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Farrell 50 Countdown: Nos. 16-20

FARRELL 50:
Nos.
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50-46 |
45-41 |
40-36
| 35-31 |
30-26 | 21-25
Bio: Williams was the No. 1 JUCO recruit in the country in 2014. Originally a member of the class of 2012, Williams first took the junior college route out of high school. Attending Gulf Coast C.C. in Mississippi, Williams had two dominating seasons compiling 118 receptions for 2,028 yards and 26 touchdowns. Not surprisingly, Williams quickly became an elite JUCO recruit with offers from Auburn, Alabama, and LSU. After originally committing to LSU in May, he quickly re-opened his process and committed to Auburn in July after taking an official visit. In his first season at Auburn last fall, Williams played in 10 games and led the team with 45 receptions for 730 yards. There is no doubting his talent, but other issues continue to engulf him. He was suspended for the Outback Bowl last season for breaking team rules and just recently resolved another issue, which had him miss several preseason practices. If he can keep his head on straight, Williams should have a monster season.
Farrell's take: Williams was the top JUCO player in the country coming out in the class of 2014 and reminded me a bit of Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson was a JUCO star two years before, should have been a five-star talent and also almost went to LSU. And Williams has the talent to dominate as Patterson did in college and earn that first-round NFL grade if he can keep his wits about him and stay focused. His talent is unquestioned and he'd be higher on this list if it weren't for some off-field questions.
18
CB
Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
Nashville (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy, 2013, five-star
Bio: No. 10 overall, the No. 3 cornerback and the No. 1 recruit from Tennessee in 2013, Ramsey's recruiting process was an interesting one. After originally committing to USC over Washington, Tennessee and Vanderbilt in July of 2012, Ramsey kept his recruiting process relatively open. He took official visits to Florida, Florida State, Washington and Mississippi State. The Gators and Seminoles became major threats and with rumors swirling that Ramsey may not want to play across the country, a flip became likely. Despite never de-committing from USC, Ramsey finally did flip to Florida State on National Signing Day. Ramsey became a key contributor for the national championship Seminoles in 2013 and followed that up last season with 80 tackles, two interceptions and 12 pass breakups. This season he will be making the move from safety to cornerback, which should be a smooth transition for him thanks to his athleticism and length.
Farrell's take: Ramsey was one of the big three cornerbacks in the class of 2013 (the other two are coming up in future rankings groups) and his move to corner this year could make him a whole lot of money at the NFL level. He was a ball hawk, super athletic and had great instincts out of high school, which allowed him to excel at safety. But we always saw him as a big lockdown cornerback and future first-rounder so this year will tell the tale.
17
QB
Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Gainesville, Ga., 2014, five-star
Bio: No. 31 overall, the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 2 recruit from Georgia in 2014, Watson ended the recruiting process early. Getting a commitment from an elite quarterback on National Signing Day is not a big deal, however getting one a couple of years prior to that player's actual signing day is a bit unique. That is what happened with Clemson and Watson, who pulled the trigger with a commitment on National Signing Day 2012, a full two years prior to actually signing his papers. Even more impressive is that he never wavered from this commitment. As a true freshman, Watson was off to a fantastic start until a broken finger and knee injury derailed everything. Up to that point he had thrown for 1,466 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus rushed for 200 yards and five touchdowns, in what Clemson fans hope is a precursor of what they will see this fall.
Farrell's take: First off, Watson is one of the nicest human beings I've had the pleasure of covering over the years. His character is simply not in question, barring a change I don't see coming. As a five-star quarterback talent, he was a prospect with all the tools and the smarts to know where to put the ball, when to get out of the pocket and work on the run, and when to tuck it and do work with his feet. A true gamer, he wasn't a super impressive kid in camps like some others, but on Friday nights he was the real deal.
16
OLB
Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Luers, 2013, five-star
Bio: No. 3 overall, the No. 1 outside linebacker and the No. 1 recruit from Indiana in 2013, Smith's recruiting process was frenzied but he didn't allow it to drag out. After taking several spring visits and trimming his list to Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, Michigan, Florida State, Florida and Alabama, Smith committed to the Fighting Irish in early June 2012. Smith had a very productive true freshman season in South Bend, but truly began to flourish last fall with 112 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and three sacks. Now entering his second season in defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder's defense, Smith should be even more comfortable and disruptive on the field.
Farrell's take: Smith was a long, skinny linebacker out of high school who covered a ton of ground with those long arms, and was exceptional in coverage. A quick-twitch kid and smart, he was the kind of player I saw as a true captain on defense and a true leader - so far so good. He had excellent instincts and took the surest path to the ball, he was great at taking the right angles. I expected him to be a tackling machine and expect more than 112 tackles this season.
FARRELL 50:
Nos.
50-46 |
45-41 |
40-36
| 35-31 |
30-26 | 21-25
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director
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