Re-Ranking the Top 10 Players from the Class of 2015
The class of 2015 was all over the place when it came to producing star college prospects. There was a bigger bust rate than you normally see.
For instance, four of the top six players in the 247Sports composite rankings—Georgia's Trenton Thompson, Florida's Martez Ivey, Auburn's Byron Cowart and Tennessee's Kahlil McKenzie—have shown flashes, but none have lived up to their massive potential.
That isn't to say the class was full of failure; far from it. Other, lower-rated players such as Jake Browning, Bryce Love, Sam Darnold and Lamar Jackson have wound up as some of college football's brightest stars. There were so many quality prospects in this class, it was difficult to emerge with a top 10.
While stud UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, exceptional Texas left tackle Connor Williams, Clemson star receiver Deon Cain, USC tackling machine Cameron Smith and LSU runner Derrius Guice all could make an argument for the top 10, they barely missed.
They just weren't consistently the 10 best or didn't have a "wow" season that set them apart.
So, who did? Consistency and dominance are the two biggest attributes to make this list, and while pro potential does carry some weight, this list is about how they did while playing football for their education.
Let's re-rank the top 10 of the class of 2015 based heavily on collegiate production, also giving some (small) weight to pro prospects, peak ceiling of production and consistency of performance.
For a lot of these guys, they weren't the most well-regarded recruits. But the '15 class proves it's not where you start but where you finish.
10. Clelin Ferrell, Clemson Defensive End
1 of 10
2015 class ranking: 115th overall (No. 7 weak-side defensive end)
What he's done
It's hard to stand out on one of the best defensive lines in all of college football, but Clelin Ferrell was able to do that playing for the Clemson Tigers the past couple of seasons. The 6'5", 255-pound pass-rusher has been as consistently good as anybody in the country getting after quarterbacks.
After a redshirt season in 2015, Ferrell dominated in each of the past two seasons, registering 110 tackles, including 30.5 for a loss and 15.5 sacks. He was a bit overshadowed by North Carolina State's Bradley Chubb, but Ferrell was a terror for the Tigers, and he'll be an NFL star someday—though he's staying at Clemson for at least one more year.
Why he's here
There aren't a lot of defensive players on this list, and that is due to the bust factor discussed in the opening slide. But Ferrell more than lived up to expectations.
Opponents weren't able to key on him as much as they'd like with Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins on the same line, and he took advantage. When you single-team Ferrell, he lives in the backfield. His impact was as big as that of nearly any defender on one of the nation's top teams the past two years.
He barely gets the nod over UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen for the 10th spot.
9. Sam Darnold, USC Quarterback
2 of 10
2015 class ranking: 148th overall (No. 5 dual-threat quarterback)
What he's done
After taking over for Max Browne early in 2016, Sam Darnold has been a steady force the Trojans could consistently depend upon. He rarely got hurt, and he elevated the play of his entire team. He is leaving for the NFL after his redshirt sophomore season.
In the past two seasons, the product of San Clemente, California, has thrown 57 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, while completing 64.9 percent of his passes. He struggled at times with turnovers in 2017, but he was running for his life often behind a revamped offensive line.
The 6'4", 220-pound signal-caller will be a high selection in this year's draft.
Why he's here
After years of middling around following the sanctions Pete Carroll left, USC needed a spark to get back among the nation's elite. The emergence of Darnold helped put the Trojans back on the map. He had more of a direct impact on wins than Rosen, and he is a fierce competitor.
Darnold developed well under head coach Clay Helton and assistants Tee Martin and Tyson Helton. Though he's an unfinished product, he was still one of the nation's top players and a threat to take over any game in which he played. He led the Trojans to a Rose Bowl win a year ago.
8. Calvin Ridley, Alabama Wide Receiver
3 of 10
2015 class ranking: 12th overall (No. 1 wide receiver)
What he's done
Calvin Ridley was seen as the heir to Amari Cooper's elite-threat throne at the Capstone, and he lived up to those lofty expectations. Ridley has consistently been one of the two biggest playmaker threats in the SEC the past three years despite mediocre quarterback play.
Can you imagine what his numbers would be if Jalen Hurts hadn't struggled so much throwing the ball downfield? As it was, the 6'1", 190-pound receiver wound up with 224 catches for 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns. He'll leave Tuscaloosa for the NFL after three seasons.
