Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s Three-Point Stance is here with thoughts on several recent commitments, a preview of some interesting recruiting debates on the horizon and a look at some of the best true freshmen in the country.
TAKE TWO: Does LSU or Texas A&M lead for Donell Harris?
1. BREAKING DOWN RECENT COMMITS
There have been some big recent commitments in the 2020 and 2021 classes. Here’s a breakdown of a few of them.
OL Chris Morris, Texas A&M – The Aggies led for Morris for quite some time and closed the deal this week. He’s an important OL recruit from SEC country and a big out-of-state get for Jimbo Fisher, who is putting together some nice offensive line classes.
DT Jamil Burroughs, Alabama – Burroughs is an athletic big man who really pushes the pocket and can blow up running and passing plays with his ability to knock offensive linemen into the backfield.
RB Jordon Simmons, Michigan State – Simmons is a great fit for the Michigan State offense as a running back who can handle the load and get stronger as the game wears on.
DB Ryan Watts, Ohio State – Watts, a former Oklahoma commitment, changed course and headed to the Buckeyes and is another Texas prospect who decided to head to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have done well in the state.
DT Marquis Black, Nebraska – Black has the size and athleticism to make an impact early at Nebraska and is another important commitment from the Southeast.
WR Lorenzo Styles Jr., Notre Dame (2021) – Styles is a huge get for Notre Dame out of Ohio and is one of those receivers who is on the cusp of five-star status in the 2021 class.
WR Deon Colzie, Notre Dame (2021) – Colzie is listed as a Rivals100 athlete but he will play wide receiver at the next level and should be a great compliment to Styles Jr.
DE Ethan Downs, Oklahoma (2021) – Downs is an important in-state keep for Oklahoma and is a hard-nosed kid with an edge. His best football is ahead of him.
2. BIG QUESTIONS AS RANKINGS REFRESH NEARS
We are still a good month or so away from 2020 re-rankings meetings, but there are many questions that have come up in my mind as we crawl towards a fresh Rivals100 and Rivals250.
Is Zachary Evans still the best running back in the country? There is a real debate coming up as Evans has had some off-field issues that have led to question marks about his ability to impact at the next level. Bijan Robinson and others have had better seasons.
Who is the most underrated player in the country right now? Could it be quarterback Bryce Young at No. 53? Or perhaps Walker Parks at No. 56? Desmond Evans at No. 48? This will be a very interesting discussion.
Is D.J. Uiagalelei still the No. 1 prospect in the country? Every analyst did their own top five and I’m not sure any of them had Uiagalelei as the No. 1 prospect in the country. However, that doesn’t mean he'll lose that top spot as there was no consensus for who should replace him.
Who’s the top tight end in the country, Arik Gilbert or Darnell Washington? Two freaks we will have to debate once again.
Is Paris Johnson Jr. the top OT in the country? Or is it Tate Ratledge or someone else? It’s not a great year at offensive tackle on the surface, but I think it’s a sneaky good year at the position.
Will one of the talented linebackers add a fifth star? Quandarrius Robinson, Phillip Webb, Trenton Simpson and Derek Wingo are just a few of the linebackers on the cusp of five-star status.
3. TRUE FRESHMEN THAT HAVE IMPRESSED
The Farrell Freshman 15 came out this week but there are many other true freshmen to keep an eye on around the country. Here are some that just missed the Freshman 15 cut-off.
OL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M – He’s been a big part of the Aggies' offensive line so far.
OL Sean Rhyan, UCLA – There are few bright spots at UCLA, but Rhyan is one of them.
OL Wanya Morris, Tennessee – Morris is one of a few freshmen that have Vols fans excited.
LB Owen Pappoe, Auburn – He’s lived up to the hype as a former five-star (for a moment) and middle school prodigy.
WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State – Many thought he should have been a five-star and he’s off to a great start.
QB Hank Bachmeier, Boise State – A four-star Group of Five commitment, he’s living up to that ranking.
RB Zach Charbonnet, Michigan – He was a key to the Michigan recruiting class and he’s hit the ground running, no pun intended.
DL Mase Funa, Oregon – He and Kayvon Thibodeaux have been a nice 1-2 punch for Oregon and have shown flashes of brilliance.
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon – He’s showing why Oregon was so excited to steal him from California.
QB Dillon Gabriel, UCF – A couple of losses but some really nice numbers.
WR George Pickens, Georgia – Is he the best receiver on the Georgia team? He could be.
LB Christian Harris, Alabama – He’s filled in nicely due to some injuries.
DB Kaiir Elam, Florida – He’s not talked about that often but he’s going to be really good.
