PREVIOUS: Nos. 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
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.
We are unveiling five per day leading into the start of the college football season.
Today we continue with Nos. 31-35, headlined by a running back looking to help lead his team to a national title.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
The skinny: After originally making a surprise commitment to Arizona, Tabor flipped to Florida in early January after taking official visits to both Gainesville and Alabama. Tabor has now produced two very impressive seasons with the Gators. Last fall he finished with 40 tackles, four tackles for a loss, four interceptions and an eye catching 14 passes defended. He returns this fall as the anchor of the cornerback group after the departure of Vernon Hargreaves to the NFL.
Farrell’s take: The Honey Badger? That’s what I first saw when Tabor was making plays as an eighth grader against much older players, and he continued to develop each year. He grew a bit taller than Mathieu in the end and is longer, but you can’t teach many of the things he does. His instincts were off the charts and the only think lacking in his game was being physical in the run game. That came together as a senior. He’s not a blazer, never has been, but his amazing instincts more than make up for that.
The skinny: Hurd left no doubt in his recruiting process as he made a commitment to Tennessee in March and never wavered from his word. His first two seasons in Knoxville have been extremely productive, as he has totaled over 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Farrell’s take: Is this Hurd’s breakout year where he averages six yards per carry and has a Derrick Henry season? Probably not, since Alvin Kamara will take some carries as will Josh Dobbs, but Hurd has the potential to take the next step to college stardom even sharing carries. He missed nearly his entire senior high school season but his junior film was amazing to watch and as a big back, he is so athletic and fluid he’s the rare prospect that misses his senior year due to injury and still keeps his fifth star. We liked him that much. He’s big, fluid and powerful, and that’s a great combination.
The skinny: Jackson was somewhat of a late bloomer and did not receive his offer from Alabama until January. After taking official visits to Tuscaloosa, Florida State and LSU in January, he committed to the Crimson Tide a few days before National Signing Day. Jackson was recruited as a defensive back by Alabama and that is where he has flourished. He had his best season to date last fall, with 40 tackles, three tackles for a loss, five interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Farrell’s take: Jackson was a wide receiver prospect for us out of high school and a rare three-star going to Alabama, a program that loads up on fours and fives. His ball skills were a big plus for him as one of the top 50 wideouts in 2013, but his size was a drawback. His turn at cornerback for the Tide didn’t go that well, but as a safety he can use all those skills we liked as a ball hawk, and he’s gotten so much stronger without adding a ton of size. I’m most impressed with his improvement as a physical player in run support.
The skinny: Johnson was extremely tight lipped throughout his process but eventually trimmed his list to Florida State, Alabama and Ohio State. After taking several visits to Tallahassee, including an official in December, Johnson finally decided to be a Seminole with a commitment on National Signing Day. At Florida State, Johnson has become one of the top tackles in the nation while paving the way for Dalvin Cook the last two seasons. With NFL scouts watching closely, expect more of the same from Johnson in 2016.
Farrell’s take: Johnson was a tall kid with good feet and a great frame that was already filled out, but he didn’t play against the best competition in high school. Thus, it was tough to gauge how he would do against bigger and more physical players. That being said, he was obviously a four-star and in our Rivals250, so he wasn’t missed. There’s something about Missouri linemen over the last decade that should make us pay much more attention to the trenches in that state. It’s usually defensive linemen, but in this case it’s a ultra-talented offensive lineman who has progressed under a great offensive line coach in Rick Trickett.
The skinny: As McGlinchey’s recruiting process began to blow up during the spring of 2012, he always favored Notre Dame and Boston College. While he had plenty of ties to the Boston College program, the draw of playing in South Bend ended up being too much for him to pass up. McGlinchey redshirted in 2013 and then did not receive his first start until the Music City Bowl at the conclusion of the 2014 season. After playing right tackle last season, McGlinchey will make the move to left tackle this season with Ronnie Stanley moving onto the NFL. This has the potential to highlight his abilities further and should take his game to the next level.
Farrell’s Take: This is where I am stupid. I had a feeling about McGlinchey even though he was tall and a tad awkaward out of high school. His footwork, length and willingness to be physical made me think this could be a five-star and future first-rounder but I went conservative and now I am paying for it. I love this kid’s game and he could easily move up this list. Heck, maybe I’m undervaluing him all over again.