Why he's here
Ridley had the second-best career of any receiver in this class when you factor in his performances in big games. He didn't put up the numbers of Texas A&M's Christian Kirk, but he played for a run-heavy team that won a couple of national championships while he was there. Kirk certainly would trade places with Ridley in that regard.
Also, though Ridley isn't the prototypical size for an NFL pass-catcher, he'll be selected high for his playmaking ability. He kept teams honest against the Tide and guaranteed UA would have a downfield threat.
You always had to game-plan for Ridley.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Jake Browning, Washington Quarterback
4 of 10
2015 class ranking: 73rd overall (No. 5 pro-style quarterback)
What he's done
There were a few quarterbacks ranked higher than Jake Browning coming out of a record-setting career at Folsom (California) High School. He doesn't have ideal size (6'2", 210 pounds) or the strongest arm, but all Browning does is put up Xbox-type numbers.
His stats took a dip this year as Washington changed its offense a bit and diversified its scheme after star receiver John Ross went pro, but Browning still produced. He threw for 2,719 yards, 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Those numbers pale in comparison to his '16 season that saw him throw for 3,430 yards, 43 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In his three-year career, he has 78 touchdown tosses and 24 interceptions, and he's got another season ahead.
Why he's here
With numbers like Browning's, he could be even higher on the list, but he's struggled on some of the biggest stages of his career, like the College Football Playoff loss to Alabama last season. But at least he had the Huskies in the playoff.
Browning is going to be a four-year player, is a consummate leader and knows coach Chris Petersen's offense perfectly. He has the chance to be one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Pac-12 history after 2018, and if he can lead U-Dub back to the playoffs, he'll warrant consideration for moving up this list.
All in all, his career has been better than Darnold's or Rosen's.
6. Christian Kirk, Texas A&M Wide Receiver
5 of 10
2015 class ranking: 25th overall (No. 4 wide receiver)
What he's done
Every time Christian Kirk touched the ball for former coach Kevin Sumlin's Aggies, he was a threat to take it to the house. Though things didn't always go well for Texas A&M, the 5'11", 200-pound pass-catcher from Arizona was a consistent weapon.
He was highly regarded coming out of high school, and, like Calvin Ridley, he proved more than worthy of his lofty ranking. In three seasons, he had 234 catches for 2,856 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns. He also had 120 rushing yards and seven special teams scores.
Also like Ridley, Kirk will forgo his senior season in College Station, and he has a good chance to be a first-round pick.
Why he's here
Kirk quietly was one of the most dominant forces in college football the past three seasons. Had he played for Alabama or USC, his headlines would have been far greater. There was never a season where he had fewer than 71 catches, 919 yards or seven receiving scores.
That's the picture of consistency.
He's also one of the best return men of the past few decades, showing incredible wiggle and field vision that will translate ideally in the NFL. He's a star in the making.
5. Roquan Smith, Georgia Outside Linebacker
6 of 10
2015 class ranking: 48th overall (No. 5 outside linebacker)
What he's done
Georgia won a hotly contested recruiting battle for Roquan Smith over teams like Alabama, Tennessee and especially Auburn, which always has success in the part of the Peach State from where Smith hails. The Bulldogs got a good one when he decided to stay home.
After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2015, amassing 20 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, he blossomed as a sophomore, winding up with 95 tackles and five for a loss.
This year, he took a huge step forward for defensive coordinator Mel Tucker and thrived for a UGA team that came within an overtime loss to Alabama of winning a national championship. The Butkus Award winner finished with 137 tackles, including 14 for a loss, and 6.5 sacks.
Why he's here
The 6'1", 225-pound havoc-wreaking outside linebacker was the driving force that made one of the best defenses in the nation tick all season. In the College Football Playoff, he was all over the field, making plays against Oklahoma and Alabama.
When the lights were the brightest, Smith played his best.
He'll head to the NFL, where he's a lock to be a first-round pick. Smith's past two years were as good as anybody's in the nation. He'll go down as one of the best Bulldogs defenders ever.
4. Bryce Love, Stanford Running Back
7 of 10
2015 class ranking: 227th overall (No. 7 all-purpose back)
What he's done
Bryce Love erased any doubts that he'd be able to fill the huge shoes of Christian McCaffrey in 2017 with one of the best individual seasons a running back has had in a long time. He was a home run threat who averaged an astounding 8.1 yards per carry.
