The best of the best: College football's 5 best players
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. 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 we move on to No. 1-5 led by the best running back in the country.
FARRELL 50: Nos. 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
The skinny: Fitzpatrick committed to Alabama over Florida State. While he did take an official visit to Tallahassee after making his commitment, he ultimately stuck with his word and signed with the Crimson Tide. Fitzpatrick has totaled 111 tackles, eight interceptions and scored four defensive touchdowns during his two seasons at Tuscaloosa. Now one of the defensive veterans for the Crimson Tide, Fitzpatrick has firmly established himself as one of the top defensive playmakers in the country.
Farrell’s take: I've watched Fitzpatrick since he was a freshman in high school. He has always been a five-star talent, but scouting him so much might have led to expectations that were too high. It's why we moved him from cornerback to safety in the end because he struggled in solo coverage against elite wide receivers. So much for that, huh? Fitzpatrick's instant impact as a freshman on the Alabama defense was amazing and he took it to the next level last season. He's living up to that five-star status but also sticking it in our face a bit about that move to safety.
The skinny: Jackson committed to Louisville during the summer after his junior year but still took official visits to Nebraska, Florida and Mississippi State. The biggest push came from Florida, but Jackson decided to stick with his original commitment and signed with the Cardinals. While Jackson had a very productive true freshman season, few expected him to finish with 3,390 yards and 30 touchdowns through the air and 1,538 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground during his sophomore season. Fresh off his Heisman Trophy winning season, what can Jackson do as an encore in 2017?
Farrell’s take: Jackson was known for his arm -- he has a cannon with that whip delivery -- but in high school he did a ton with his legs as well. But there was no way to see how explosive he’d be at the next level. His speed has translated much better to college than I expected, as I've been surprised with his ability to run away from people so easily. Jackson is still a bit raw as a passer, but he is so dominant as a runner that he gets a lot of a space when inside or outside the pocket as the entire pass rush is geared toward run containment. He is simply the most dynamic player we’ve seen in college football in quite some time despite his struggles in the last few games last season. I’m happy we are only one of two sites to have him as a four-star (the others saw three-star), but it’s clear now we were watching a future five-star.
The skinny: Mayfield walked on at Texas Tech despite earning offers from Washington State, Rice and Florida Atlantic. Surprisingly, he immediately became the starter for the Red Raiders and earned Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors. However, after the season he decided to transfer to Oklahoma. After sitting out the 2014 season, Mayfield has become one of the more dominant quarterbacks in the country. He was a Heisman finalist in both 2015 and 2016, and surprised many by deciding to return for his senior season.
Farrell’s take: With a gunslinger’s mentality, Mayfield had a great high school career, but many felt he was a system kid and he didn’t get a ton of offers. That looks crazy now. He’s an early candidate for the Heisman again this season. I’m happy with his three-star ranking since we saw something none of the local schools did at least (he was a walk-on after all), but he has clearly outplayed his ranking and his leadership skills are off the charts.
The skinny: James avoided any recruiting drama by committing to Florida State almost three years before National Signing Day. Nowadays when a recruit commits as early as James did, they seldom stick with that school, but he never wavered and signed with the Seminoles. As a true freshman, James burst onto the national landscape with 91 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. However, an injury last fall derailed his entire season. Now healthy, James is eager to prove that he is one of the elite players in the country once again.
Farrell’s take: I’ve said it before and I will say it again, James is the most athletic and dynamic safety I have ever scouted and that’s saying something. And, after an average start, he came on and became a dominant defensive back as expected. His sophomore season was a washout due to injury, but watch for him to return with a vengeance. He can blitz, he can tackle in space and support the run and he can cover a ton of ground in the passing game. And this is only the beginning as he will be an absolute star in college and beyond.
The skinny: Barkley was originally committed to Rutgers, but re-opened his recruitment as additional offers began to pile up. Penn State almost immediately became the favorite as the Nittany Lions made Barkley a recruiting priority, which eventually led to his commitment. After showing flashes of brilliance during his true freshman season, Barkley raised his game to a higher level last fall with 1,496 yards and 18 touchdowns. Now he has positioned himself as one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy in 2017.
Farrell’s take: Barkley was an upright slasher who showed good receiving skills out of high school, so it's not a huge surprise he's made a big impact early his first two years. But to this level? That’s a bit of a surprise as he’s become a dominant Big Ten back and has jumped all the way to my No. 1 spot. His lower body strength and power to run through some arm tackles has improved greatly. A very athletic kid, Barkley was a guy who pushed for Rivals100 status but is showing us he should have been ranked higher, much higher.
