Week one of the college football season is in the books, and with it came many standout performances. Here are three players who had what could be breakout weeks as they take the next step in their progression.
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Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
The skinny: Samuel, who was used more as a running back during his true freshman season and then a receiver in 2015, had an explosive all-around performance during Ohio State’s 77-10 demolition of Bowling Green. After finishing with nine receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns, plus 13 carries for 84 yards and another touchdown, Samuel has already positioned himself for a monster season. Samuel’s recruiting process came down to whether playing close to home was a priority for him. Once he realized that it wasn’t, he committed to Ohio State over Rutgers right before the start of his senior season.
Farrell’s take: Samuel was a kid coming from a school not known for producing big-time talent who was simply too explosive to ignore. He was a blur in camp settings, which lived up to his film, and Samuel has one of the best highlight videos you’ll see from the last few years. He followed Wayne Morgan at Erasmus two years after Morgan was over-hyped, so there was some skepticism surrounding his abilities, but Samuel showed he was the real deal throughout the process. Now he could play the role many felt Jalin Marshall should have played under Urban Meyer.
The skinny: Evans had an eventful season opener for the Aggies, which included two interceptions, eight tackles and a graphic moment when he snapped his leg back into place. Evans made his way to College Station via the JUCO route. He actually focused on baseball through most of high school, but after one season at Mississippi Gulf, he picked up offers from the Aggies, Georgia, Nebraska, Auburn, Ole Miss and Baylor. He committed to Texas A&M in May and he enrolled with the Aggies for the following spring semester. He impressed during his first season in College Station last fall, finishing with 78 tackles and one interception.
Farrell’s take: A high three-star out of JUCO, Evans had the experience and size to make an early impact in college and he has done so. Evans was a baseball player first and foremost and he picked up football late. But he didn’t have the offers he wanted and earned his way to the SEC through JUCO play. He was all over the field as a sure tackler who could make plays on the ball and was often in the right place at the right time in the junior college ranks. That knack for playmaking has followed him to the SEC.
The skinny: Ross did a little bit of everything for the Huskies during their 48-13 victory over Rutgers. He had five receptions for 90 yards and two scores on offense and then returned a kickoff 92 yards for his third score. During his recruiting process, Ross took official visits to Washington, Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA before committing to the Huskies after the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. During his first three years with the Huskies, Ross totaled only 33 receptions, 579 yards and five touchdowns while missing the 2015 campaign due to a knee injury.
Farrell’s take: A small but electric receiver out of high school, Ross was a high three-star and national top 70 wide receiver his senior season, but questions about his size and catch radius remained. We thought he’d be a great fit with Troy Williams, who he played 7-on-7 with out of high school, but now he has hooked up well with Jake Browning as Williams is off at Utah. He’s hard to cover in space and his special teams play was always something to keep an eye on.
