Mark Pszonak contributed to this report…
With the college football season nearly upon us, it’s time for another installment of the Farrell 50, the top 50 college football players in the country. However, as usual here at Rivals.com, 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 continue with Nos. 11-15, which includes two high-profile quarterbacks.
MORE FARRELL 50: Nos. 16-20 | 21 - 25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41 - 45 | 46-50
The skinny: Grier initially signed with and played for Florida, where he showed a great deal of promise during the 2015 season before a failed drug test led a season long suspension and eventually his transfer to West Virginia. In his first season with the Mountaineers, he passed for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns, while completing 64 percent of his attempts despite missing two games due to an injury. Now fully healthy, Grier is a Heisman candidate and ready to lead the explosive West Virginia offense yet again.
Farrell’s take: Grier was always a talented kid despite being a bit thin coming out of high school and we had him very highly ranked. His route to stardom has been an interesting one but he should put up monster numbers this season once again for West Virginia. I always liked his ability to extend the play although his mechanics have always needed some work.
The skinny: McSorley initially committed to Vanderbilt, but when James Franklin made the move from Nashville to Happy Valley, he took an official visit to Penn State, which eventually led to his flip to the Nittany Lions. Returning for his final season in Happy Valley, McSorley has firmly established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country over the last three years. Coming off of a season when he passed for 3,570 yards and 28 touchdowns, even more will be expected from him this fall after the departure of star running back Saquon Barkley to the NFL.
Farrell’s take: I would have never expected this a few years ago as we had McSorley as a mid-range three-star athlete. I didn’t think he was a college quarterback based on size for the most part and his potential to play other positions. McSorley has always been an accurate and athletic passer, so Penn State has played to his strengths tremendously. He’s a proven winner and his best asset has always been keeping his eyes downfield while he shifts around and scrambles.
The skinny: Johnson committed to Miami over Florida State, Florida and South Carolina in August, which came as a surprise to some as the Seminoles were thought to be the leader at the time of his announcement. He also considered taking an official visit to Florida during the winter, but that never materialized. Johnson was one of the main reasons for the Canes revitalized and playmaking defense last fall. As he developed into a team leader, he also totaled 96 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 2017.
Farrell’s take: Johnson was a do-everything four-star for us projected to play safety before he had a rough week at the US Army All-American Bowl week where he struggled badly in coverage. He slipped to a mid-range three-star with good potential but a lot of concerns about his on-field eye discipline. He’s played much better than that ranking and is one of the most dynamic defenders in college football and a terrific tackler.
The skinny: White, who was recruited as a running back by most schools, committed to LSU in early January over Arkansas, Alabama and Ole Miss. White had a productive true freshman season in 2016, but not many people expected his quick ascent to stardom last fall. Quickly becoming one of the top linebackers in the SEC, White finished his sophomore season with 133 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and one interceptions for a Tigers’ defense that will look to be even more dominant this fall.
Farrell’s take: We knew White was a four-star talent; we just couldn’t figure out at which position to rank him. I remember when he first came onto the radar, he was considered the next Leonard Fournette in the state – a massive and fast running back prodigy. However, he kept getting bigger and lost speed, so he was projected either as a linebacker or a fullback/H-back, or even a kid who could grow into a defensive tackle. He wasn’t very good covering in space at all, so we ranked him as a fullback and now he’s showing us we should have kept him at linebacker. He’s a big hitter, always has been, and is the clear No. 1 linebacker for me.
The skinny: This was a recruiting battle between Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia Tech, but with the Tigers seen as the leader for months, it came as little surprise when he committed in June. With the Tigers, Ferrell has become one of the top playmaking defensive ends in the country over the last two seasons. Coming off of a 2016 campaign when he finished with 66 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, Ferrell should continue to shine this season on a defensive line that is stacked with NFL talent.
Farrell’s take: Many felt that this past season would be Ferrell’s breakout year at Clemson, and it appears it was as he was in the offensive backfield often. I always liked his athletic upside, although he was a bit stiff at times, but I questioned his aggressiveness. It has been interesting watch him mature and come into his own in that area. His ceiling is very high and he’s playing up to his lofty ranking.