re: 2020 FB Recruiting & Roster

Ask Farrell: Which Rivals100 prospects are undervalued?

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The 2020 prospect rankings are finished. They’re locked. There are no more changes to make, no more offseasons to change things up, no more film, no more all-star events. For all eternity, this is how the 2020 class will be represented.

And there were a lot of prospects who were right around five-star status who did not make it to that highest of ranking.

Right outside the five-star ranking was LSU wide receiver signee Kayshon Boutte, followed by Notre Dame tight end signee Michael Mayer, Alabama linebacker signee Drew Sanders, Clemson offensive line signee Walker Parks and LSU linebacker signee Antoine Sampah.

Next up in the rankings is the first uncommitted prospect in four-star safety Avantae Williams, who had been committed to Oregon for months but is now serious about Florida, Miami and others.

Others high in the rankings include Texas A&M signee Antonio Johnson, who had a phenomenal week at the All-American Bowl, Alabama signee Timothy Smith, who has been dominant at numerous events and has great film, Ohio State signee Cody Simon, who made no mistakes all week at the All-American Bowl and Florida State signee Demorie Tate, who shined at the Under Armour game.

Someone who lost his fifth-star after an uneven performance at the Under Armour game is Auburn running back signee Cartavious Bigsby, who now lands at No. 45 overall.

Those are the first players outside of five-star status but there are many others throughout the Rivals100 who could have made an argument for a significant move up, or players who will definitely outplay their ranking in college.

And that’s how we get to the Ask Farrell for today.

We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell to name a few prospects in the Rivals100 if he was completely in charge of rankings he would have moved up even higher because he has the belief they’re in for a big college career and could end up being first-round NFL Draft picks.

FARRELL'S TAKE

Timothy Smith leads the way for me as he’s a special talent and will be unstoppable at the next level and beyond. Defensive tackles who can move and get after the passer as well as be stout against the run aren’t easy to find and Smith is rare in this class. He’s up there with Bryan Bresee, Justin Rogers and others.

Boutte is a guy who could really make us look wrong as well as I have a feeling he will play like a five-star. Mayer and Parks are a couple others to keep an eye on.

This class has a lot of talent at certain positions and some of the decisions were very hard ones.

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So Mike Farrell, who has final say in Rivals' rankings, thinks Timothy Smith is a rare specimen at DT, he's admitted he personally thinks Smith is a 5-star and places him in the same group as the other two 5-star DTs in this class.

So, uh, Mike. Why isn't Timothy Smith a 5-star?

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So Mike Farrell, who has final say in Rivals' rankings, thinks Timothy Smith is a rare specimen at DT, he's admitted he personally thinks Smith is a 5-star and places him in the same group as the other two 5-star DTs in this class.

So, uh, Mike. Why isn't Timothy Smith a 5-star?

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Do we really need to ask this question? I think we all know the answer.

I'm surprised he spoke of a Bama signee in such glowing terms.

2020 Recruits Most Likely to Light Up College Football as True Freshmen

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Bryce Young, Alabama Quarterback

Speaking of gambles, perhaps the biggest one on this list is Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

That has nothing to do with the Mater Dei High School superstar's ability. Though he's just 5'11", 183 pounds, he has elite traits and could be the next Russell Wilson. He isn't quite as mobile as a Kyler Murray, but he can do anything with a football.

It's risky to place him here because he plays for one of the nation's elite programs—and it's getting back a perfectly capable quarterback in Mac Jones, who more than held his own while filling in for an injured Tua Tagovailoa (hip) in 2019.

If you're not that enamored with Jones, there's also the younger Tagovailoa, Taulia, who will be a sophomore and has a ton of ability.

But Young is a next-level athlete.

He was the MVP of the All-American Bowl and is 2020's top-ranked dual-threat QB. Virtually everybody wanted him, and the California recruit didn't travel across the country to watch from the sideline. This is a confident, talented playmaker who can seize the job.

Before you perhaps pigeonhole Nick Saban as being an old-school coach who prefers playing upperclassmen, remember that talent knows no age in Tuscaloosa.

Saban played Jalen Hurts as a true freshman when he was the best option, and he pulled Hurts for true freshman Tua Tagovailoa in the second half of an eventual national championship.

Saban plays the best, and it's difficult to envision an elite, electric player like Young won't be the best option in the first half of the season. Once he gets into the starting lineup, he'll never look back.

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Finally found some game film of Tucker. He isnt the athlete that i thought but his blocking is excellent.

Lol odd while watching i was thinking he is more of an H-back than a TE.

Isn't the final 247 rankings dropping at some point today?

I still can't believe that after putting 1st and 2nd round TE's into the NFL recently, we have struck out on elite TE prospects the last couple of cycles. Some of these kids just aren't very good at making business decisions for their own future.

Hopefully Tucker can be a stop-gap, and he along with Forrestal should be fine in 2020, but we really need to sign an elite TE in 2021.

Watch the 247Sports 5-star Reveal Show on Jan. 28 (247Sports)

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247Sports Rating Explanation

2020 Top247 Football Recruits

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Benchmarks that matter the most in rankings (247Sports)

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Ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s (1 pm CT) release of the final Top247, here are some key benchmarks that can be telling in the evaluation process. . .

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Alfred Collins got a 5th star on 247.