CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

Five-star prospects don’t always pan out. Here are a group of former five-stars that need big seasons to live up to that lofty ranking.

MORE: Three-Point Stance features Farrell's Shine and Shame from Week 1 | College Fantasy Football's Week 1 review

The skinny: Cowart initially seemed destined for Florida, but when coach Will Muschamp was fired, that opened the door for other programs. And when Muschamp found a new home at Auburn as defensive coordinator, the Tigers took advantage and grabbed his commitment on National Signing Day. However, it was not all smooth sailing, as Cowart delayed sending in his fax for hours, leaving both Auburn and Florida fans anxious.

A move to the interior defensive line in 2017 did not spark Cowart’s career at Auburn, so after two games and a total of 15 tackles in three seasons, Cowart transferred to Maryland in hopes of revitalizing his career. Cowart had one tackle and one assist in his first game with the Terps.

Farrell’s take: Go figure this one. Cowart was dominant in camps, in games, physically and had an amazing work ethic. We had quarterback Josh Rosen as our No. 1 in the country heading into the Under Armour Game but flipped back to Cowart after a dominating week of practice and a great game. Now, he is about to go down as the biggest bust we’ve ever had at No. 1 overall. I’m still scratching my head on this one and his last chance is at Maryland.

The skinny: Jones was initially committed to Maryland, but after more than a year with being tied to the Terps, he re-opened his process and flipped to Ohio State after taking an official visit to Columbus. Through two seasons in Columbus, Jones has totaled 19 tackles. While he has proven himself as an excellent special teams player, obviously more is expected from him as a former five-star. More playing time should be coming his way this fall, but he has yet to solidify that through the spring and summer.

Farrell’s take: Jones is still waiting his turn in the Ohio State defense. He has yet to make an impact close for a five-star player, and continues to struggle finding playing time. He had size, length and was a tackling machine out of high school, but that has yet to translate at all to the college game.

The skinny: While he seriously considered staying in-state and playing for Texas, in the end Jamabo committed to UCLA on National Signing Day. There have been points of Jamabo’s collegiate career when he looked poised to break out, but that has yet to happen. Through three seasons he has totaled 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns, which are respectable - but far from eye-catching - numbers. So can everyone expect increased production from him this season in coach Chip Kelly’s open offense? Jamabo was suspended for the opener for UCLA.

Farrell’s take: Jamabo was a five-star prospect and a top 25 national player in the class of 2015. His combination of size, athleticism, willingness to deliver punishment and ability to juke defenders impressed me. He was a high-stepping, tall and upright runner who could also catch the ball. I thought he could be an absolute star at UCLA, but so far he has been average at best.

The skinny: Campbell initially committed to Michigan, but with a coaching change looming in Ann Arbor, he decommitted and quickly made a pledge to Florida State. However, in Tallahassee he has yet to hit his potential. While injuries have plagued him during his time with the Seminoles, he has also underperformed while on the field. Having only totaled nine receptions for 164 yards in five career games, Campbell does seem healthy heading into the 2018 season. If he is able to stay on the field for a full season, will he actually be able to produce?

Farrell’s take: I’ll take the blame on this one, as I made the final decision to push him to five-star status after the Under Armour week. That was clearly a poor decision. He just never emerged, whether you want to blame injuries, his hands or his desire. Whatever the reason, Campbell has bust written all over him.

The skinny: Richmond committed to Ole Miss at the start of his senior season after visiting Tennessee, Ohio State, Alabama and others during the summer. However, when National Signing Day came around, he flipped to the Vols. Richmond has failed to show consistency during his time in Knoxville. Coming off of a 2017 season in which he was suspended for the opener and then only played seven games due to injuries, it is truly now or never for Richmond, who has shown steady improvement during the current off-season.

Farrell’s take: It’s clear we overshot on Richmond, at least so far. He hasn’t taken that next step and has been bypassed by freshman Trey Smith easily, despite the two playing different positions. Right now, it looks like we should have rated Richmond lower and Smith higher.

