Farrell Freshman 15: Nos. 1-3
More Farrell Freshman 15: Nos. 4-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 | 13-15
The college football season has reached its midway point, so now is a perfect time to look at the top true freshmen in the country and how they were ranked out of high school. We call it the Farrell Freshman 15 and today we look at Nos. 1-3, highlighted by class of 2016's No 2 player, Dexter Lawrence.
RELATED: Class of 2016 Rivals250
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
The skinny: Oliver pulled off one of the big surprises of the 2016 recruiting cycle by committing early to Houston and then sticking with his word despite pressure from a majority of major programs from across the country. He did take a closer look at Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Ole Miss during the fall, but put pen to paper with the Cougars. The impressive work put in by the Houston staff to grab his signature has paid immediate dividends, as Oliver has dominated from week one. Totaling 43 tackles and three sacks, the sky is the limit for Oliver at Houston.
Farrell’s take: Oliver was a blocky but athletic defensive tackle when I first saw him and he grew into a stout, solid and super quick gap shooter by the end of the rankings cycle. He had such great instincts and followed the football so naturally that he was effective blowing up plays in the run game and getting after the passer. And his snap anticipation was off the charts as well. He was given his fifth star in our final 2016 rankings cycle and that was one of our better decisions as he’s already a dominant college player.
The skinny: Williams originally committed to TCU over offers Texas A&M, Texas and Houston, but re-opened his recruitment in November. The Aggies, who became the immediate favorite, only had to wait a couple of days to pick up his commitment. Williams earned immediate playing time this fall and has continually improved his level of play over the last two months. Forming a formidable backfield duo with quarterback Trevor Knight, Williams has already rushed for 704 yards and five touchdowns on only 82 carries for the undefeated Aggies.
Farrell’s take: Williams was a three-star at one point and a guy we liked for his speed and elusiveness, but worried a bit about his size and durability. We bumped him to a four-star at the end of the rankings cycle despite his production dropping from his junior to senior season because we saw a thicker, stronger version with the same explosion. However, a ranking just inside the Rivals250 is looking way off right now.
The skinny: With Clemson seen as the leader, Lawrence took official visits to the Tigers, Florida, Ohio State, N.C. State and Alabama. Despite a late push from N.C. State to try and keep him home, Lawrence committed to Clemson. Lawrence impressed as an early enrollee, so expectations were off the charts for him this season. He has met those expectations to this point, as he has already established himself as an anchor on the interior defensive line for the undefeated Tigers.
Farrell’s take: Lawrence was a massive high school prospect, tall and big, who had exceptional pass-rushing moves and worked off contact extremely well. He had light feet, always had a counter for whatever an offensive lineman threw at him and was well-coached and schooled in the nuances of the position. He was our No. 1 prospect at one point and finished just behind Rashan Gary at No. 2, so none of this early success is unexpected.
