Farrell Postseason 50: Nos. 41-45
RELATED: Farrell Midseason 50 | Nos. 46-50
With the college football season in the books, Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell releases his post-season Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. This list is based on this year's performance balanced with the level of competition each player has faced and how they've fared when the pressure is on.
Today in the countdown: Nos. 41-45:
No. 45. - QB Greg Ward, Houston
The skinny: Ward was a three-star, but was not ranked nationally, at his position or in Texas in the class of 2013. Ward had offers from Memphis, Rice, SMU and New Mexico, but when he earned an offer from Houston after an excellent camp performance, he committed soon after. Thanks to new head coach Tom Herman’s open offense, Ward quickly became one of the top dual-threat offensive weapons in the country this fall. While leading the Cougars to a 13-1 record, he passed for 2,828 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,108 yards and 21 touchdowns, the second-most for a QB nationally.
Farrell’s take: Ward was an athlete out of high school and he's an athlete now at the quarterback position, killing teams with his run-pass deception. His size and slight frame led to minimal offers, but he was a stat-stuffer in high school as well as a leader and winner. Houston’s only loss came without him playing and it was clear he was what made that offense dangerous. He's still not very big and that's a knock, but he is fun to watch and sometimes toys with defenses on the college level.
No. 44 - WR Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma
The skinny: No. 131 overall, the No. 20 wide receiver and the No. 1 recruit from Oklahoma in 2012, Shepard was always seen as an Oklahoma lean since his father and two uncles all played for the Sooners. As offers from other schools began to accumulate, Shepard decided to not create any unnecessary drama by committing to Oklahoma during the spring after his junior season. Shepard, who has been very productive during his four seasons in Norman, saved his best for last as he caught 86 passes for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns this fall.
Farrell’s take: OU fans were upset when Shepard wasn’t on my mid-season list, but his production at that point was good and not great. In the second half of the season, he proved to be more valuable and a key target for Baker Mayfield as the Sooners went on their run. Size was an issue coming out of high school, but he was a four-star because he was one of the most natural route runners in the last five years and he was a big key in leading the Sooners to the playoff.
No. 43 - QB Connor Cook, Michigan State
The skinny: Cook was a three-star recruit, the No. 13 pro-style quarterback and the No. 30 recruit from Ohio in 2011. Cook received his first offer from the Spartans and after picking up a couple of MAC offers in the following months, he decided to end his process with a commitment to Michigan State. While the Spartans are not known for their flashy offense, Cook continuously got the job done during his collegiate career. He did the same during his senior season, as he finished with 3,131 yards and 24 touchdowns, while leading the Spartans to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
Farrell’s take: Cook has been up and down this season in the eyes of many, but you can't argue with his efficiency and the way he takes what a defense gives him. He can make all the throws and works well out of an offense that really relies on the run to get the passing game going. Cook was limited due to injury late in the season and he struggled down the stretch. Michigan State made the playoff, however, and Cook was a big reason why despite some concerns regarding his attitude and leadership.
No. 42 - QB Keenan Reynolds, Navy
The skinny: Reynolds was not rated nationally, at his position or in the state of Tennessee in the class of 2012. While successful at the high school level, Reynolds never saw his recruiting process take off. He committed to the Naval Academy over offers from Air Force and Wofford. In Annapolis, Reynolds took over as the starting quarterback in the middle of his true freshman season and never looked back. He led the Midshipmen to four bowl games, while developing into one of the more dangerous offensive weapons in the country. He finished his senior season with 1,373 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns, while also throwing for 1,203 yards and eight scores. He finished his collegiate career as the NCAA record-holder for most career touchdowns with 88, and most rushing yards by a quarterback with 4,559.
Farrell’s take: Reynolds has been an amazing player for Navy as a do-everything guy who always has the ball in his hands. He wasn’t on the radar of any big-time programs out of high school, but found his way at the service academy and showed off his ability to run more than pass, something that concerned passing offenses when he was being recruited. Many schools would have loved to have him on their team regardless of the offense he ran and he certainly exceeded expectations.
No. 41 - LB Tyler Matakevich, Temple
The skinny: Matakevich was a prep school two-star, who was not ranked nationally, at his position or in New York in 2012. Matakevich, who attended Milford Academy after playing his high school football in Connecticut, earned his offer from Temple during his prep season and jumped at the opportunity. At Temple, Matakevich has quietly been one of the more productive linebackers in the country over the last four seasons. This fall he finished with 138 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and five interceptions for the surprising Owls.
Farrell’s take: The winner of the Bronko Nagurski Award as the best defensive player in the country should be higher on the list, right? Maybe so. He’s such an instinctual player that he overcomes any limitations (speed mainly) and is always in position, which is why it makes sense he idolized Luke Kuechly. Temple and Akron were his only offers out of prep school, so he had to battle for any attention he could get out of high school because he wasn’t long and wasn’t fast. Clearly no one saw this coming.