson Tide back to the title game last year. This is what we call a very long haul commitment.
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Recruiting: Martinez initially committed to Tennessee, but when a coaching change occurred in Knoxville it opened the door for other programs. Nebraska quickly swooped in, with new coach Scott Frost making him an immediate priority. After an official visit to Lincoln, Martinez officially flipped his commitment from the Vols to the Huskers.
Farrell’s take: Martinez was not shy about leaving the West Coast when it came to finding the right fit and Nebraska took advantage of Tennessee’s loss. Martinez was very impressive as a freshman starter last season and he sparked a lot of excitement out of fans in Lincoln. He has a chance to be a star.
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Recruiting: Book initially committed to Washington State during the spring after his junior season. However, when Notre Dame hired Mike Sanford during that offseason, who Book had established a strong relationship with during his time at Boise State, everything began to change. After a couple of months of back-and-forth, Book officially flipped his commitment to the Irish in August.
Farrell’s take: Book has been huge for the Irish since replacing Brandon Wimbush and was a huge addition from the West Coast who was a bit underrated and undervalued coming out. He not only avoids big mistakes but he has proven he can make big plays when Notre Dame needs it as well.
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Recruiting: Purdy took official visits to Iowa State, Texas A&M, Alabama, UCF and Boise State before trimming his list down to the Cyclones and Aggies. Waiting to make his final decision on National Signing Day, Purdy finally pulled the trigger with a commitment to the Cyclones.
Farrell’s take: Purdy doesn’t play for a national power but he’s been so good so early he has to be noted here. Iowa State could knock off a few opponents next year if they aren’t prepared for the talented signal caller.
