Farrell postseason 50: Nos. 41-45
With the college football regular season over and bowl games underway, it’s time for the final installment of the Farrell 50, National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell's ranking of the nation's top 50 college football players for 2016.
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.
The countdown continues with Nos. 41-45, led by two SEC defensive stars.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
Farrell postseason 50: Nos. 46-50
The skinny: Williams committed to Clemson over South Carolina in the days leading up to his senior season. While Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and Tennessee were also involved, this came down to an in-state battle between the Tigers and Gamecocks. Fully healthy after a neck injury derailed his 2015 season, Williams teamed up with Deshaun Watson to form one of the better receiver/quarterback duos in the country with 84 receptions for 1,171 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Farrell’s take: Williams was a raw, skinny wideout with amazing upside out of high school in 2013. He made it inside our Rivals250 based on his body control and hands. He has now grown into a big, physical receiver who is a mismatch for smaller corners and a red zone natural. Bouncing back from his neck injury from last season, Williams got better as the season wore on and could be low on this list at No. 45.
The skinny: Engram committed to Ole Miss over Wake Forest, Marshall and several other FBS programs during the summer before his senior season. Engram has become one of the more productive tight ends in the country over the last three seasons with the Rebels. Even with quarterback Chad Kelly going down with an injury, Engram still totaled 65 receptions for 926 yards and eight touchdowns during the fall.
Farrell’s take: Lack of size was the main reason Engram wasn't as highly ranked as some of the biggest name tight ends in the country, but let’s be real – Engram is a tight end with wide receiver skills who has become a mismatch for anyone. His ball skills are off the charts, his route running is excellent, and a reliable target is a quarterback’s best friend. He’s been more productive than any of the bigger name tight ends out there and he’s rising on many lists, including those of NFL scouts, although size questions will remain.
The skinny: McMillan took official visits to Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Georgia before committing to the Buckeyes in mid-December. Since playing as a true freshman in 2014, McMillan has been a steady contributor for the Buckeyes. While he did not have as productive of a season statistically in 2016 as he did 2015, he still helped anchor a consistently improving Ohio State defense with 87 tackles, five tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, one sack and five pass breakups.
Farrell’s take: A huge linebacker with excellent sideline-to-sideline speed and quick-twitch ability, McMillan was special out of high school. One of our initial five-stars in the 2014 class, he actually lost that fifth star at one point when he gained too much weight and slowed himself down. But he took that in stride, dedicated himself to getting faster and trimming down and became one of the top linebackers in the country. He’s big and rangy but didn’t have as good a season as he did in 2015 so his stock has dropped slightly. That being said, I’d take him on my team any day of the week.
The skinny: White left no doubt about his recruiting process by making a commitment to LSU at a Junior Day almost a year before his own Signing Day. White has excelled with the Tigers since his arrival in Baton Rouge. After surprising some people by returning for his senior season, White once again impressed this fall with 31 tackles, four tackles for a loss, two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, one fumble recovery and 13 pass breakups. He also returned a punt for a touchdown for good measure.
Farrell’s take: White enjoyed another terrific season in 2016, living up to that five-star status. We saw White as an athletic lockdown corner who could also impact special teams, and he’s delivered. He's one of the five-star prospects in that loaded 2013 cornerback class that used to get mentioned the least with prospects like Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves III and Kendall Fuller -- who are all in the NFL now. But that could change soon, as White has played his way into the discussion as one of the top corners for the NFL Draft in 2017 by staying for an additional year. He played quarterback in high school, which has helped him read offenses.
The skinny: Williams committed to Alabama after a January official visit but still decided to take additional trips to both Florida State and Miami, which caused some stress for Crimson Tide fans. However, the extra visits weren't enough to help the Seminoles and Hurricanes, as he decided to stick with his commitment. At Alabama, Williams burst onto the scene in 2015 and continued his high level of play this fall with 27 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Farrell’s take: Williams was a lanky, skinny kid who was an excellent pass rusher out of high school and has some of the burst you see now, but he has taken it to the next level in Tuscaloosa. The only thing holding him back from a higher ranking was his frame. While he's not huge by defensive end standards, he has more than overcome that with his quickness off the edge. The interesting part? Williams was overshadowed by a freshman named Dylan Moses his senior year in high school, but now the Alabama standout is a likely first-round hybrid star.
