NFL 100 Countdown: Nos. 51-60
Top 50 CFB: Farrell Fifty
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The Skinny: Davis was the No. 33 cornerback nationally and the No. 1 recruit from D.C. in the Class of 2006. Davis, who committed to Illinois over Maryland, Michigan State and Virginia, has developed into one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. He is coming off of his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2014 after totaling four interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Farrell's Take: I regret this one, because right around 2006 or so, recruiting started to blow up and there more and more camps and in-person evaluation opportunities and I saw Davis often. He was a bit stiff in the hips at times and was better in a straight line than changing directions, but as the younger brother of freakish Vernon Davis and being trained by some of the best defensive backs coaches and trainers in DC, I should have seen four-star and I didn't.
58
LB
Hazel Park (Mich.) University of Detroit Jesuit High, 2005, two-star
The Skinny: Barwin was a two-star and was not ranked nationally, at his position, which was tight end, or in Michigan in the Class of 2005. Barwin started off his career at tight end at Cincinnati, which was his lone offer. He moved to defensive end while at Cincinnati. In the NFL, Barwin has gradually improved his game, moving to outside linebacker and coming off of his best season with 64 tackles and 14.5 sacks.
Farrell's Take: Taken as a tight end at the last moment by Cincinnati, Barwin was a couple days away from heading to D-1AA or JUCO it seems. It's not clear whether being deaf in one ear (he was born deaf and had multiple surgeries) had anything to do with a lack of recruiting interest, but he was essentially an unknown by everyone but the Bearcats until the end of the process.
57
WR
Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell, 2002, two-star
The Skinny: Marshall was a two-star and was ranked as the No. 76 athlete nationally, but was not ranked in Florida. There is no debate that Marshall has been one of the more productive wide receivers in the NFL over the last 10 years, but he continues to find new homes. This season will be his first with the New York Jets as he hopes to put some more life in what was a stagnant offense in 2014.
Farrell's Take: How can such a great athlete, who played everything from wide receiver to defensive end in high school, be ranked as a two star and be so under-recruited with offers from UCF and UConn only? Especially in the state of Florida? Those were different times, when kids weren't seen in person nearly as much and film was what everyone went on. Marshall, a 6-foot-4, 195-pounder who could play numerous positions, would probably be a four-star in today's world of scouting with 35 offers. It was a different day and age for sure.
56
LB
Fort Scott (Kan.) Fort Scott C.C., 2010, four-star
The Skinny: David was a four-star JUCO recruit in the Class of 2010 after playing his high school football at powerful Miami Northwestern. After dealing his some academic issues at Fort Scott C.C., David had a monumental two-year career at Nebraska. In his first three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, David has already established himself as one of the elite playmaking linebackers in the league.
Farrell's Take: Another player who took the JUCO route to college and NFL success, David has become one of the best linebackers sideline-to-sideline in the NFL and we saw that at Fort Scott, where we had him No. 7 in the country. The bottom line in JUCO for David was that he was the kind of motor guy who would tackle 11 guys if he had to just to see who had the ball. He was non-stop.
55
DL
St. Louis (Mo.) Gateway, 2009, five-star; 2011, four-star
The Skinny: Richardson was a five-star, No. 4 overall, the No. 1 defensive tackle and the No. 1 recruit from Missouri in the Class of 2009 and then a four-star JUCO recruit in the Class of 2011. Richardson's recruiting process was hectic, his college career at Missouri had its potholes and now the same is happening in the NFL. Dominant on the field, off-the-field issues have followed Richardson, who is now suspended for the first four games of this season after failing the league's substance abuse policy and is awaiting news on the possibility that he may miss a few more after an arrest.
Farrell's Take: There was never doubting Richardson's talent coming out of high school and he was our No. 3 JUCO prospect after getting his academics straight for a couple of years, so we certainly saw superstar potential. He has also flashed that potential quite often, but not often enough to offset the off-the-field issues he has to overcome both in college and the pros. He's on the verge of squandering some of the most natural talent for a big man I've ever seen.
54
WR
Steve Smith Sr., Utah
Santa Monica (Calif.) College (JUCO), 1999 (Pre-Rivals era)
Farrell's Take: Smith wasn't a star in high school, although he did put up some nice numbers as a running back and was a solid defensive back, but he was more successful as a hurdler in track. It was at JUCO where he blossomed and earned an offer from Utah and went on to become a college standout and then NFL star. Well known for his drive, determination and passion, in the class of 1999 he would have been a three-star recruit more than likely, but anyone who thought he'd succeed to the level he has should be playing the tables in Vegas.
53
DL
Marcell Dareus, Alabama
Birmingham (Ala.) Huffman, 2008, three-star
The Skinny: Darius was a three-star, the No. 28 defensive tackle nationally and the No. 17 recruit from Alabama in the Class of 2008. While he wasn't one of the more highly anticipated recruits to arrive at Alabama, after a memorable collegiate career, he was selected third overall by Buffalo in the 2011 NFL Draft. Dareus has played his best football the last two seasons, when he was named to two Pro Bowls and this past season earned First-Team All-Pro honors for the first time.
Farrell's Take: An overlooked part of the most important recruiting class in the Saban era at Alabama (so far), Dareus was a bit undersized out of high school and more of a gap shooter than the 331-pound run stuffer you see today. In fact, he was more of a pass rusher, sometimes working outside primarily, and struggled when the ball was run at him too often. Weird how things change in the matter of a few years.
52
LB
Antonio Gates, Kent State
Detroit (Mich.) Central, 1997 (Pre Rivals Era)
Farrell's Take: Gates path to the NFL is a long one, including a stop at Michigan State under Nick Saban, a departure for Eastern Michigan when Saban told him he could not play hoops in East Lansing and then off to Kent State after two stops at junior colleges, where he became a hoops star who was still so athletic and had so much football potential he went from undrafted to future Hall of Famer. Out of high school, he was a dominant two-sport athlete who would have been a high four-star prospect despite his love for basketball. He was big and talented and a first-team all-state athlete in both sports as a senior. He was simply a freakish athlete.
51
LB
Clay Matthews III, USC
Agoura, Calif, 2004 (Not in database)
Farrell's Take: So the first question will be, of course, how on earth was Clay Matthews III not in the database in 2004? The answer? He wasn't a D-1 prospect. At all. His dad was his high school defensive coordinator and wouldn't start him because he was so skinny and physically undersized. He was recruited, after bulking up a bit his senior year, by some JUCOs and FCS schools, but he was never on the radar of FBS programs despite his genetics. Obviously, that was a mistake. He went to USC, his dad's alma mater, hoping to become a walk-on, continued to develop physically while not playing his freshman year and the rest is history. From too skinny to start in high school to one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL. You can't make this stuff up.
Top 50 CFB: Farrell Fifty
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director
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