Farrell 50 Countdown: Buckeyes abound
FARRELL 50: Nos. 46-50 | 41-45
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Bio: No. 34 overall, the No. 6 wide receiver and the No. 3 recruit from Texas in 2014, Cannon was one of the top wide receivers in his class with offers from coast-to-coast. By early August 2013, he trimmed his list to Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Ole Miss and Florida. Soon after, Cannon committed to Baylor, citing his strong connection with the coaching staff. While he did take a look at a few schools during the fall, mainly Oklahoma and Texas A&M, Cannon signed with the Bears on National Signing Day. As a true freshman, Cannon was part of one of the top wide receiver duos in the country along with Corey Coleman. He finished with 58 receptions for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns, which should be numbers he improves on this fall in Baylor's pass-happy attack.
Farrell's take: So why is Cannon ahead of Coleman after putting up slightly lesser numbers? Because I feel he's going to emerge as the go-to-guy in this offense. And yes we saw this coming. Had Cannon not been so small, he would have likely been a five-star as he was the highest-ranked four-star prospect in the country. He's an amazing college player and the NFL will find a place for him as well.
38
OL
Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, 2012, four-star
Bio: No. 176 overall, the No. 15 offensive tackle and the No. 1 recruit from Nevada in 2012, Stanley waited until late August to trim his list to a dozen schools. While he may have had a dozen on his list, it became obvious that Notre Dame, Nebraska and Arkansas were the three that stood out the most. After taking official visits to all three, Stanley committed to Notre Dame in December. Stanley surprised many by deciding to return for his senior season in South Bend. Stanley moved to left tackle for his junior season after the departure of Zack Martin, so another season at this position should only make him more NFL-ready next year.
Farrell's take: Another four-star on the list, Stanley is emerging as one of the best offensive tackles in college football and a high NFL pick. While his No. 15 ranking out of high school appears a bit low, he has added the size to his frame and most importantly the lower body strength to become a dominant run-blocker. He always had the feet to be a terrific tackle coming from a hoops background, but his mean streak and added power have made him elite.
37
OL
Vandalia (Ohio) Butler, 2012, four-star
Bio: No. 221 overall, the No. 23 offensive tackle and the No. 14 recruit from Ohio in 2012, Decker committed to Notre Dame after a spring offer. He remained firm with his commitment until the winter, when Urban Meyer came on board at Ohio State and quickly made him a recruiting priority. Deciding to take an official visit to Columbus in mid-January, Decker flipped his commitment to the Buckeyes at the end of his trip. With the offensive firepower the Buckeyes currently possess, Decker occasionally gets overlooked. However, that should never happen as an argument can be made that he may be the most important player on the unit.
Farrell's take: Heady stuff to say he could be the most important player on the roster, but he was so key in last year's run to the title and so overlooked as the skill players and the defense got all the attention that he's at least the unsung hero on the roster. He could have been a mid- to late first-rounder had he left early, but he's back for another title run and to improve that draft stock. Decker was thought to be around the third- or fourth-best offensive lineman in his home state of Ohio, but has clearly destroyed that theory so far, and has improved his knee bend and flexibility impressively.
36
LB
New Albany, Ohio, 2013, three-star
Bio: Lee was a three-star, the No. 44 athlete and the No. 33 recruit from Ohio in 2013 and held upward of 15 offers heading into an Ohio State camp during the summer of 2012. After excelling at that camp and then a second one later in the summer, Lee earned his offer and then quickly committed to the Buckeyes. After redshirting during his freshman season, Lee became a huge revelation for the Buckeyes last fall at linebacker, when he finished with 81 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks. He played his best football at the end of the season, which included a defensive MVP performance in the Sugar Bowl.
Farrell's take: Lee was a positional question mark for us, plain and simple, and he has excelled at the linebacker position to an unexpected level. He was a 195-pounder out of high school who played quarterback and safety, and was known for making the big hit. But he was not a sure tackler at times and he has turned into a 235-pound linebacker who tackles everything that moves. This is an example of a great athlete showing a coaching staff that he is a take regardless of what position he might end up playing.
FARRELL 50: Nos. 46-50 | 41-45
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director
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