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Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
It’s that time of year again, time for the updated Farrell 50, the top 50 players in college football. Today we look at Nos. 46-50, which includes three key defenders, an offensive lineman, and a great Group of Five running back.
The skinny: Murray trimmed his list down to Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M before committing to the Sooners in August. A trip to Norman a couple of weeks before his decision helped put Oklahoma over the top. Murray has followed up a very promising 2017 season with an even better start to his second season with the Sooners. Currently with 74 tackles, which includes an amazing 28-tackle performance against Army, six tackles for a loss and three sacks, Murray has quickly become a leader on the defensive unit.
Farrell’s take: Murray was a four-star linebacker coming out of high school who had good size and length but needed to get a bit quicker and more quick twitch. He was outside our Rivals250 but still a player we liked a lot who could play outside or inside. He’s been one of the best defenders in the Big 12 this season, which is why he sneaks onto this list at No. 50.
The skinny: Coney took official visits to Notre Dame and Florida during his senior season before committing to the Irish in October. He then took an official visit to Miami in December, but stuck with the Irish on Signing Day. Coney, who quietly put together a terrific 2017 season, has proven that he is one of the top linebackers in the country this fall with 56 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception and a fumble recovery for the improved Irish defense.
Farrell’s take: Coney was a big and powerful inside linebacker coming out of high school who arrived at the football with a thump but wasn’t very long or tall. Now he is rising on NFL Draft boards because he can cover so much ground and is a sure and aggressive tackler as well as being the leader of the Notre Dame defense. We had him highly rated, but he’s playing even better than that.
The skinny: Lawrence was open about growing up as a fan of the Florida Gators, however it was Clemson who was able to pull in his commitment over the Gators, Ohio State, Alabama, NC State and North Carolina. Looking just at his statistics, Lawrence’s third season at Clemson may seem as a bit of a letdown, but in reality he has done an amazing job taking on blockers through the first half of the season in order to allow the other defensive playmakers on the feared Tigers’ line to control the game.
Farrell’s take: The unsung hero of the Clemson defensive line? That could be the case with Lawrence, who takes up so many blockers. He was a massive high school prospect, tall and big, who had exceptional pass-rushing moves and worked off contact extremely well for a taller interior lineman. He had light feet, always had a counter for whatever an offensive lineman threw at him and was well-coached in the nuances of the position. He finished as our No. 2 overall player behind Rashan Gary in 2016, but was No. 1 at one point. The NFL scouts are drooling.
The skinny: Smith took official visits to Ohio State and then Tennessee during his senior season, and it was the in-state visit that was more than enough as he committed to the Vols soon after returning home. While the Tennessee offense has had its ups and downs this fall, Smith has become an anchor on the offensive line, both in the running game and while protecting quarterback Jarrett Guarantano.
Farrell’s take: Smith was an interesting prospect out of high school, No. 1 on one site and a five-star everywhere but Rivals.com, where we had him highly-ranked but not as highly as the rest. He’s played close to that five-star ranking since he was a freshman and will be a high NFL Draft pick, but it will be interesting to see if his draft status lives up to the ranking of many. He’s a bit overshadowed because his team isn’t very good, but he’s an elite offensive tackle prospect.
The skinny: Henderson, who never truly saw his recruiting process take off, took an official visit to Middle Tennessee State in mid-January and then Memphis the following weekend. Soon after returning home from his visit to Memphis he committed to the Tigers. While other offensive stars took the limelight in 2017, despite Henderson rushing for 1,154 yards, this season the Memphis offense is focused on him. Already with 1,133 yards and 13 touchdowns, while averaging an absurd 10.3 yards per carry, he is a serious threat to score anytime he gets the ball in his hands.
Farrell’s take: Henderson was a two-star out of high school with just four offers and none out of the Power Five. He was short and stocky and lacked great breakaway speed, but he’s been amazing at the college level and playing like a four-star. He has added speed and is very hard to tackle.
