Farrell Freshman 15: Nos. 6-4
We're taking a look at the top true freshmen following the 2016 regular season and how they were ranked out of high school. We call it the Farrell Freshman 15. Today, we look at Nos. 4-6, with a pair of budding SEC stars.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
The skinny: Burns took official visits to Florida State, Florida and Georgia in January before committing to the Seminoles on Signing Day. While DeMarcus Walker deserves to be known as the top defensive lineman at Florida State this season, it was Burns who gave the Seminoles another important playmaker on the line. Finishing with 23 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble, the future looks very bright for Burns in Tallahassee.
Farrell’s take: Burns was a Rivals100 prospect with excellent speed around the edge and a great first step, but we had questions about his ability to handle the run. Size is still a question, but his play in the backfield has been stellar and speaks to his ability to disrupt plays with speed and acceleration. As he adds strength, he will become more well-rounded, but right now he’s already emerging as one of the elite pass rushers in the ACC and he had a really strong freshman season.
The skinny: Snell quietly committed to the Wildcats almost a year before his own Signing Day and held firm with his word throughout his process. Considering Snell didn’t even play during the first two games of the season and shared carries with Stanley Williams, his overall accomplishments are that much more impressive. Finishing with 1,057 yards and 13 touchdowns, he gives the Wildcats offense an explosive weapon for the next couple of years.
Farrell’s take: Snell was a low three-star prospect who had good size but we questioned his speed and footwork as did many other programs that passed. But Kentucky saw something many didn’t and it has turned out to be a home run evaluation for them so far. He’s added explosion, has shown great vision and runs with power consistently. He’s one of the best backs in the SEC already and along with Trayveon Williams and Damarea Crockett, who also made this list, the future looks bright in the conference at the position.
The skinny: While he played his high school football in California, Williams actually grew up in SEC country. His time in Atlanta gave him a desire to play in the SEC, which immediately made Alabama a major player for him. After the Crimson Tide offered in March and he took a visit to Tuscaloosa, he committed in early April. Williams’ accomplishments on the offensive line as a true freshman in Tuscaloosa were impressive as he became an immediate starter. He quickly blended in with the veterans and helped cement an already dominant group.
Farrell’s take: Williams was the rare five-star prospect who didn’t attend camps, didn’t care about all-star games and just dominated on the football field with pads and a helmet on. We saw him in game action but never got to see him go against the elite defensive linemen in the country at any events. But it didn’t matter to us because he was so good in person and on film, and he had that throwback, nasty attitude of the greats of yesteryear. Williams just wanted to destroy the player in front of him and help his team win and didn’t care about gear, free trips or rankings. He’s clearly showing our faith in his film was warranted.