He averaged 7.8 yards per carry as a freshman and 7.1 as a sophomore. After a '17 season where he finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Baker Mayfield by gaining 2,118 rushing yards and scoring 19 touchdowns, his career totals are 3,126 rushing yards and 26 total touchdowns.
Why he's here
The first time he had the spotlight all to himself, he was college football's most exciting non-quarterback in 2017. At 5'10", 196 pounds, Love won't get the same NFL scouts drooling over him that Saquon Barkley will, but he'll wind up with a better career if he stays healthy.
Why? Love is returning in '18 for his senior season, which is huge news for the Cardinal. So this amazing resume isn't even a finished product.
Barkley's total body of work is better right now despite Love's incredible 2017 campaign. With another show-stopping season next year, Love can catapult to the top of the list.
3. Saquon Barkley, Penn State Running Back
8 of 10
2015 class ranking: 119th overall (No. 13 running back)
What he's done
It's hard to believe there were 12 running backs expected to be better than Saquon Barkley in the 2015 class. Boy, that was a swing-and-miss. Every season, the 5'11", 228-pounder has improved with James Franklin's budding program.
Barkley eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in all three of his seasons in Happy Valley, punctuating his career with 1,271 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns in 2017. He added to that 632 receiving yards and three more touchdowns, plus two special teams touchdowns.
He is one of the biggest playmakers in college football.
Why he's here
It may have hurt Barkley that Penn State's offense was so balanced. He wasn't a one-man wrecking crew like Love, and the Nittany Lions could beat opponents through the air as well with Trace McSorley's arm.
But Barkley is a triple threat, burning opponents on the ground, catching the ball and in the return game. He's going to be an NFL combine marvel who will post dazzling numbers that will see him taken very high in the draft and almost certainly the first running back.
Barkley got the slight nod over Love for consistency of performance, and he was still able to provide the memory-making moments that define a career. He couldn't ever take the Lions to the peak, though.
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama Defensive Back
9 of 10
2015 class ranking: 30th overall (No. 5 cornerback)
What he's done
Minkah Fitzpatrick is the steadiest force on college football's best team, and as many great players as Nick Saban has coached, the defensive back from New Jersey has to be near the top of the list. He can play anywhere on the field, and he pretty much did in Tuscaloosa.
The unequivocal leader of an Alabama defense that led the Tide to two national championships and three College Football Playoff appearances in his three seasons wound up with 171 total tackles, 16.5 for a loss, five sacks, nine interceptions and four defensive touchdowns.
Why he's here
When the greatest college football coach of our generation tells reporters that Fitzpatrick "does it as well as anybody I've ever coached," that's high praise.
When Saban needed a run-stopper, Fitzpatrick played in the box. When he needed a ball-hawking safety, Fitzpatrick led an opportunistic defense in 2016 with six interceptions and two touchdowns. He knows the complex defenses inside and out, and he was one of the biggest leaders on the best team.
After Hunter Renfrow dominated the Tide in the past two national championship games, Fitzpatrick focused on him in this year's College Football Playoff showdown and shut him down. He's the most dependable defender in all of college football, and he's a legend who'll head to the NFL after three years.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville Quarterback
10 of 10
2015 class ranking: 409th overall (No. 12 dual-threat quarterback)
What he's done
This wasn't recruiting services' best work, failing to identify the otherworldly playmaking ability of Lamar Jackson, who showed us all one of the best two-year stretches of college football ever.
The 6'3", 200-pound native of Boynton Beach, Florida, wasn't always perfect, completing just 57 percent of his passes. But he was awesome in spite of that. He had 9,043 passing yards in three seasons, 69 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
He added 4,132 rushing yards and 50 more scores on the ground, winning the 2016 Heisman Trophy and finishing as a finalist for college football's top award this past season. He's heading to the NFL a year early.
Why he's here
Nobody knows just how well (or where) Jackson will play once he gets to the NFL. But you'd be foolish to bet against his ability.
No, he isn't a typical NFL quarterback, but he has the type of athleticism that could redefine the position if he gets in the right system with a great offensive line and playmakers around him. If not, he'll be a star somewhere else with the ball in his hands.
When it comes to a collegiate career, nobody from the 2015 class was better. Nobody was more consistent, nobody had more highlight plays and nobody was more decorated. Jackson was a joy to watch and must-see TV every time he suited up for the Cardinals.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
