Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
It’s 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. 41-45, which includes a few former four-star players and a five-star.
RELATED: The countdown begins with Nos. 46-50
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Updated Rivals100 sees four new five-stars
*****
45. LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
The skinny: Murray trimmed his list of top schools down to Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M before committing to the Sooners in August. An unofficial visit to Norman a couple of weeks before his decision put the Sooners over the top. The defensive struggles for the Sooners last fall have been well documented, but Murray was not a part of the problem, as he finished with 155 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. With a new defensive coordinator in Norman, it will be interesting to see how the change affects Murray’s productivity.
Farrell’s take: Murray was a four-star ranked outside the Rivals250 who had good length but needed to fill out and add size. He was a solid tackler in high school and showed good instincts, but he’s become a tackling machine at the college level. He’s outplayed his ranking so far and we liked him quite a bit - just not enough apparently.
*****
44. DT Rashard Lawrence, LSU
The skinny: Lawrence took official visits to LSU and Ohio State, plus also considered Alabama, before committing to the Tigers in late January. While the Tigers’ secondary has received a majority of the national attention in recent years, Lawrence quietly put together a dominant 2018 season with 54 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks on the interior defensive line. He was especially impressive during the Tigers' last two games of the season against Texas A&M and Central Florida, when he totaled 10 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks, which has LSU fans excited about his 2019 season.
Farrell’s take: Lawrence was just outside our Rivals100 and I remember him as a big, stout defensive tackle with good athleticism. But he was banged up here and there, so injuries became a red flag. He’s emerged as one of the best defensive tackles in the country, which is no surprise because when he was healthy he was very good. He also had a great motor and competitive nature.
*****
43. WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
The skinny: Higgins initially committed to Tennessee, but then decommitted after taking an unofficial visit to Clemson after his junior season. The Tigers quickly made him a priority, which led to his commitment in July. Part of a loaded wide receiving corps, Higgins was a consistent and reliable threat for quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2018. Finishing with 59 receptions for 936 yards and an ACC-leading 12 touchdowns, he has firmly established himself as Lawrence’s favorite target in the red zone. While it is impossible to estimate which receivers will flourish statistically this fall for Clemson, Higgins has already proven himself as a next-level talent.
Farrell’s take: Higgins was a five-star freak coming out of high school, a tall and big receiver who had great body control and reminded me of A.J. Green. He’s likely taking the next step this season and the NFL will fall in love with him. He has a chance to be an NFL superstar and his ability to adjust to the ball as a big receiver is rare.
*****
42. OT Penei Sewell, Oregon
The skinny: Unlike most top-level recruits, Sewell’s process was basically a guessing game until the end. Oregon, Alabama, Utah and USC all seemed confident at different points, but it was the Ducks that picked up his commitment on National Signing Day. Sewell was off to a fantastic true freshman campaign last fall until a serious ankle injury cut his season off in October. Now fully healthy, everyone is expecting him to regain his dominant form in 2019 as he helps pave the way for a potentially potent Ducks offensive unit.
Farrell’s take: Sewell is young to make this list as a 2018 prospect and sophomore, but it’s not a surprise as he was ranked in the top 60 coming out of high school. We at one point had a five-star debate about him, but wondered if he’d move inside to guard at the next level and be devalued a bit. He was tall, very filled out and agile, but he wasn’t as dominating as we wanted him to be. Then he hits college and becomes a beast.
*****
41. CB Bryce Hall, Virginia
The skinny: Hall earned his Virginia offer during a summer camp performance and waited approximately a month before committing to the Cavaliers. He did take an unofficial visit to Penn State during his senior season, but never truly wavered off Virginia. Coming off an impressive 2017 season, Hall took his game to the next level in 2018 with 62 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and an NCAA-leading 21 pass breakups. Considered one of the top cornerback prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft, all eyes will be on Hall this fall to see how he responds to all of the national attention.
Farrell’s take: Hall was a low two-star prospect out of high school. He was listed as an athlete and Virginia was his only committable offer. He could have played receiver or defensive back in college and was originally recruited to play on offense. He was a quiet kid who played for a good program in Pennsylvania, but he never really emerged on the radar for schools for whatever reason. He had good size but wasn’t a burner and was considered a reach by Virginia. The Cavaliers are having the last laugh now.
