Farrell Freshman 15: Counting down Nos. 7-9
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
The annual Farrell Freshman 15 mid-season version is out and today we look at Nos. 7-9, led by a former five-star wide receiver.
MIDSEASON FARRELL 15: Nos. 10-12 | 13-15
The skinny: Williams was part of a group of elite Louisiana recruits which surprised everyone by committing to Kansas last February. While some of the commitments did not stick until Signing Day, Williams stayed true to his word, even with an offer from LSU coming in during the fall. Williams has brought a game-breaking aspect to the Jayhawks offense this season, with 534 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, plus 12 receptions and 94 yards through the air.
Farrell’s take: Williams was a four-star recruit out of high school and No. 178 nationally, so he’s one of the biggest and highest ranked recruits in Kansas history. It’s no surprise he’s done so well because of his ability and the lack of talent overall on the Kansas roster. We expected him to be an instant impact guy out of Louisiana and he hasn’t disappointed at all.
The skinny: Cisco took official visits to Syracuse, Nebraska and Illinois before committing to the Orange a few days after returning home from upstate New York. While he played his senior season at IMG Academy in Florida, he started off his high school career at St. Anthony’s in Long Island. Considering Cisco is currently leading the nation in interceptions, with four, it is safe to say he has burst onto the scene at Syracuse. He has also added 19 tackles and three pass break-ups this fall.
Farrell’s take: We had Cisco as a three-star safety who had great instincts and ball skills but he has played better than we expected. As an IMG prospect, much was expected but he wasn’t one of the higher ranked prospects on that team. He’s shown a great ability in the run game and has been excellent in pass defense and is a budding star.
The skinny: While St. Brown has had brothers playing at both Notre Dame and Stanford, USC pulled away down the stretch and earned the commitment. He made his decision at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in early January. St. Brown was expected to make an early contribution and has not disappointed with 29 receptions for 427 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans.
Farrell’s take: St. Brown was one of the best wide receivers I’ve ever scouted out of high school. He was that dominant. And the fact that he was joining his high school quarterback, JT Daniels, at USC made it more likely he would make an early impact. The touchdowns aren’t what we expected, but the catches and impact in games is certainly what we felt we would see from St. Brown early and often. He’s going to have a great career at USC.
