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Mind of Mike: Ten redshirt freshmen who impressed in 2017

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

With so much attention being paid to seniors, NFL Draft prospects and true freshmen, the redshirt freshmen often get lost in the shuffle. Here are 10 guys that stood out in 2017.

Note: This isn’t a ranking of the 10 best redshirt freshmen in the country, just players that impressed me and that I remember well from their high school days.

MORE: Ten prospects that should be in the five-star conversation

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Andraez Williams
Andraez Williams (AP Images)

The skinny: There wasn’t much drama in Williams’ recruitment as his commitment to LSU was expected after numerous visits to the Baton Rouge campus. With some holes to plug in the LSU secondary coming into the 2017 season, Williams quickly stepped up and became a star on the defensive unit. Finishing the season with 34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and 10 pass break-ups. Coming from a program known for producing NFL-caliber defensive backs, Williams is primed to make a name for himself in the next year.

Farrell’s take: A high three-star out of high school, Williams was tall and long enough but needed to fill out and become more physical. However, he always had excellent ball skills and instincts. Williams was a willing tackler and always aggressive so we knew he’d have a chance at success with some time but were still worried about the overall balance of his game as a defender and tackler. Many schools tried to get him and his brother, Rondarius Williams, as a package deal but Greedy stayed home at LSU while Rodarius went off to Oklahoma State when the Tigers never offered.

Josh Jackson
Josh Jackson (AP Images)

The skinny: Jackson chose Virginia Tech over offers from Northwestern, Minnesota and West Virginia. He stayed firm with his commitment despite the Frank Beamer/Justin Fuente coaching transition later that year. Jackson performed like a veteran this season for a Hokies team that finished 9-4. Totaling 2,991 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air, plus 324 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, the Virginia Tech offense looks to be in very capable hands with Jackson.

Farrell’s take: Jackson was a high three-star prospect who needed to work on his mechanics and accuracy but had enough upside to be rated as one of the top 25 quarterbacks at his position. He wasn’t overly tall or filled out but he could extend the play and had great football sense. He was always a gamer and we liked that.

Paddy Fisher (42)
Paddy Fisher (42) (AP Images)

The skinny: Fisher, who held upwards of 10 offers, trimmed his list down to Northwestern and Baylor before committing to the Wildcats. While expectations were high for Fisher coming into the 2017 season after an impressive summer camp, not many people envisioned him as one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten this quickly. Fisher finished his season with 113 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles and one interception.

Farrell’s take: Fisher had good size and was always a good tackler, but he lacked great athleticism and we questioned his speed from sideline to sideline. He’s been much more quick twitch and athletic than we expected. A lot of what he does well is because of his football sense and anticipation, but he has clearly gotten faster and more explosive. He looks like a future star for the Cats.

JD Spielman
JD Spielman (AP Images)

The skinny: Spielman committed to the Huskers a few days after taking a summer visit to Lincoln. While the Huskers lacked big-play potential at times this fall, Spielman gave them exactly that on both offense and special teams. He finished the season with 830 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air, 73 yards on the ground and 669 yards on kickoff returns.

Farrell’s take: Spielman was a high three-star prospect at athlete because of his ability to play many positions but also impact on special teams. He raised his stock at the Semper Fi All-American week but his size held him back from a fourth-star. That is looking like a mistake right now as he’s been a do-everything player for the Huskers.

Albert Okwuegbunam
Albert Okwuegbunam (AP Images)

The skinny: Okwuegbunam committed to Missouri during an unofficial visit for a game. While he continued to receive pressure from both Nebraska and Indiana to take an official visit, he remained firm with his commitment to the Tigers. Okwuegbunam had an extremely productive season with the Tigers, finishing with 11 touchdown receptions, while only having 29 total receptions. He quickly became a reliable target for quarterback Drew Lock in the Tigers’ offense.

Farrell’s take: Okwuegbunam always had talent and just fell short of four-star status out of high school. A huge target with a great frame to fill out, he had big hands and was a reliable pass catcher for the most part. He played wide receiver in high school, but we could easily see the transition to tight end being smooth one. His touchdown to reception ratio has been awesome.

Lorenzo Burns
Lorenzo Burns (AP Images)

The skinny: Burns took official visits to Arizona and Colorado before eventually signing with the Wildcats. Burns showed potential leading up to the 2016 season and played in the first two games, but an injury led to his redshirt. Part of a young and talented Wildcats defensive unit in 2017, Burns showcased all of his potential this fall with 81 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, five interceptions and seven pass break-ups.

Farrell’s take: We had Burns as a three-star prospect and an athlete because he could play either side of the ball as well as on special teams. He was little, about 150 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame, which held him back a bit, but he has bulked up. His instincts and ball skills are off the charts and he plays much bigger than his size, so it will be interesting to follow him as he adds strength.

Tyler Vaughns
Tyler Vaughns (AP Images)

The skinny: Vaughns committed to USC over Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Washington and many others. He did end up taking an official visit to College Station in January, but never truly wavered on his commitment to USC. With the Trojans, Vaughns had a very productive first season with 57 receptions for 809 yards and five touchdowns, as he teamed up with quarterback Sam Darnold to help USC to an 11-3 season an a berth the Cotton Bowl.

Farrell’s take: Darnold needed new targets at wide receiver, and Vaughns was expected to be that tall, lanky, sneaky-quick downfield threat he loves. Vaughns was a five-star player for a reason - he just needed to fill out and get stronger. He was always excellent off the line of scrimmage and showed excellent hands and body control. Now that he’s got a year under his belt and has added some muscle, he’s started to come into his own. Vaughns started slower than expected this season, but he picked it up as the season wore on.

Curtis Weaver
Curtis Weaver (AP Images)

The skinny: Weaver took official visits to Boise State and Washington State before committing to the Broncos on National Signing Day. He had a huge 2017 season for the Broncos with 33 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, 11 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown.

Farrell’s take: Weaver was a low three-star prospect who had good size and dominated the competition. We thought he could be close to his ceiling and wasn’t projected as a big developmental guy. We have been wrong so far as he’s been as dominant as he was at times in high school. A solid athlete who played defensive end and tight end, he was a big part of Boise State’s 2016 class and now he’s arguably their best defender.

Tyler Biadasz
Tyler Biadasz (AP Images)

The skinny: Biadasz, who held several FCS offers, picked up an offer from Wisconsin during a visit in early June. Not surprisingly this led to his commitment to the Badgers less than two days later. Biadaz slipped right into the starting offensive line this season for the Badgers at center. Despite his inexperience, he performed like a veteran while leading the power Wisconsin rushing attack.

Farrell’s take: Biadasz was a three-star prospect who lacked great size and power out of high school but had smarts and athleticism. We had him ranked as a defensive tackle because he seemed to excel at that position and was aggressive. Biadasz has taken that aggression and brought it to the offensive line. The level of competition he played wasn’t great and we worried a bit about his frame, but he’s turned into your typical underrated, nasty Wisconsin offensive lineman.

Chase Lucas
Chase Lucas (AP Images)

The skinny: Lucas took official visits to Washington and Oregon State before committing to the in-state Sun Devils in early November. His first season on the field in Tempe was an impressive one, with 53 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups. He also became one of the vocal leaders of the Arizona State defense as a redshirt freshman.

Farrell’s take: Lucas was a four-star prospect and a Rivals250 member who spent a lot of his time on the offensive side of the ball in high school. But when we saw him at camps and at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, we liked what we saw on defense as he had some natural instincts. He also showed off great range as a safety but has excelled as a corner.

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