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 41-45 led by two Clemson defensive stars.
FARRELL 50: Nos. 46-50 | Preseason Farrell 50
The skinny: Ridley was an early commitment to the Crimson Tide, and while rumors persisted throughout his senior season and leading up to Signing Day that he was taking a look at other programs, he stuck with his word and signed with Alabama. Ridley became an immediate star at Alabama as a true freshman and has continued his consistent and top-level play. While his numbers may not be near the top nationally, his performance has helped quarterback Jalen Hurts progress this season and has added a continued spark to the Alabama offense. Ridley has 41 catches for 523 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Farrell’s take: Ridley set freshman records at Alabama as a receiver, the same place where Julio Jones and Amari Cooper dominated, so that's heady stuff. Ridley was always an elite prospect in high school and a no-brainer five-star from the start. He was an accomplished route runner, had solid size and amazing hands and just needed to fill out and find his way into the Alabama offense. Now he is the clear No. 1 target among wide receivers for the Tide and a huge key to their offense.
The skinny: Bryant trimmed his list down to a top 10 and then took several visits before Clemson and Notre Dame emerged as his two leaders. He took an additional visit to both schools before committing to the Tigers in July before his senior year. A foot injury slowed Bryant’s progress during his first two seasons, but he has flourished so far this fall. Already with 33 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, one interception and a forced fumble, Bryant has further strengthened an already elite defensive line in Death Valley.
Farrell’s take: Bryant was an interesting recruit because he made the adjustment from a huge linebacker to a defensive end. As a result, I was worried a bit that his ranking was too high, which is the opposite of what you’d normally think because the athleticism to play in space as a linebacker would help any defensive end. Bottom line for me is that I wasn’t convinced he could be an elite pass rusher with the get off and pass rushing moves I saw. He’s been up and down his first two seasons, but this year he’s been amazing and is certainly helped by the additional talent on the Clemson defensive line.
The skinny: McFadden had Florida State, Georgia and LSU in his top three, but it was only the Seminoles that pulled in an official visit before his commitment in late October. After receiving minimal playing time as a freshman in 2015, McFadden had an NCAA-leading eight interceptions last fall. While his stats won’t reach those levels in 2017, he has maintained a high level of play while quarterbacks have avoided throwing in his direction.
Farrell’s take: A controversial five-star as many questioned our ranking, McFadden was a tall kid who could have projected at safety as well. While he did get beat deep at times, he had the length, speed and hips to be special. After a slow start to last season, he came on and started to be more consistent in coverage and that has carried over for the most part this year. McFadden has been put in some bad situations this year due to poor defensive game planning but he’s still an elite talent.
The skinny: O’Daniel didn't drag his recruiting process out, as he committed to Clemson in April. He stayed firm with his word despite serious pushes from several elite programs. After redshirting in 2013 and then showing flashes of his potential in 2014 and 2015, O’Daniel began to make a statement in 2016. He has taken his game to an even higher level this fall with 51 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.
Farrell’s take: O’Daniel was a big-time recruit and player out of high school. He was an undersized linebacker that covered a lot of ground and was effective in pass defense. O'Daniel's lack of length and size led to a slide outside the Rivals100 in our final rankings update, but he was still top 10 at his position. However, he hadn’t played up to some of the bigger names ahead of him in his class until this year when he has emerged as the leader of the defense. I remember the first time I heard of him was as an 8th grade running back phenom so he’s come a long way.
The skinny: Holland chose Auburn on Signing Day after many considered Florida to be his long-time leader. He chose the Tigers over the Gators, Florida State, Alabama, Ohio State and others but it was the move of Will Muschamp to Auburn after he was fired at Florida that sealed the deal. Holland made a small impact his first two years at Auburn but has taken his game to the next level this season with eight sacks and double digit tackles for a loss as well as three forced fumbles.
Farrell’s take: Holland was a talented and aggressive prospect out of Jacksonville as a high school player who had good size and the potential to play with his hand in the dirt or standing up. He was a big hitter, was very cocky and knew how talented he was and made a ton of tackles in space. We had some questions regarding his attitude and how he’d adjust to college, but he has done a great job waiting his turn and is one of the keys to the Auburn defense.
