Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
With the college football season just beyond the halfway point, it’s time for another installment of the Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. We take a quick look at how each ranked out of high school and if they are exceeding or simply living up to expectations. Today we look at 20-16 led by one of the top wide receivers in the country.
MORE FARRELL MIDSEASON 50: Nos. 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
The skinny: Hurts named a top four of Alabama, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Florida before committing to the Crimson Tide less than a week later in early June. Not many expected Hurts to make an immediate impact as a true freshman, but that is exactly what he did in 2016. He has continued to improve his game this fall while leading the Tide to another undefeated run. Through the air he has thrown for 1,223 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing only one interception, and on the ground he has added 572 yards and six touchdowns.
Farrell’s take: Hurts was always known for a big arm, but his touch wasn’t consistent. However, he was the kind of kid who seemed very relaxed on and off the field and never shrunk from the moment. Hurts was smart with the football and his accuracy improved greatly between his junior and senior seasons. I certainly didn’t see him heading to Alabama and taking the starting job in game one, however, and he should only get better as he gets more comfortable in the pocket. Teams have schemed differently for him this season but he has adjusted well to that and a new offensive coordinator. A true freshman leading his team to a national title game shows Hurts' maturity and he could win it all this year.
The skinny: Brown was an early commit to Tennessee and stayed that way until a flip to Oklahoma on Signing Day when the Vols couldn’t get him in. After redshirting in 2014, Brown has started every game at left tackle since the start of the 2015 season. He only gave up one sack last season and has continued his dominant play this fall for the Sooners.
Farrell’s take: Brown was a massive kid out of high school with great bloodlines (dad was Orlando “Zeus” Brown, who played 11 seasons in the NFL) but lacked the footwork and discipline to be rated higher than a high three-star. If you told me back then that he’d become an All-American offensive lineman and one of the best in the country, I would have told you that you’re crazy. He’s done a great job putting in the work and making himself better, and deserves all the accolades he’s receiving.
The skinny: Freeman trimmed his list to Oregon, UCLA, USC and Florida before committing to the Ducks in July. While Oregon has experienced a few ups and downs during the last couple of years, Freeman has continued to be an anchor for the Ducks. Since rushing for 1,365 as a true freshman, he has continued his solid and consistent play, including 957 yards and 10 touchdowns this fall for an Oregon offense that has been riddled with injuries.
Farrell’s take: We knew Freeman was good as a top 60 prospect with great size, but we didn't know he'd fit so well into the speedy offense of Oregon, where smaller, slashing backs tend to get the attention. He has increased his quickness in college and he's tough to bring down like he was out of high school. Last year was a down year for the entire team, this season he has bounced back and shown the skills that made him so heavily recruited and such a success his first few years.
The skinny: Smith, who took official visits to Georgia, Michigan, UCLA, Texas A&M and USC, initially committed to the Bruins on Signing Day, but never faxed over his letter of intent. Upon finding out that his recruiting coach, Jeff Ulbrich, was leaving the Bruins, Smith decided to take a step back and finally committed to the Bulldogs almost two weeks after Signing Day. Following up a big 2016 season that saw him finish with 93 tackles and five sacks, Smith has become the leader of the undefeated Georgia defense this fall. Currently with 53 tackles and one sack, fans in Athens are hoping that Smith can lead the Bulldogs to the SEC title and beyond.
Farrell’s take: When Smith decided not to head west and delayed his process, I didn’t think a ton of it because while I thought he was good and was a Rivals100 prospect, he was undersized and I wasn’t sold on how effective he would be at the next level. Man, was I wrong. He’s an absolute terror, and you could argue that no linebacker in the country arrives to the football faster. He’s a quick-twitch kid, has added good size and someone will covet him highly as a terrorizing outside linebacker.
The skinny: Kirk, who was considered a lean towards the Aggies, took official visits to Texas A&M, Arizona State, UCLA and Auburn before making his commitment. There was a heavy push for him to stay in-state and play for the Sun Devils, but at the end he chose to play for coach Kevin Sumlin. In his first two seasons in College Station, Kirk totaled 163 receptions for 1,937 yards and 16 touchdowns while becoming one of the more dynamic playmakers in the country. This fall, while playing with new quarterbacks, Kirk has reeled in 29 receptions for 360 yards and five touchdowns, as he continues to be a threat any time he touches the ball.
Farrell’s take: Kirk’s size was always the only question mark, but we pushed beyond that and made him the rare 5-foot-10 five-star wide receiver and he’s living up to that billing. We expected him to hit the ground running with his route-running and ability to separate, but he’s ahead of schedule already with two great seasons and having a solid season this year with a true freshman quarterback. His performance at our Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge in Chicago is what sealed the deal for us as he was simply unstoppable.
