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ESPN Analyst- Senior National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN.com
- Coached in four professional football leagues
- Graduated from Eastern Kentucky and Marshall
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ESPN Staff Writer- National recruiting analyst and analyst for ESPNU
- More than a decade of college and pro coaching experience.
- Graduated from Indiana and Nebraska-Omaha
The 2018 college football recruiting class has produced several of college football's premier impact performers.
It was headlined by a pair of five-star quarterbacks out of the state of Georgia in Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence, and both have met the lofty expectations they carried into college. On defense, Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II and Penn State LB Micah Parsons also delivered on their five-star promise, immediately impacting the college football world and developing high NFL draft status.
While some of the talent in this class has not developed as expected, such as two-time transfer Eyabi Anoma, others have risen to greater heights, such as Oregon OL Penei Sewell, who has shown he deserved to be not only in the ESPN 300, but near the top. Less heralded prospects like Minnesota's Rashod Bateman proved how deep the pool of talent can be in any given class.
Below, we examine how different the class would look if we reranked players based on their college production. Here is our revised version of the top 25 in the 2018 ESPN 300 knowing what we know now.
1. QB Trevor Lawrence
Clemson Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 2
The Heisman Trophy front-runner continues to sit atop the reranking thanks in large part to a greater body of work than Fields. Lawrence led the Tigers to the 2019 national championship as a freshman and a second College Football Playoff berth as a sophomore, and is already off to a great start in 2020.
2. QB Justin Fields
Ohio State Buckeyes
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 1
The former five-star prospect and No. 1 overall prospect was a true difference-maker for the Buckeyes after his transfer from Georgia. Fields led Ohio State to the 2019 College Football Playoff and is expected to take a big step up in 2020 as a second-year starter. The Under Armour All-America Game alumnus is expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
3. OT Penei Sewell
Oregon Ducks
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 129
Ranked outside of the top 100 coming out of high school, Sewell exceeded all expectations out of the gates. He started all seven games he suited up as a freshman for the Ducks and followed that by taking home the Outland Trophy in 2019, along with numerous All-Pac-12 and All-American honors. He has opted out of the 2020 season and is considered a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
4. CB Patrick Surtain II
Alabama Crimson Tide
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 5
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound former five-star prospect has been a difference-maker for the Crimson Tide since the midpoint of his freshman season. After tallying 37 tackles and one interception as a freshman, the former five-star prospect posted another productive sophomore campaign by earning All-SEC and All-American honors.
5. WR Jaylen Waddle
Alabama Crimson Tide
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 77
On a team with three other future NFL draft picks at wide receiver the last two seasons, Waddle may have been the most feared playmaker of the group because of his electrifying ability in the return game. Now a junior, with Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III having departed for the NFL, the former top-100 prospect in the ESPN 300 is shining even brighter as a focal point of the passing game with the same electric ability as a returner.
6. WR Ja'Marr Chase
LSU Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 269
After a solid freshman campaign, Chase played at an All-American level as a sophomore with 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and an SEC-record 20 receiving touchdowns, helping lead the Tigers to the national championship. The 2019 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner opted out of the 2020 season and is considered a strong bet to be a top-15 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
7. OLB Micah Parsons
Penn State Nittany Lions
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 7
The five-star prospect in the 2018 class has been a highly productive defender since stepping on campus at Penn State. After racking up 82 tackles and becoming the first true or redshirt freshman to lead the Nittany Lions in tackles, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound edge defender topped 100 tackles as a sophomore, earning All-American honors.
8. TE Kyle Pitts
Florida Gators
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 154
A four-star prospect coming out of high school, Pitts developed into a star for the Gators as a sophomore, with 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns, earning first-team All-SEC honors. Pitts is considered a potential first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
9. WR Rashod Bateman
Minnesota Golden Gophers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: Unranked
The former three-star prospect has starred for the Golden Gophers since day one. He set freshman receiving records and followed it up with 57 receptions for 1,170 yards and 11 TDs. He opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the 2021 NFL draft, but has since been reinstated.
10. TE Brevin Jordan
Miami Hurricanes
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 20
The No. 1-ranked tight end in the 2018 class has lived up to expectations in Coral Gables after making 67 catches for 782 yards and six touchdowns in his first two seasons. Jordan's junior season is on pace to be even better, positioning him to move up 2021 NFL draft boards.
