Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
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 continue today with Nos. 36-40, which includes a dynamic quarterback that Nebraska fans can't wait to watch this season.
RELATED: Nos. 41-45 | 46-50
MORE: 10 best recruiting programs in the past five cycles
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The skinny: Okwara announced a top five of Notre Dame, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan and Ole Miss before committing to the Irish in late April. With his brother, Romeo Okwara, playing in South Bend, the Irish were seen as the favorite leading up to his decision.
Okwara enjoyed a breakout 2018 season in South Bend, finishing with 39 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and one forced fumble. However, the Irish coaching staff and fans believe that he has more in the tank, which could potentially make the 2019 season even more memorable for Okwara.
Farrell’s take: Okwara was a four-star outside the Rivals250 who was a long, skinny pass rusher who could also do some work standing up. He played for a big-time program in North Carolina and certainly had a lot of potential coming out. He’s developed into one of the better pass rushers in the country and could have a major breakout season.
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The skinny: Holding approximately 10 offers, Fisher trimmed his list of top schools down to Northwestern and Baylor before committing to the Wildcats during the summer leading up to his senior season. The Wildcats enjoyed a memorable 2018 season, largely due to a strong defense led by Fisher. The redshirt junior totaled 116 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and four forced fumbles, and he hopes to lead Northwestern to another Big Ten Championship Game this fall.
Farrell’s take: Fisher was a low three-star out of high school with good instincts, but there were questions about his speed and overall athleticism. He was bypassed by the bigger schools in Texas and Northwestern found a gem. He’s now one of the surest tacklers in the country and one of the more instinctual linebackers when it comes to reading the play.
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The skinny: Martinez initially committed to Tennessee, but when the Vols went through a coaching change, Nebraska quickly swooped in. New coach Scott Frost made him an immediate priority, and after an official visit to Lincoln, he flipped to the Huskers.
While Martinez had some expected ups and downs during his true freshman season he also consistently improved, which has the Nebraska fan base excited about the future. He also brings a legitimate dual-threat ability to the Cornhuskers offense, having finished with 2,617 passing yards and 629 rushing yards in 2018.
Farrell’s take: I was always a big Martinez fan, especially after his performance at Under Armour week, where he showed mobility, poise, maturity and excellent accuracy. He had some growing pains in his freshman year, but got better and better as the season wore on. He has impressed so many people that he’s a sleeper Heisman candidate as the season starts.
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The skinny: Davis committed to Alabama prior to his junior season, but then took an official visit to Mississippi State a couple of weeks before National Signing Day. Rumors of a flip followed, which were blamed on his Twitter account being hacked. In the end he stayed firm with the Tide.
Davis was productive in 2018 with 55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, but due to his extremely impressive 2017 production many people felt somewhat disappointed with his performance. Now a veteran leader on the defensive line, many expect Davis to regain his 2017 form this fall.
Farrell’s take: Davis was a monster defensive tackle and the rare 6-foot-7 defensive interior lineman who could consistently play low and be effective out of high school. He had an amazing frame to build on and played with power and surprising athleticism. He didn’t have a huge year last season, but I expect him to bounce back in a big way this upcoming season.
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The skinny: With offers piling up during the winter after his junior season, Gross-Matos began to focus on Penn State, Virginia Tech and North Carolina before he gave his commitment to the Nittany Lions almost year before his National Signing Day.
Gross-Matos had a breakout 2018 season with 54 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles. With more of a bull's-eye on his back this fall, it will be interesting to see how he responds to the additional attention.
Farrell’s take: Gross-Matos was a Rivals250 four-star who got better each time we saw him, and he finished the rankings cycle on an upswing. He had great size and a frame he continued to fill out, but it was his agility and balance that impressed us the most. Another key get for Penn State from Virginia, he’s ready for a breakout season.
