Farrell postseason 50: Nos. 1-5

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 concludes with a look at Nos. 1-5, led by the Heisman Trophy winner.

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

Farrell postseason 50: Nos. 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50

The skinny: Peppers narrowed his list to Michigan, Ohio State, LSU and Stanford by the spring after his junior season and committed to the Wolverines in late May. Peppers played multiple positions in 2015 and again was a jack-of-all trades in 2016. The most versatile player in the country finished 2016 with 66 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, three sacks and one interception on defense, 167 yards rushing and three touchdowns on offense and one punt return for a touchdown on special teams.

Farrell’s take: Peppers was one of the bigger names in the recruiting world, at least for the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing this. And he's up there with Brian Toal, Brian Cushing and Will Hill in recent Jersey lore but has clearly surpassed them all in college. A cornerback and running back who also played some safety in high school, he played everywhere at Michigan, especially this season. From the first time I saw him as a freshman corner at Bosco to his dominant years at Paramus Catholic, this kid was always special and is one of the best playmakers in college football. And he’s a leader.

The skinny: Barnett trimmed his list to Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri before committing to the Vols during his senior season. Barnett became an immediate contributor for the Vols when he arrived on campus and has only continued to improve his skill set over the last three season. This fall he finished with 50 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception as he anchored a defense that was riddled with injuries.

Farrell’s take: Somehow robbed of any postseason honors or even mentions, Barnett has had a record-setting career. 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 first three years as a Vol? Nope, we didn’t. He has exceeded our expectations quite a bit and is now in the mix for that No. 1 DE spot on NFL scouts' boards along with Myles Garrett and Jonathan 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 of his junior year. After waiting his turn with the Crimson Tide, Allen began to showcase his immense talents last fall. This season he took his game to an entirely new level as he finished with 56 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

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 he reached a new level of athleticism and dominance coming back for his senior season.

The skinny: Watson had no drama in his recruiting process as he committed to Clemson on Signing Day in 2012, a full year before he actually signed his own papers. After leading the Tigers to the National Championship Game and winning the Davey O’Brien Award last season, expectations were through the roof leading up to the start of the 2016 campaign. While his productivity on the ground was not as explosive, he still had another memorable season with 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns through the air and 524 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

Farrell’s take: Watson is a two-time Heisman finalist and has had an amazing career. We loved his run-pass ability in high school, obviously, based on his ranking, and he has grown into an solid decision-maker and one of the most dangerous weapons in college football. It’s not unexpected at all for us, the only site to have him as a five-star, but it was his character that really struck me when he was in high school. He’s still one of the highest-character kids I’ve ever scouted, and all those who questioned his arm strength are looking silly now.

The skinny: Jackson committed to Louisville during the summer after his junior year but still took official visits to Nebraska, Florida and Mississippi State. The biggest push came from Florida, but on Signing Day, Jackson decided to stick with his original commitment and signed with the Cardinals. While Jackson had a very productive true freshman season, few expected the monumental leap he took from 2015 to 2016. After finishing with 3,390 yards and 30 touchdowns through the air and 1,538 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, Jackson was the runaway winner of this year’s Heisman Trophy.

Farrell’s Take: Jackson was known for his arm -- he has a cannon with that whip delivery -- but in high school he did a ton with his legs as well. But there was no way to see how explosive he’d be at the next level. His speed has translated much better to college than I expected, as I've been surprised with his ability to run away from people so easily. Jackson is still a bit raw as a passer, but he is so dominant as a runner that he gets a lot of a space when in or outside the pocket as the entire pass rush is geared toward run containment. He is simply the most dynamic player we’ve seen in college football in quite some time. I’m happy we are only one of two sites to have him as a four-star (the others saw three-star), but it’s clear now we were watching a future five-star.