Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
It’s that time of year again, time for the updated Farrell 50, the top 50 players in college football. Today we look at Nos. 36-40, led by three elite quarterbacks.
FARRELL 50 COUNTDOWN: Nos. 41-45 | 46-50
The skinny: Lock committed to Missouri in April of his junior year over Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan State and others. With his father and grandfather having both played for the Tigers, there wasn’t a great deal of drama in his process, despite Michigan making a late push. Lock continues to impress this fall, yet has been at times inconsistent. Even with the inconsistency, he still has totaled 1,629 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Tigers this fall.
Farrell’s take: I liked Lock a lot as a high school prospect even though he was tall, skinny and needed to fill out quite a bit. He was a bit of a project because of his frame, but he had a compact release and could get some zip on his passes. Lock struggled a bit throwing downfield and that still needs improvement although he’s come a long way. He broke out last season and he’s improved his accuracy greatly. Now that he’s a 225-pounder, his arm strength has improved quite a bit from high school and if he continues to improve, someone could take him in round one. He hasn’t killed it this year, but he hasn’t hurt his stock.
The skinny: Brown took official visits to Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia and Alabama before committing to the Tigers on National Signing Day. While the Auburn offense has struggled this season, Brown has developed himself into one of the top defensive tackles in the country. Currently with 28 tackles, six tackles for a loss and two sacks, Brown is positioning himself nicely for the 2018 NFL Draft.
Farrell’s take: Brown moved inside full time to take over the role of dominator at defensive tackle last season and had a great year. He has the power, the quickness and ability to crush the pocket to get the job done. In high school evaluations, he was always a bit up and down. He was inconsistent, but his ceiling was too high to keep him from that fifth star and so far we are looking smart.
The skinny: Fromm initially committed to Alabama, but then flipped to the Bulldogs during the spring after his junior season. Since taking over the starting job at Georgia as a true freshman last season, Fromm has performed like a veteran. He continues to do so this fall with 1,409 yards and 13 touchdowns, while throwing only four interceptions and completing 67 percent of his passes.
Farrell’s take: Fromm became a five-star late in the process, earning that fifth star after a great week at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and was a huge flip for Kirby Smart from Alabama. He was a kid we felt was a “gamer” who might not have as many natural skills as some other five-star quarterbacks but had more of the intangibles. Fromm had been limited in his passing attempts last season but progressed and was a bigger part of the offensive strategy as the season wore on. His efficiency and maturity were off the charts and he led his team to the title game, so bigger things were expected this year and he’s had a solid season.
The skinny: Ehlinger committed to Texas during the summer before his junior season and never wavered on his word. After showing promise as a true freshman last season, Ehlinger still had to fight off Shane Buechele for the starting job in 2018. Despite the opening game loss at Maryland, his progress has been substantial this fall, with 1,534 yards, 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions for the surprising Longhorns.
Farrell’s take: I had Ehlinger in my Commit Fit after National Signing Day when he was coming out of high school for a reason because he had the skill set that Tom Herman covets at quarterback. His injuries during his high school career, from his knee to his wrist, led to some question marks, but he was still so prolific that there was no question he was in the Rivals100 range and a top-150 talent. He wasn’t the tallest quarterback, but he had a good arm, compact release and was powerfully built, which helped his running ability and ability to bounce off tackles. He’s lived up to his ranking so far.
The skinny: Williams initially committed to Auburn in January, 2015, but then re-opened his recruitment during the summer after several visits to Alabama. Less than a month later, he committed to the Tide. After redshirting in 2016, Williams slowly began to show his potential last fall. This season he has quickly become a vital part of Alabama’s defensive line with 33 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
Farrell’s take: Williams was a highly-ranked prospect coming out of high school, a kid who just missed the Rivals100 who was very quick and had a good frame to fill out. He made a huge jump at the end of the rankings cycle thanks to some great play at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. Now he’s become one of the best playmakers on the Alabama defense.
