Tom Luginbill
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Tom Luginbill
ESPN Analyst
- Senior National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN.com
- Coached in four professional football leagues
- Graduated from Eastern Kentucky and Marshall
Craig Haubert
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Craig Haubert
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
Dec 2, 2020, 08:25 AM ET
College football's 2019 recruiting class was headlined by linemen, the top five prospects all dominating from the trenches. Those players are also proving to be the most productive in the transition to college with three living up to those lofty rankings and five-star expectations. DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, OT Evan Neal and OG Kenyon Green are all producing at a high level for their respective teams.
While some of the elite talent from this class has not yet impacted the game as quickly as projected, such as DE Nolan Smith and WR Jadon Haselwood, others have risen to greater heights, notably former three-star RB Breece Hall at Iowa State.
Below, we examine how different the class would look if we re-ranked players based on their college production. Here is our revised version of the top 10 in the 2019 ESPN 300 knowing what we know now.
1. DE/OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
Oregon Ducks
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 1
Thibodeau came out of Southern California as the top-ranked prospect in the 2019 class, choosing Oregon over Alabama, Florida State, USC and many others. As a freshman, the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder took home Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors after posting nine sacks. He has posted 21 tackles and a sack through four games this season. He has certainly lived up to his billing coming out of high school and is destined to be a high NFL draft pick.
2. QB Sam Howell
North Carolina Tar Heels
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 120
The seventh-ranked pocket-passing quarterback in the class was a huge win for Mack Brown after being hired in Chapel Hill. Howell was named the 2019 ACC Offensive and Overall Rookie of the Year after throwing for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns. Howell is on pace for a similar season in 2020 and has raced past expectations since suiting up for the Tar Heels.
3. RT Evan Neal
Alabama Crimson Tide
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 4
Neal came out of IMG Academy in Florida as the second-ranked offensive tackle in the class and has more than lived up to that elite status in Tuscaloosa. After earning Freshman All-American honors at right guard last year, Neal has transitioned to right tackle in 2020 and continues to have the look of a future top-10 selection in the NFL draft.
4. CB Derek Stingley Jr.
LSU Tigers
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 18
The top-ranked cornerback in the class coming out of high school in the Pelican State was pound-for-pound the best freshman in the country in 2019, earning consensus All-American honors and starting 15 games for the national champion Tigers. After posting 38 tackles and six interceptions in 2019, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound elite cornerback has 23 tackles this season.
5. OG Kenyon Green
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 3
The Under Armour All-America Game standout left high school as the top offensive prospect in the country, and he has looked like a future NFL draft pick since day one at Texas A&M. After starting all 13 games as a freshman, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound Texan has been dominant at times at left guard as a sophom*ore.
6. QB Spencer Rattler
Oklahoma Sooners
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 29
The latest Sooners signal-caller to put up big numbers came out of Arizona as the top dual-threat quarterback prospect. Rattler won the starting job after a redshirt season in 2019 and has amassed 2,319 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions thus far in 2020. Rattler has to become more consistent with his deep ball, but he has exceeded expectations for a freshman quarterback at storied program.
7. OLB Owen Pappoe
Auburn Tigers
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 8
The speedy Peach State product has lived up to his five-star rating coming out of high school. After posting 49 tackles in year one as a starter for the Tigers, the 6-foot-1, 222-pounder has become a force as a sophom*ore with 67 tackles, two sacks and an interception.
8. RB Breece Hall
Iowa State Cyclones
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: Unranked
The former three-star prospect has emerged as one of college football's premier running backs after rushing for 897 yards as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder from Kansas has been a key cog in Iowa State's run to the Big 12 championship game this season with 1,260 yards and 16 touchdowns. Hall has exceeded all expectations and is a potential first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
9. WR Garrett Wilson
Ohio State Buckeyes
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 17
Wilson, the No. 2 wideout in the class behind Haselwood, went from a very talented key piece to the Buckeyes College Football Playoff team as a freshman to the team's leading receiver in 2020 with 31 receptions for 513 yards and four scores thus far. His ability to adapt to a faster and more physical game has raced him past expectations in Year 2.
10. DE George Karlaftis
Purdue Boilermakers
2019 ESPN 300 ranking: 71
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive end immediately exceeded expectations on the field after a strong spring in 2019 following his January enrollment. Karlaftis earned Freshman All-American honors after posting 54 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He continues to have the look of a potential first-round NFL draft selection as a sophom*ore.
