National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
RELATED: Milroe flips from Texas to Alabama
*****
1. Jalen Milroe will be the next Jalen Hurts at Alabama.
Farrell’s take: FACT. The comparisons will be there as Hurts hailed from Texas and was immediately successful at Alabama (and named Jalen). Now that Jalen Milroe, a talented Lone Star quarterback, has flipped to Alabama from the Longhorns, he could be next in line. There’s one problem — five-star Bryce Young, who was one of the top players in the country in the 2020 class. Young is expected to make an early impact at Alabama and he will be tough to beat out. Milroe could be special as well and if he’s patient, he will be great at Alabama.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. I just don’t really see the comparison between the two players. As a sophomore, Milroe ran a lot but that dramatically decreased in his junior season as he got more comfortable throwing the ball and dissecting defenses that way. Let’s not forget, Hurts had 191 and 154 rushes in his first two seasons at Alabama and then when he transferred to Oklahoma, he carried it 233 times for 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns this past season.
Milroe will run when needed and he has that athletic ability, but he’s much, much more comfortable in the pocket than Hurts ever was in college. That’s not to say Milroe won’t have a great college career because he has the skills, but beating out Young for that job will be challenging.
*****
2. Ohio State's 2022 linebacker class could be historic.
Farrell’s take: FACT. It’s ridiculous so far and it could get even better. CJ Hicks is a five-star, Gabe Powers should be and likely will be and Dasan McCullough also has a chance to push for five-star status. And with Shawn Murphy, already a five-star, leaning to Ohio State, this could be one of the best linebacker classes in Rivals.com history.
Gorney’s take: FACT. When Urban Meyer retired and Ryan Day took over, instead of questioning the move, I said it could actually breathe some fresh air into the program and the Buckeyes could have a renewed focus. It seems to be working that way as Day and his staff have been flawless in almost everything they’ve done so far in Columbus and this 2022 linebacker group is incredible. Hicks is already a five-star and then Powers and McCullough are one notch below. If Murphy commits that would be a clean sweep for the Buckeyes of the top-four outside linebackers in the 2022 class. That’s just amazing.
*****
3. Alaric Jackson was the Big Ten player who needed a season the most.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Many Big Ten players needed a fall season for their draft status and Jackson is a fringe first-rounder. However, he’ll land in Round 1 based on his accomplishments and Iowa’s tradition of elite linemen. To me it always comes down to a quarterback and Sean Clifford, Tanner Morgan and Jack Coan could have used a season in a big way. It will be interesting to see which quarterbacks can afford to opt in or not or play in the spring. But Jackson should be just fine.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Jackson could have used the season to play his way into the first round, but two others come to my mind: Penn State running back Journey Brown and Ohio State receiver Chris Olave. Both had breakout seasons a year ago and were really looking to build on that success. Now all of that is up in the air and who knows if they’re going to see a college football field again.
Brown was poised for a big-time season behind a talented offensive line and with a great showing he could have entered the discussion with Alabama’s Najee Harris, Clemson’s Travis Etienne and Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard as one of the best backs in college football.
I still believe Olave is a notch below LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle from Alabama, but a big year could have catapulted him into that discussion. Instead, it looks impossible now unfortunately.