11. DE Gregory Rousseau
Miami Hurricanes
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: Unranked
Rousseau, nearly a four-star prospect coming out of South Florida as a 6-foot-6, 209-pound athlete, has gained more than 50 pounds and blossomed into a force off the edge for the Hurricanes. After an ankle injury cut his freshman season short, Rousseau became a household name in college football with 15.5 sacks in 2019, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He opted out of the 2020 season.
12. WR Rondale Moore
Purdue Boilermakers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 282
When healthy, the former ESPN 300 member has been as electric with the ball in his hands as anyone else in the game. He landed numerous national awards following his freshman season, one that included 1,258 receiving yards and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards. An injury cut short his 2019 season after just four games.
13. TE Pat Freiermuth
Penn State Nittany Lions
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 289
Coming out of Brooks School in Massachusetts, Freiermuth has ascended during his time playing for the Nittany Lions. After putting up 26 catches for 368 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end took his performance up multiple notches in 2019 with 43 receptions for 507 yards and seven touchdowns.
14. OLB Merlin Robertson
Arizona State Sun Devils
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 179
The former ESPN 300 and Under Armour All-American has zipped right past any and all expectations since arriving in Tempe. After being named 2018 Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound linebacker tallied 72 tackles with an interception in 2019, but his most impressive stat might be that he missed only eight tackles all season.
15. DT Christian Barmore
Alabama Crimson Tide
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 75
Barmore went from unheralded to No. 75 overall in the ESPN 300 as a senior coming out of Philadelphia. Similarly, he has done the same with NFL scouts in the past year. After a redshirt season, Barmore appeared in 12 games in 2019, totaling 26 tackles, including six for loss. Barmore continues to be a fast riser on NFL draft boards after an impressive first two games of the season.
16. WR Justyn Ross
Clemson Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 74
Ross has starred for the defending champs since arriving to the tune of 46 receptions for 1,000 yards and nine TDs as a freshman. The former top-100 recruit put together another productive season in 2019. He is listed this low because of uncertainty about his health following offseason surgery.
17. OT Jackson Carman
Clemson Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 21
After playing as a reserve as a freshman in 2018, the former top-25 prospect started all 15 games as a sophomore, earning third-team All-ACC honors. He entered the 2020 season among the best offensive tackles in college football and is a projected first-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft.
18. OG/T Cade Mays
Tennessee Volunteers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 25
Mays quickly became one of the most versatile offensive linemen in college football, having played snaps at every position along the line for Georgia in 2018 and 2019. After an offseason transfer to Tennessee, Mays was granted immediate eligibility the last week in September and took over at right tackle for the Volunteers.
19. OG Trey Hill
Georgia Bulldogs
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 22
Hill has been one of several future NFL draft picks on the Bulldogs' offensive line the past two seasons, and he's now entrenched as the most experienced Bulldogs lineman this season. The former four-star prospect became a starter his freshman year in Athens, earning four starts at right guard before starting all of 2019 and 2020 thus far at center.
20. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
LSU Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 10
The Under Armour All-America Game alum worked through injury as a senior in high school and early on at LSU to become one of college football's most feared receivers in 2019 and early on in 2020. The former five-star prospect could play his way into the first round of the 2021 NFL draft this season.
21. WR Seth Williams
Auburn Tigers
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 116
Originally a four-star athlete coming out of high school, Williams has raced past any and all expectations with 85 receptions for 1,364 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first two seasons for the Tigers.
22. OLB Joseph Ossai
Texas Longhorns
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 140
Ossai has developed into the Longhorns' most consistent and impactful defender after a standout sophomore season that included 90 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. Ossai entered the 2020 season as a riser on NFL draft boards.
23. CB Jaycee Horn
South Carolina Gamecocks
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 145
Horn, the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn, has become of the nation's top cornerbacks. After starting 10 games as a freshman and being named to the SEC All-Freshman team, the now-6-foot-1, 205-pound corner is in position to be a first-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft.
24. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
USC Trojans
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: 35
The youngest wide receiver in a talented family of college and NFL players has been consistent for the Trojans. The former four-star prospect out of power Mater Dei High School in Southern California has hauled in 137 passes for 1,792 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons.
25. QB Trey Lance
North Dakota State Bison
2018 ESPN 300 ranking: Unranked
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound junior became a first-year starter in 2019 and has vaulted up the NFL draft boards after passing for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns without an interception, along with rushing for 1,110 yards and 14 TDs. Lance is taking snaps in 2020 as a potential first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after leaving high school unranked.