Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
The college football season is over save for one kind of big game between LSU and Clemson. So it’s time to continue the Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. Here’s Nos. 6-10.
FARRELL 50: Nos. 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26 - 30 | 31 - 35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
FARRELL FRESHMAN 15: Nos. 1-3 | 4-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 | 13-15
The skinny: Stingley originally committed to LSU early in his high school career, but then reopened his recruitment and considered several programs. The Tigers eventually landed his re-commitment over Florida and Texas.
Expectations were obviously through the roof for the No. 1 recruit in the country, but he acted and played like a veteran since the day he arrived at Baton Rouge. Seamlessly joining an already talented LSU secondary, Stingley has totaled 36 tackles, six interceptions and 15 pass breakups for the Tigers leading into the National Championship game against Clemson.
Farrell’s take: The only cornerback in Rivals history to be named the No. 1 player overall in the country, Stingley is living up to that reputation and then some. Already named as the best player on a great defense, Stingley has a great future ahead of him. We liked him as a big, physical corner with rare instincts and athleticism and he will easily be a first-rounder when his turn comes.
The skinny: Etienne was initially committed to Texas A&M, but re-opened his recruitment two months later. After trimming his list to Clemson, LSU and Tennessee, and taking official visits to Clemson and Tennessee in January, he committed to the Tigers a week before National Signing Day.
After totaling 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground last fall, Etienne has once again been a production machine this fall for the Tigers with 1,536 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, plus four receiving scores. He has also averaged 8.0 yards per carry.
Farrell’s take: This is a kid I thought might be under-ranked, because he had size, speed and shiftiness. LSU really coveted him but much too late and Clemson did a great job winning this recruiting battle. He’s faster than I expected and his burst has improved greatly. As a guy just outside of that four-star ranking, he is making our evaluation look bad. Etienne has already turned into one of the fastest and most explosive running backs in college football and should be an NFL star.
The skinny: Chuba Hubbard piled up approximately 25 offers throughout the spring before committing to Oklahoma State in early May, over offers from Auburn, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas A&M and Tennessee.
After redshirting in 2017 and spending a majority of the 2018 season as Justice Hill’s backup, Hubbard quickly blossomed into one of the most explosive backs in the country in 2019. Finishing with 2,094 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, everyone in Stillwater is anxiously awaiting his decision regarding his potential move to the NFL.
Farrell’s take: Hubbard was a four-star athlete out of high school because he could have played numerous positions, including defense as well. However, his strength was always his ability as a running back with great vision and excellent quickness. Hubbard is good in space and has shown he has the potential of a star. He’s the rare highly ranked prospect from Canada that pans out.
The skinny: Brown took official visits to Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia and Alabama before committing to the Tigers on National Signing Day.
Since his arrival at Auburn, Brown has firmly established himself as one of the top interior defensive linemen and players in the country. Surprising some by deciding to forego the NFL Draft, Brown returned for one last run with the Tigers in 2019 and dominated with 54 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He is a likely Top 10 pick this spring in the NFL Draft.
Farrell’s take: Brown moved inside full-time and developed into a dominant defensive tackle two seasons ago and had a great year and he took it to the next level last season. 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. Now he’s the best defensive tackle in the country and it’s not that close.
The skinny: Taylor initially committed to Rutgers in early May, but then flipped to Wisconsin after an official visit to Madison in October.
Having totaled 4,171 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground during his first two seasons, Taylor continued his historical performance in 2019. Finishing with 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, plus 252 yards and five touchdowns through the air, Taylor recently announced that he will be foregoing his final season in Madison.
Farrell’s take: I liked Taylor's fit at Wisconsin because of his combination of size, power and quick feet, but I never expected him to reach this level. The Badgers have done so well with New Jersey/New York-area running backs over the years, and this kid is clearly the best. He broke former Badgers star running back Corey Clement’s South Jersey rushing record his senior season and has been compared with Clement often, although he’s a bit more physical and faster. Taylor’s balance, especially, stood out when scouting him.
