No. 1 WR Recruit George Farmer a USC Lock: Can Anyone Overtake The Trojans?

One of the top overall prospects in the country, 5-star receiver George Farmer is one of the best players still on the market. 

Ranked as the No. 1 receiver on Rivals and the No. 5 receiver on Scout, Farmer has long been considered a lock to commit to USC, but he hasn't done it yet. 

Recently he announced his top five choices as USC, Florida, Miami, Alabama, and Oregon. Farmer doesn't intend on committing until after his senior season has finished. Though no official visits have yet to be scheduled, there's still plenty of time for someone to pry this prospect loose. 

So how much of a lock is Farmer? What are the factors playing into this decision? And of course, where will he commit? 

Here's the breakdown of the Farmer decision. 

Farmer's Scouting Report and Highlights

He has the speed to get past pretty much anyone and the size to ward off stronger defenders without much effort.

Farmer has an ideal combination of skills and natural ability, but needs to fine tune his game some before he truly realizes his potential.

He'll make the spectacular catch, but then drop an easy one. Some scouts question his level of concentration and desire to go all out on every play, which has raised some doubts.

But talent trumps all and if he can improve on his consistency, Farmer has the goods to be a special talent along the lines of Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson. 

The Receiver Logjam at USC

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

HONOLULU - SEPTEMBER 2: Wide receiver Robert Woods #13 of the University of Southern California Trojans is taken down during first half action against the University of Hawaii Warriors at Aloha Stadium September 2, 2010 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Ken

Not only is Farmer a California native who would prefer to stay close to home, he's also a former teammate of USC receiver Robert Woods. 

Woods was Scout's No. 1 receiver from the 2010 class and maintains a close friendship with Farmer. 

If you're looking for a single reason why many consider Farmer a USC-lock, Woods is as good an option as any. When it's clear a player is already leaning toward a school, having a former teammate and friend on the roster actively recruiting him can be key. 

But for as good an asset as Woods is, he may be part of the reason that Farmer turns elsewhere. 

The Trojans not only brought in Woods in 2010, they signed Kyle Prater, Rivals' No. 1 receiver, as well as Markeith Ambles, Rivals' No. 3 receiver. Add in sophomore receivers Brice Butler and De'Von Flournoy and you have a logjam. 

The type of logjam that could keep a recruit like Farmer off the field for a couple years. Considering he's said playing early is important, that could be a deal breaker. 

The George Sr. Effect: Dad Plays a Huge Role

Most recruits' parents play a major role in their decision, but in Farmer's case, his father seems to be as important a factor as the player himself. 

Farmer Sr. is a former college football player who has been through the process and plans on guiding his son along. 

“I’m able to decipher what the truth is with these programs and what is not and I’m able to look at each program and how it relates to him,” he said in recent interview with Scout.

"You often find that some of those high-profile kids that go out-of-state lose the benefit of being the local kid,” he said. “You also have to look at the academics and ask yourself, ‘Well if he goes to Alabama, would he be able to make a living there after college?’

“He just has so many options and I want to give him the pros and cons of each situation, because if you make the wrong decision, you don’t find out until you get there and then it’s too late.

“The problem with this whole recruiting process is that it can be overwhelming,” he said. “And you can’t put a premium on family support because that is the most important aspect of this."

Academics Are No. 1: Rankings The Top Five

Anther aspect of note that Farmer Sr. mentioned was the importance of academics, which almost always list as a key factor to prospects and their parents. 

“Academics are important to him and going to a great academic institution is first on the list as well,” Farmer Sr. said. “Football could be over in a heart beat."

So on that note, here are the 2010 National University Rankings for Farmers' finalists: 

USC: 23rd

Miami: 47th

Florida: 53rd

Alabama: 79th

Oregon: 111th

Predicting Farmer's Decision

There might be a logjam at receiver at USC, but that's pretty much the only reason why Farmer wouldn't join the Trojans. 

When it comes to finding his way on the field, there's really no better way to put it than how Farmer's father did.

Playing time is also important to him, but he knows that wherever he goes, people are going to let him play," he said. 

At the end of the day, Farmer has the Southern California connection, staying in-state and close to his family is important, his good friend and former teammate Robert Woods is actively recruiting him, and USC has the type of high-flying passing game Farmer would thrive in.

Florida, Miami, Oregon, and Alabama all offer a lot and he'd have the chance to be part of some solid offenses, but all of these schools are playing from behind in this one and none of them offer substantially more than USC.