It’s that time of year again, time for the Farrell 50, the ranking of the top 50 players in college football by Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. We conclude today with 5-1 led by the two best quarterbacks in college football.
MORE FARRELL 50: Nos. 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
MORE: 10 best recruiting programs in the past five cycles | Farrell's Three-Point Stance
The skinny: Jeudy trimmed his list to Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami and Tennessee before committing to the Crimson Tide during the summer leading up to his senior season. There was not lack of playmakers at the wide receiver position for the Tide last fall, but it was Jeudy who established himself as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite and most consistent target. Having finished with 68 receptions for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns, expect more of the same from the dynamic duo this fall.
Farrell’s take: Jeudy has emerged as the best receiver in the country and that’s no surprise based on our ranking out of high school. We saw him as the next great Florida receiver to make an impact at ‘Bama following Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley. He had size and a frame to fill out and the downfield speed teams covet. When Jeudy wanted to be, he was unstoppable and we are seeing that now. He is the No. 1 player overall on some NFL draft boards.
The skinny: Taylor initially committed to Rutgers, but then flipped to Wisconsin after an official visit to Madison. After a memorable true freshman season, Taylor’s production continued to improve in 2018. Having already totaled 4,171 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground in his two seasons, will Taylor continue to improve against defenses that will be completely focused on slowing him down?
Farrell’s take: I liked Taylor's fit at Wisconsin because of his combination of size, power and quick feet, but I never expected him to reach this level. The Badgers have done so well with New Jersey/New York-area running backs over the years, and this kid is clearly next. He broke former Badgers star running back Corey Clement’s South Jersey rushing record his senior season and has been compared with Clement often, although he’s a bit more physical. Taylor’s balance, especially, stood out when scouting him. I expect a another huge year out of him.
The skinny: Delpit committed to LSU over Alabama, Clemson and Florida in August while at The Opening. Plenty of expectations followed Delpit to Baton Rouge, and through two seasons he has not disappointed. Drawing comparisons to recent Tigers’ star safety Jamal Adams, Delpit has already established himself as an elite playmaker from after totaling 74 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, five sacks, five interceptions and nine pass breakups last fall. LSU has produced numerous NFL caliber defensive backs in recent years and Delpit has the potential to be the best of the best.
Farrell’s take: Delpit was highly ranked as the No. 70 player in the country but he was also someone I thought we might have undervalued and it’s showing that we did. He has length, good size and great instincts overall. Now he’s become the best all-around defenders in the country. Delpit is a star already and will be a legend by the time he leaves Baton Rouge.
The skinny: Despite claiming that USC was his “dream school,” Tagovailoa committed to Alabama after a trip that saw him also visit Auburn and Ole Miss during the spring after his junior season. Both USC and UCLA continued to pursue Tagovailoa, but neither were able to beat out the Tide. His rise to stardom with the Tide was sudden and swift last fall. Enjoying a magical season, which ended with a thud in the national title game, anything less than winning a championship this fall will be seen as a disappointment.
Farrell’s take: Tagovailoa was highly ranked, but fell short of five-star status by about 20 spots or so. Oops. We liked his arm strength and accuracy, but he didn’t have great size and struggled a few times in evaluations. However, he had one of the best seasons in recent memory and has become a superstar. This year he could win the Heisman after finishing second last year. I don’t like lefty quarterbacks but he’s the exception.
The skinny: Lawrence committed to Clemson in December after his junior season and never wavered on his word. After supplanting Kelly Bryant at quarterback, Lawrence performed like a veteran throughout his true freshman season which culminated in a national title for the Tigers. Now bigger and stronger, it is hard to imagine having a much better season after he passed for 3,280 yards, 30 touchdowns and only four interceptions, but with the arsenal of weapons he possesses at wide receiver, it is very possible this fall.
Farrell’s take: Lawrence is the best quarterback I have ever scouted in my 20 years, and it shows. He has it all – size, arm strength, accuracy, mobility and football sense – that makes him an instant star in college. There was no doubt in my mind he would have a great freshman year and he should win the Heisman this year.