The skinny: Phillips took official visits to Tennessee, Ole Miss and LSU, and while the Rebels and Tigers looked to be the leaders for a good portion of his process, his last visit to Knoxville was enough for him to commit to the Vols in early January. Shoulder injuries have slowed Phillips’ progress in Knoxville, but he has also failed to show the star power that was expected from him when healthy. He had an improved 2017 season, with 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Will he be able to build on that and take his game to a higher level in 2018? Phillips had one tackle and one assist in the Vols' opening loss to West Virginia.

Farrell’s take: Last year was supposed to be a breakout year, as he’d been bounced around the line a bit and could focus on defensive end. It was a solid year overall, but certainly not a five-star caliber season. He’s been vastly overrated and he didn’t show any signs of breaking out in his first game this season.

The skinny: Irwin was torn between Stanford and Arizona State for the majority of his process, but at the end he committed to the Cardinal in early January. While Irwin is coming off of his best collegiate season to date, with 43 receptions for 461 yards and two touchdowns, he has yet to achieve what was expected from him. With only three career touchdown receptions, the Cardinal will need to see improved play from him this fall if they hope to contend in the Pac-12. He had five catches for 31 yards in Stanford’s season-opening win.

Farrell’s take: Irwin dominated the 7-on-7 scene and couldn’t be covered, and I guess we fell for that. His ball skills and route running were so good, but he hasn’t emerged as a star target for Stanford. Blame the system, poor quarterback play or whatever you want, but he hasn't made the big step forward needed last year and so far this year.

The skinny: Hayes made an early commitment to USC, which led to his move from Michigan to California. However, after a month he was back in Michigan and eventually re-opened his process. Hayes took official visits to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan State before committing to the Irish after his senior season. Coming off of a 2017 season during which he finished with 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks, Hayes showed glimpses of why Irish fans were excited when they received his commitment. Currently in a battle with Julian Okwara for playing time at defensive end, Hayes should have an increased opportunity this fall to showcase his abilities. Hayes had one assist in Notre Dame’s opening win against Michigan.

Farrell’s take: Hayes was a huge linebacker out of high school, but he didn’t see a ton of playing time due to injury and transfer rules as a prep player. He had the rare size at 250 pounds of an outside linebacker who could also play inside or grow into a defensive end. Hayes had a ton of talent, but hasn’t put it all together yet at Notre Dame.

The skinny: Hardman committed to Georgia over Alabama and Ohio State on National Signing Day. He actually named the Tide as his leader only a couple of weeks before his final decision. Hardman showed exciting, big-play ability in 2017, with 25 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns, plus eight rushing attempts for 61 yards and two touchdowns. But can he become a more consistent weapon for the Bulldogs in 2018? Hardman had two catches for 63 yards and a score in Georgia’s opener against Austin Peay.

Farrell’s take: Hardman’s skills were never questioned, and he finished as a national top 15 player and a clear-cut five-star. He was so talented he could have been a cornerback or wide receiver at the next level, which is why we had him ranked at athlete. I remember his suddenness and the battle between Hardman and Demetrius Robertson at our Rivals Camp Series event in Charlotte, as they tried to out-do each other on offense. There was never any question about his impact at the next level, just whether it would come on offense or defense. He has yet to break out, but he has shown signs.

The skinny: With his father having played for Alabama, and growing up minutes from campus, the Tide were the clear favorite. And while he signed with Alabama, he did take long looks at Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame before making his decision on National Signing Day. Davis’ situation is one that has confused many people. Despite his immense raw talent, he has yet to put it together in Tuscaloosa. Flip-flopping from the inside to the outside and back, the Tide continue to try to find the best spot for Davis, who may already be running out of time to make a serious impact in Alabama.

Farrell’s take: So far, this one is tough to figure, as Davis was a huge and active linebacker out of high school who could run plays down or handle them at the point of contact. The fact that he hasn’t cracked the starting lineup speaks to the depth at Alabama, but also perhaps to overrating him out of prep. Time will tell if he can live up to this billing.