Preseason Farrell 50: Nos. 41-45
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. This release features two five-stars and four players who are in the SEC.
MORE FARRELL 50: Nos. 46-50
The skinny: Fromm initially committed to Alabama, but then flipped to the Bulldogs during the spring after his junior season. He was thought to be the back-up to Jacob Eason coming into last season, but an injury to Eason quickly put him into the spotlight. He surprised many by leading Georgia to a memorable season which culminated in the National Championship game while passing for 2,615 yards, 24 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
Farrell’s take: Fromm became a five-star late in the process, earning that fifth star after a great week at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and was a huge flip for Kirby Smart from Alabama. He was a kid we felt was a “gamer” who might not have as many natural skills as some other five-star quarterbacks but had more of the intangibles. Fromm had been limited in his passing attempts last season but progressed and was a bigger part of the offensive strategy as the season wore on. His efficiency and maturity were off the charts and he led his team to the title game so bigger things are expected.
The skinny: Mississippi State and Ole Miss battled for Simmons throughout his process with the Bulldogs winning out at the end, even though many thought the Rebels were his leader heading into National Signing Day. Simmons had a productive 2016 season, but then took the next step in 2017 with 60 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles.
Farrell’s take: Simmons was an exceptional talent coming out of high school, a kid with size, explosion, a nasty edge and someone who could rush the passer and play the run. He was a five star prospect and No. 1 at his position for a reason and he’s starting to put it all together. A huge year is expected this season.
The skinny: Dobbins picked up his offer from Ohio State in mid-February and only waited a couple of weeks before committing to the Buckeyes. He also considered Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M at the time of his decision. An injury to Mike Weber quickly elevated Dobbins’ role in the Ohio State offense last season. He responded by rushing for 1,403 yards and seven touchdowns as a true freshman.
Farrell’s take: Dobbins was highly regarded and ranked coming out of high school despite missing nearly his entire senior season with a broken ankle. His combination of speed, leverage and the ability to catch the ball had him remain in our Rivals100 despite questions about how effective he would be upon his return. In a great year at running back in the 2017 class, we had him only behind Najee Harris (No. 1 overall), Cam Akers (No. 3) and D’Andre Swift (No. 35). We believed in him and now believe even more. This kid is special and should have an even better year this season.
The skinny: Georgia immediately became the favorite for Swift when the Bulldogs offered. After trimming his list down to Georgia, Penn State, Florida State, Clemson and Alabama, Swift surprised no one with a commitment to the Bulldogs in the weeks leading up to his senior season. Despite playing behind both Nick Chubb and Sony Michel last season, he still managed to rush for 618 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Now with Chubb and Michel in the NFL, this is Swift’s opportunity to shine.
Farrell’s take: Swift reminded me a bit of Chubb when it came to build and the ability to bounce off tackles and he was close to as explosive at the same stage coming out of high school. Ironically, he ended up with the same national ranking as Chubb and he can have a similar career after learning under Chubb and Michel this past season. His stats don’t equal those of Dobbins but he didn’t get as many chances and put up a better average per carry, so it was a tough call between them.
The skinny: Snell committed to Kentucky almost a year before his own Signing Day over offers from Iowa, Boston College, Cincinnati and several MAC schools. In Lexington, Snell has quietly become one of the SEC’s most productive running backs during the last two seasons. Having totaled 2,424 yards and 32 touchdowns on ground during this time, even bigger things are expected out of him this fall.
Farrell’s take: Snell was a low three-star prospect who had good size, but we questioned his speed and footwork as did many other programs that passed. But Kentucky saw something many didn’t and it has turned out to be a home run evaluation for them so far. He’s added explosion, has shown great vision and runs with power consistently and is on a mission this upcoming season. He’s clearly one of the best backs in the SEC.
