National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
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1: A transfer QB will win the Heisman for the fourth straight year.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. It could very well be Justin Fields who follows in the footsteps of transfers Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow as a Heisman winner, but I’m going with Trevor Lawrence, who committed to Clemson and has obviously had success from the start. But it would be pretty amazing to see another transfer QB win the Heisman. It’s indicative of the day and age we are in with the transfer portal. It’s just not going to happen.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I’m going with the trend here, and that’s why Fields is the front-runner to win the Heisman and whichever quarterback starts at Georgia – Jamie Newman or JT Daniels – would be my sleeper pick for the Heisman right now. It’s unfathomable to think Lawrence could go his entire college career without winning the prize, but with WR Justyn Ross out because of injury I’m just not so sure the Tigers are going to have the horses at receiver to keep up with Fields and that Ohio State offense and with Georgia's offense. Either way, transfer quarterbacks have made so many huge statements over the last few years, and that could very well continue this season.
RELATED: Rivals Transfer Tracker
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2: Zamir White will live up to his five-star billing this season.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Zamir White is next in line at Georgia, where great running backs are made on a yearly basis. And White clearly has the talent to follow D’Andre Swift and the rest into the NFL after a huge season. He’s shown glimpses of remarkable talent so far in his career, and averaged more than five yards per carry in his 408 yards last year. "Zeus," as they call him, will be one of the top four or five running backs in the SEC this season.
Gorney’s take: FACT. We saw a glimpse of White’s abilities in Georgia’s Sugar Bowl win over Baylor, which had a very good defense, with 92 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. He’s now next up in Georgia’s backfield. White’s healthy and should have lots of opportunities to carry the ball and make plays, and he should be one of the best running backs not only in the SEC but in the country. Five-stars are supposed to be first-round NFL Draft picks. That is always a tough call, especially for running backs, but White is special and he’s going to be the workhorse in Georgia’s offense, which should also have a dynamic passing attack with a new quarterback to open things up even more.
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3: Peyton Page’s commitment is one of the most important Clemson has had in recent years.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Page is a talented kid, for sure, but Clemson has landed bigger fish in recent years. So why is this one so important? After a second decommitment in this class and the media scrutinizing Dabo Swinney and the way he has handled the Danny Pearman situation and a few things he has said, this was a big one. Page could have easily been swayed by the negative press and picked North Carolina and the recruiting momentum for Clemson would have continued to shift in a negative way. This one sends a message. Clemson is still a powerhouse on the recruiting trail.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Before I expound on why I said "Fiction," I want to make it clear that Page’s commitment is definitely important for Clemson, and he’s an outstanding prospect with a lot of skill. But I just don’t think he’s one of the most important in recent years considering five-stars Bryan Bresee, D.J. Uigalelei, Myles Murphy, Trevor Lawrence, Jackson Carman, Xavier Thomas and Deshaun Watson are also on the list – and that’s before we get into Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and others. I would even argue Will Shipley’s commitment in this recruiting class is more important than Page because of Shipley’s playmaking abilities. There have been some negative headlines around Swinney this offseason, but it’s clear top players still want to play at Clemson, and Page is the latest example.
