Mind of Mike: Farrell's thoughts on the new Rivals250

The Mind of Mike is a scary place, and with a new release of the 2021 Rivals250 it’s time to delve in as Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell unleashes his opinions.

*****

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:

MONDAY: Five-star countdown | Who should be the next five-star WR? | Who is best OG? | Who will finish No. 1? | How was this rankings cycle different?

TUESDAY: New Rivals250 released | New five-stars

WEDNESDAY: Offensive position rankings released

THURSDAY: Defensive position rankings released

FRIDAY: New state rankings released

*****

Is it because of the COVID-19 pandemic that Korey Foreman is still No 1 or is he that special. The answer for now is — we don’t know.

Foreman is clearly an elite talent, but I said in the last rankings release that he was not a lock to remain No 1 overall as this is a talented class and he’s not a Jadeveon Clowney rarity. But without getting new evals on players like Amarius Mims and Caleb Williams, among others, there was no room for anyone to surpass Foreman.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s a freak and could be a Chase Young-type, but this year reminds me of the 2012 class where Robert Nkemdiche was the No. 1 but we were always tempted to move someone else to the top spot.

Foreman has similar abilities as Nkemdiche as a huge rush end with speed and power and I’m not questioning his motor or effort. I’m just saying this would have been a true debate without the shutdown.

*****

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team

CLASS OF 2022: Top 100

MORE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series

*****

WR Mario Williams — Williams is very sudden and cuts on a dime, which makes him very hard to cover unless you slow him off the line. He’s a perfect fit for a spread offense as he will eat up nickel corners and safeties out of the slot.

QB Sam Huard — Huard is Tua Tagovailoa if that comparison can be made, a smooth lefty with great touch and accuracy. I’m not 100% sold on him being a five-star because I’m not a huge fan of lefty quarterbacks, but as a group we love him.

DE Tunmise Adeleye — I love Adeleye’s ceiling and upside as a big pass rusher who has a great first step and excellent energy. He can beat you with power as well and his technique and balance are excellent. He has all you need to be an elite pass rusher.

OL Donovan Jackson — Jackson can play tackle or guard at the next level, but with his balance, leg drive and power, he’s a very dominating run blocker. He has the ability to pull as well and hit moving targets.

DE Tyreak Sapp — This one is kind of on me. I know Sapp is raw and he missed some time last season, but when I saw him at the Future 50 in January I thought I saw an elite power rusher. However, his first step is still lacking a bit and others who saw him since felt he wasn’t long enough, refined enough or quick enough to be a five-star. I probably jumped the gun, but we will see how he does this season.

There are so many players on the cusp of a fifth star that we didn’t get to evaluate again. Here are my top ones.

WR Jacorey Brooks — Brooks has everything you’d expect from a future Alabama Crimson Tide receiver from Florida. He brings speed, hands and balance to the table. A big year should cement his status as a five-star.

OL Blake Fisher — Fisher is a massive tackle with light feet and he was so pumped and determined to show out this spring it’s a shame we didn’t get to see his hard work. I expect a huge season from the Notre Dame pledge.

WR Quay Davis — Davis can be dominating at times and toy with defensive backs. He’s not always on, so that’s the issue but his ceiling is very high. The USC commit is a great fit for the Pac-12.

QB Jake Garcia — Others on the team may not agree with me but I see a lot that screams five-star about Garcia. I like his arm, his release and the zip he gets on the ball. He and Davis will be awesome at USC.

OL Tristan Leigh — I love Leigh’s aggressive nature and his athleticism is off the charts. He’s still a bit rough around the edges and can get off-balance, but this kid is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

OL Landon Tengwell — Tengwell could be a guard or a tackle at the next level, we’re not sure. The Penn State commitment needs to work on consistency with his technique, but he’s a bad man.

ATH Billy Bowman — I like Bowman a ton because he’s so versatile and elite in his ball skills. He will likely be a ball-hawking defensive back.

*OL Micah Morris, a Georgia commitment, made a nice move after an impressive performance before the shutdown. He’s massive and rag dolls kids and he could be a guy on five-star watch as well.

*I like quarterback Ty Thompson as a big quarterback with a solid arm and who can move. He’s hard to tackle and is perfect for Oregon’s offense.

*Calen Bullock is a new addition to the Rivals250 and is a versatile get for USC. He’s best as a defensive back in my book and was really impressive at our Rivals Camp Series stop in Los Angeles.

*Look for a ton of moves after the football season as we get to see players for the first time in a year in some cases. I doubt we have an August release if nothing opens, so this will be very interesting.