Fact or Fiction: Najee Harris should be preseason No. 1 RB
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
*****
FACT OR FICTION: Two SEC teams will make College Football Playoff | Penn State is losing too many elite in-state prospects
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
1. Najee Harris should be ahead of Chuba Hubbard and Travis Etienne for preseason All American honors.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. This is a tough one. ESPN came out with its preseason All-American Team and Hubbard and Etienne were on there. Both are great, but leaving Harris off is tough. But you have to agree with it for one reason — the wide receivers at Alabama and the depth at running back with Brian Robinson, Trey Sanders and others. Harris will put up his numbers, but Etienne and Hubbard are more likely to be a bigger part of the offense and deserve the nod.
Gorney’s take: FACT. There were so many talented players on Alabama’s team last season that some might forget just how dominant Harris was for the Crimson Tide – and how big of a year he could have now that many of them are off to the NFL. The former five-star and No. 1 overall prospect rushed for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns and he also had seven receiving touchdowns, just as many as Henry Ruggs, the first receiver taken off the board in the NFL Draft. In the SEC, those numbers are amazing.
*****
2. Vols can push ahead and land OT Amarius Mims.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Tennessee is on the rise for the nation’s top OT and has pushed ahead of Alabama and Auburn in the eyes of many in this battle with Georgia. But the Bulldogs have long been the team to beat and in my experience when No. 1 never changes and the rest jockey for position behind it, then it’s going the way of No. 1. In other words, the Vols moving ahead of Alabama and Auburn is probably good for Georgia in a way and the Dawgs will win this battle.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Tennessee has recruited along the offensive line really well recently with Darnell Wright, Wanya Morris and Trey Smith some of those names but I just don’t believe Amarius Mims is going to end up with the Volunteers. Perhaps more than anything, the five-star offensive tackle is trying to create some drama for his announcement, but Georgia is definitely the team to beat here. Mims has always had the Bulldogs up top and it’s just going to be very difficult to beat Georgia for him.
*****
3) Oklahoma will close on Camar Wheaton, Tristan Leigh, Bryce Foster and Emeka Egbuka.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. But it will be close. I have the Sooners landing Camar Wheaton and Bryce Foster and they are a very close second for Tristan Leigh (LSU) and Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State). Oklahoma's recruiting class could be its best in Rivals history and it can’t be counted out for any of them. But to land all four five-stars would be tough.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. I’m with Farrell here on all those predictions. Wheaton would be a massive pickup for the Sooners and could be awesome in that offensive system. Foster looks like he’s leaning to Oklahoma over Texas A&M at that point. Those are two huge recruiting victories in the state of Texas as the Sooners continue to dip into that state.
But Leigh and Egbuka would be considered a stretch at this point. My bet is Leigh comes down to LSU and Clemson, while Egbuka looks to be leaning to Ohio State. However, Oklahoma is definitely the biggest threat and a visit to Norman could drastically change the scope of his recruitment.