National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
MORE FACT OR FICTION: Najee Harris will be best running back in 2020
1. Bryce Young will make the biggest impact of all the incoming freshman quarterbacks.
Farrell’s take: FACT. I wanted to say fiction because I thought it would be cool to find someone else, but there isn’t anyone close. I expect Bryce Young to eventually start for Alabama and even if he doesn’t, he will see time in numerous packages. His impact for a team that will battle for a national championship will be more important than that of players like Jeff Sims at Georgia Tech or Harrison Bailey at Tennessee.
Gorney’s take: FACT. I would not be surprised one bit if Young wins the starting job at Alabama if not in the preseason then early in the 2020 campaign because he’s just too advanced and too valuable to have standing on the sidelines.
This is not a situation where Jalen Hurts was established and it was difficult to pull him in favor of Tua Tagovailoa. The Alabama QB job is pretty much wide-open now and while Mac Jones is a very good player, Young is insanely dynamic and an unshakeable leader who Nick Saban will love and lean on. Bailey at Tennessee could see significant early playing time, but Young has all the tools to lead Alabama’s offense as a freshman and that’s remarkable.
2. New transfer Peyton Ramsey will be the starter at Northwestern.
Farrell’s take: FACT. Peyton Ramsey had some success at Indiana and is no slouch at the position. The Northwestern quarterback situation is a nightmare and there’s a reason they went 3-9 last season. I don’t think Ramsey, who threw for 6,581 yards and 43 scores at Indiana, chose Northwestern to sit with one year left. He will start.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Ramsey has to start because no one else in that quarterback room did anything for Northwestern last season. Northwestern averaged only 117 passing yards per game last season. No receiver had more than two touchdown receptions all season and the Wildcats threw for six - six! - TDs all season long. That is incredibly poor and almost unbelievable.
Ramsey could provide a spark but let’s temper expectations: This is not an offense loaded with playmakers or a coaching staff with a high-flying offensive mindset even with a new offensive coordinator.
3. Ja’Marr Chase is the best WR coming back to college football.
Farrell’s take: FACT. There are two guys at Alabama — Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — as well as a few others that might argue but Ja'Marr Chase is the man. I know, I know, Joe Burrow isn’t coming back, but Chase has the size, speed and athleticism to be great again this season regardless of the quarterback. He’s special.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. I’m not going to rip Chase one bit because he’s phenomenal, but here’s the problem: Burrow is gone and Myles Brennan will probably be taking over. Not that Brennan is chopped liver, but Burrow put up historic numbers last season and Chase was the beneficiary. Smith is the best receiver coming back next season, he will have a better quarterback whether it’s Jones or Young and don’t forget last season, Smith had more receiving yards and touchdowns than Jerry Jeudy, maybe the No. 1 receiver in this NFL Draft class. This one is close, but I’m going Smith.
