With the college football season a little beyond the halfway point, it’s time for another installment of the Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. However, as usual here at Rivals.com, we take a quick look at how each ranked out of high school and if they are exceeding or simply living up to expectations. And with such a crazy season of injuries and disappointing seasons from some of the bigger names, you could be stunned at who’s missing from the list.
Today we look at Nos. 6-10, led by three amazing pass rushers.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
MORE Farrell 50: Nos. 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
The skinny: Barrett committed to Ohio State in April of his junior year, approximately three weeks after he spent two days on campus during a visit. After splitting playing time last season with Cardale Jones, Barrett was once again the full-time starter coming into 2016. Despite the loss to Penn State this past weekend, Barrett has still enjoyed an impressive first half of the season. He's passed for 1,452 yards and 17 touchdowns to go along with 460 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Barrett and the Buckeyes are looking for a big second half.
Farrell’s Take: Barrett’s senior season was cut short due to an ACL tear, which hurt his ranking, especially as a dual-threat quarterback because it led to some questions about his mobility. Even then, we ranked him as the No. 7 dual-threat signal caller, so it was clear we liked him quite a bit. I remember him at the Elite 11 the summer before his senior year and he made some amazing throws, especially on longer passes and during the more pressure-filled periods of the camp, but he also didn’t look overly comfortable as a pocket passer and has struggled in that capacity at times this year. He’s shown how dynamic he can be in Urban Meyer’s offense and his high ranking here is a testament to my belief he will rebound from the Penn State loss and progress in the passing game.
The skinny: Garrett trimmed his list down to Texas A&M and TCU before committing to the Aggies during his senior season. With two tremendous seasons already under his belt with the Aggies, even more was expected out of Garrett this fall. While he did miss one game with an injury, Garrett has still accumulated 21 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Aggies this season.
Farrell’s Take: There was a heated debate over who was No. 1 in the class of 2014, with many believing it was Garrett. That debate is over. We picked the wrong guy. In the end, we decided Alabama junior Da’Shawn Hand should remain in the top spot with Garrett at No. 2. While Hand struggles to break out, Garrett could be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in 2017. Garrett is a freaky athlete who has learned to hold the edge better and has to be accounted for on every down.
The skinny: Barnett trimmed his list to Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri before committing to the Vols in October. Barnett, who earned immediate playing time with the Vols, has become one of the top defensive ends in the country during his time in Knoxville. This season he has totaled 32 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in seven games, as he has been an anchor on a defensive unit that has had to deal with several key injuries.
Farrell’s Take: Some guys do a lot of developing between the time they sign and when they arrive on campus, and Barnett is clearly one of those players. We liked him obviously, based on his top-175 ranking, but did we see his massive impact on the SEC in his first two seasons and continued dominance this year? Nope, we didn’t. He is exceeding our expectations quite a bit and is now in the mix for that No. 1 DE spot on NFL scouts' boards along with Garrett and Allen.
The skinny: Allen trimmed his list down to Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Penn State and Virginia Tech before committing to the Crimson Tide in May. After waiting his turn with the Crimson Tide, Allen finished with 14.5 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks last fall. This season he has continued to excel, as he has totaled 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks and two fumble recoveries through eight games.
Farrell’s Take: As a five-star and No. 11 player in the 2013 class, it was clear that I loved Allen as a player. He was big, intense, ran everything down and could either go around you or bull rush you into the quarterback’s comfort zone. He played end and tackle in high school and couldn’t be stopped at either position. He was downright scary at Stone Bridge and has always been a serious worker off the field, but coming back for his senior season he has reached a new level of athleticism and dominance.
The skinny: Browning took a very active approach with his process after his junior season, taking several visits before making his decision in late March. After weighing all of his options, Browning committed to Washington over Alabama, Oklahoma State, Utah, Boise State, California and Colorado. He showed a great deal of potential and poise as a true freshman last fall, and now Browning looks like a veteran in 2016. He's guiding the undefeated Huskies into national championship contention and has quickly become one of the top quarterbacks in the country.
Farrell’s Take: Browning was a four-star in the Rivals100 in 2015 with great poise in the pocket, the ability to slide or step up exactly when needed and an amazing knack for making red zone throws. He was mature beyond his years and it wouldn’t surprise me if he continues to have a career at Washington that makes us regret not ranking him higher. He broke the national record for touchdowns in a career and he threw for 91 touchdowns as a senior. That’s not a misprint. Tell me again how USC and UCLA passed on him? Okay, UCLA landed Josh Rosen, so I get that, but Ricky Town, USC? Really? This kid is becoming special.
