NFL 100 Countdown: Nos. 31-40
Top 50 CFB: Farrell Fifty
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Farrell's Take: Wake was a physical freak coming out of high school, a big kid who could play defensive end or linebacker and he would have been rated as a four-star prospect either inside or just outside the Rivals100. While he wasn't drafted, he has turned into an elite pass-rusher in the NFL and that's not a huge surprise to those who saw that raw potential in high school.
38
DB
Brent Grimes, Shippensburg University
Philadelphia (Pa.) Northeast, 2002, not ranked
Farrell's Take: Grimes was nowhere on the radar of FBS schools and ended up headed in D2, the only player on the NFL100 who didn't at least play at the FCS level. He was simply too small, according to most, and he didn't merit a ranking at all during the 2002 season despite a solid senior year. There was no way anyone saw this NFL career.
37
WR
Summerville, S.C., 2008, five-star
The Skinny: Green was No. 9 overall, the No. 2 wide receiver, behind Julio Jones, and the No. 2 recruit from South Carolina, behind DaQuan Bowers, in the class of 2008. Green arrived at Georgia with a great deal of hype and definitely lived up to expectations. He continues to do that in the NFL with Cincinnati, where he has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons.
Farrell's Take: The big debate was Green versus Jones all year long and Jones won out, but barely and only because of his strength and power. This is the best 1-2 punch at wide receiver I've ever scouted and the rest of the five-stars in this class make it the best top-heavy group I've seen as well. Green's length and amazing ball skills stood out as a recruit and we knew he would be a star in college and beyond.
36
OL
Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde, 2008, five-star
The Skinny: Smith was No. 15 overall, the No. 6 offensive tackle and the No. 3 recruit from California in the class of 2008. At USC, Smith gradually improved his game to the point where he was considered one of the top offensive linemen in the 2011 NFL Draft. Selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the ninth overall pick, Smith is now considered one of the best left tackles in the league and is part of what most believe to be the best offensive line in the NFL.
Farrell's Take: Smith was one of the most athletic offensive tackles I've ever seen, a freak of nature with his size, wingspan and ability to move his feet. He was so talented that if he decided to play tight end, I don't know if it would have been an issue. As a top 15 player, we certainly saw stardom in Smith and he has proven us right so far.
35
WR
Eugene Hilton, Florida International
Miami Springs, Fla., 2008, two-star
The Skinny: Hilton was not ranked nationally, at his position or in Florida in the class of 2008. Hilton may not have been a household name during his collegiate years at Florida International, but after finishing with 229 receptions for 3,531 yards and 24 touchdowns, the NFL was very aware of his abilities. Selected in the third Round by Indianapolis in 2012, Hilton has developed a strong on-field connection with Andrew Luck, to form one of the more explosive quarterback/wide receiver combo's in the league.
Farrell's Take: Hilton was small, weighing about 155 pounds soaking wet out of high school, but he was fast and productive and had some nice offers, including West Virginia and Ole Miss. He picked FIU, as the story goes, because his infant son picked an FIU hat over a WVU hat six times in a row. Whether true or not, he was clearly under-valued by us, mostly because of his size. He's not a big receiver now by any stretch, but slot receivers have made a comeback and he clicks well with Luck. That's all that matters.
34
QB
Tony Romo, Eastern Illinois
Burlington, Wisc., 1998, (Pre-Rivals Era)
Farrell's Take: Romo played on a bad high school team and only had two years of quarterback play under his belt before he settled on D-1AA football, so he would have been a two-star prospect, especially back in 1998 where there weren't nearly as many QB-centric camps for evaluation. Being in remote Wisconsin with a 3-6 team as a senior does not lead to a high ranking or a big recruiting profile, but he has clearly overcome the odds.
33
LB
DeSoto, Tex., 2007, four-star
The Skinny: Miller was the No. 15 weakside defensive end and the No. 29 recruit from Texas in the Class of 2007. Miller was a pass-rushing force at Texas A&M and continues to do the same in the NFL with Denver. In his four seasons with the Broncos, Miller has already accumulated 49 sacks and 225 tackles, which has led him to be named to three Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams.
Farrell's Take: Miller was an excellent prospect in high school and earned that four-star status as a pass rusher, but he took his game to the next level in college and beyond. He didn't make our Rivals250, but was in that top 300 range overall, but he clearly should have been higher had we had that fortune-teller's take on his future. He was a bit undersized as an end in high school, one of our bigger concerns back then. Tall and thin, he was a 'tweener for sure but a talented one.
32
WR
New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman School, 2011, four-star
The Skinny: Beckham Jr. was No. 43 overall, the No. 6 wide receiver and the No. 4 recruit from Louisiana in the class of 2011. Beckham Jr. had three very productive seasons with LSU, before declaring for the NFL draft in 2014. Selected with the 12th overall pick by the New York Giants, Beckham Jr. stormed the NFL as a rookie after missing the first few games of the season due to injury. Making numerous highlight receptions and finishing with 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, Beckham Jr. was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season.
Farrell's Take: Beckham Jr. was a very good prospect out of high school and made a strong push for that fifth star, coming up 17 spots shy. Known as a great route-runner and a technician with good speed, his freaky ball skills weren't quite as evident as they became in college and, more famously, in the NFL. But his success is not a shock.
31
TE
Jimmy Graham, Miami
Goldsboro (N.C.) Charis Prep Academy, 2005, 4-star in basketball
Farrell's Take: Yet another hoops freak who decided to pick up football and made himself a millionaire doing so. Graham was always a great athlete and was ranked as a four-star hoops recruit out of high school, unlike Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas. But after one season of football at Miami and 17 catches, his athleticism took over and led to his NFL selection by the Saints in the third round. Graham played wide receiver and defensive end in high school and was a raw but athletic prospect, very long and angular, which would have made him a solid three-star prospect had he signed for football.
Top 50 CFB: Farrell Fifty
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director
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