CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

ASK FARRELL: Is Terry McLaurin getting too much hype?

In the first part of a week-long series, we look at states that have had surprising success in the Rivals era dating back to 2002 at a certain position. We start with an in-depth look at Alabama and just how many elite receivers it has produced during that stretch:

The state of Alabama is known for many things: Nick Saban, the Iron Bowl, the setting for My Cousin Vinny. It also quietly produces a surprising amount of exceptional wide receivers.

Five five-star wide receivers have been produced from that state during the Rivals.com era, led by Julio Jones, the top-ranked receiver and the fourth-best prospect in the 2008 class. The former Foley, Ala., star went to Alabama and had a phenomenal career, was the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and has become arguably the best receiver in the pros.

Justyn Ross led the national champion Clemson Tigers with 1,000 receiving yards and added nine scores in his freshman season. He should enter this upcoming year as one of the best receivers in college football. Five-star George Pickens, a long-time Auburn commit, spurned the in-state Tigers for Georgia this past recruiting cycle.

Hoover, Ala., recruit Chad Jackson, who went to Florida before getting picked in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, and Selma, Ala., prospect Ben Obomanu played at Auburn before being a seventh-round selection in the same draft. Obomanu finished his NFL career with 1,217 yards and seven touchdowns before going to Alabama’s law school.

The state of Alabama’s success at wide receiver is surprising comparing it geographically. It produced four more five-star high school receivers than Mississippi; two more than Tennessee; two more than Georgia; only two fewer than Louisiana; and while Florida has delivered 15 five-stars at the position an argument could be made that there is no marquee name from that state like Jones.

Twenty-two four-star receivers - nine went to or committed to Alabama and eight to Auburn - and three-stars like Sammie Coates from Leroy, Ala., and Jordan Matthews out of Madison (Ala.) Madison Academy are also from the state. If teams especially in the Southeast but not limited to the Crimson Tide are looking for elite receivers, Alabama should be one of the first places to look.

This has been the case for quite some while with Alabama and wide receivers but Jones obviously took it to the next level and since he dominated it’s gotten better and better. You don’t think of Alabama and wide receivers immediately, but digging into the numbers it’s clear that this state should be recruited heavily at the position. Jones is a star, Ross could be as good or even better down the line and Pickens is a beast. Guys like this will push younger prospects to want to play wide receiver and follow the tradition Alabama has created which means we should see this trend continue.

How do I explain it? I don’t, except to say that since around the mid 2000s the state of Alabama started churning out more and more talent at every position for some reason and that has continued. Better coaching? Better focus on getting eligible? More kids gravitating to football because of Alabama’s success under Saban? It could be any of those or none of them but the bottom line is this – Alabama produces some great wide receivers.