Here are the top 10 freaks in college football for 2016

BODY and soul, these guys are freaks. The 10 hottest prospects in football are something special, but there are a couple that stand out.

Leonard Fournette.

I’ve been compiling my annual Freaks list of college football for over a decade now, spotlighting those guys who are the top workout warriors in the sport or the guys who possess some rare physical abilities that wow folks inside their programs.

As always, the list is compiled thanks to the input of many coaches, players and sports information directors around the country.

10. JABRILL PEPPERS, MICHIGAN, OLB-SAFETY

“The most explosive human being I’ve ever seen.”

A former state 100 and 200-metre champion from New Jersey, the 6-1, 208-pound Peppers has been the ultimate X-factor guy for the Wolverines and could be an even bigger factor in new DC Don Brown’s scheme. “He’s one of our best cover guys,” said Jim Harbaugh. “He’s our best nickel guy by far. He can play linebacker. ... He can rush the passer. He can cover anybody. Put him on the other side of the ball, he’d probably be our best slot receiver. He could give anybody a run for their money as our best tailback. He’s a Jim Thorpe type of guy. … I’d hate to diminish anyone but off the top of my head I can’t think of anyone (in college that I’ve coached) more athletic than Jabrill.” Peppers displayed his blazing speed this spring when he clocked a 4.34 40 last month. “He’s the most explosive human being I’ve ever seen,” said star TE Jake Butt.

9. SAQUON BARKLEY, PENN STATE, RB

Saquon Barkley.

Coming off a dazzling freshman season, Barkley has a lot of folks excited to see just how far he can help lead the Nittany Lions. The 5-11, 223-pounder ran for 1,076 yards, breaking a 32-year D.J. Dozier school record for a freshman. Barkley showed how special he can be when he gashed a very talented Ohio State defence for 194 yards at OSU. This off-season, Barkley has also displayed some of that explosiveness, setting a program-record 390-pound power clean. He also had a 600-pound squat, to go with a team-best 4.38 40, a 10-foot-1 broad jump, a 380-pound bench and a 4.00 pro agility time, which would’ve been the quickest by any RB at the NFL Combine in 2016. (The quickest was a 4.12 by Northwestern’s Dan Vitale.)

8. BRANDON BRYANT, MISSISSIPPI STATE, SAFETY

Brandon Bryant.

The sophomore’s career in Starkville is off to an impressive start. He made the SEC Academic Honour Roll in his first year and then as a redshirt freshman, he led all rookie DBs in the SEC with 63 tackles. He also forced four turnovers, making three INTs and causing one fumble. Bryant’s a high school teammate of an old Freaks list alum from MSU — Benardrick McKinney — and the 5-11, 216-pounder has earned his own spot here thanks to a blazing 4.24 40, according to Bulldog coaches, to go with a 385 bench, 500-pound squat and a 600-pound deadlift.

7. TAKKARIST MCKINLEY, UCLA, DE

A former JUCO transfer, who had 7.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2015, is ready for a breakout season, according to UCLA coaches. Jim Mora said he doesn’t name an MVP of spring ball, but said that if he did, McKinley might’ve been that guy this year. “He’s about 265 now (up from 250 last season),” Mora said of the 6-4 edge rusher. “He was a 10.6 100-meter guy in high school and still has that speed. He can be very dangerous and I’m excited to watch him in the fall.”

6. HAASON REDDICK, TEMPLE, DE

Haason Reddick.

A former high school running back whose recruitment was derailed because he had some injuries, Reddick came to Temple in 2012 as a walk-on cornerback and developed into a big-play man. He is now a fifth-year senior and the Owls’ version of Von Miller. The 6-1 Reddick, who like Miller also wears No. 58, has clocked a 4.47 40, broad jumped 10-10, verticalled 36 inches, benches 400-plus and is now weighing in at 235. Last season, he made 12.5 TFLs, had five sacks and five QB hurries. Temple coach Matt Rhule told me Reddick reminded him of Aaron Maybin, who he coached against in the former Penn State star’s final college season. Rhule, a former NFL assistant, says Reddick projects as a 3-4 OLB at the next level. Reddick’s 6.75 3-cone drill this off-season would’ve been the second-fastest by any linebacker at the NFL Combine last February.

5. TAYWAN TAYLOR, WESTERN KENTUCKY, WR

Taywan Taylor.

A former 0-star recruit, Taylor has blossomed into a superstar for WKU. Last season the 6-1, 195-pounder set school records for catches (86), receiving yards (1,467) and TD receptions (17) that included a 10-catch game against LSU. Coming out of high school in Louisville on a team that didn’t throw the ball too much, Taylor had two other scholarship offers — from Colorado State and UT-Martin. Then WKU-assistant Jeff Brohm stood on the table for Taylor with old head coach Bobby Petrino after being wowed by Taylor’s toughness and athleticism while watching him play basketball. “There wasn’t a whole lot there on his film,” said Brohm. “You couldn’t see his route running or much of him catching the ball downfield. But I watched him play basketball. He had big, thick legs, could really jump and was explosive and really played good defence.”

4. ADOREE’ JACKSON, USC, CB-WR-KR

Adoree' Jackson.

The dynamic junior didn’t quite make the U.S. Olympic track team, but the player head coach Clay Helton calls “Superman” did win the Pac-12 long jump title and came in fifth in the NCAA championships. On the field, the 5-11, 185-pounder returned two kicks for touchdowns, caught 27 passes for 414 yards and two more TDs and also made 40 tackles and an INT, although this season Jackson probably won’t have quite as big a role on offence. He says after the season he’d love to play for the USC basketball team, adding that he can be a defensive stopper, “like (Cavs guard Matthew) Dellavedova”. He told me earlier this month he grew up playing soccer and excelled in that and would’ve liked to give that a shot but the Trojans don’t have a team. “I was legit,” he said. “My dad gets on me about that. He says I could’ve (turned pro) when I was 16.”

3. LEONARD FOURNETTE, LSU, RB

Leonard Fournette.

Fournette has been every bit as fantastic as he was made out to be when he arrived in Baton Rouge. In just two seasons, he’s moved up to No. 4 all-time on the Tigers all-time rushing list and just set the school single-season record for rushing yards (1,953) to go with 22 TDs. Fournette has leaned down this off-season to 228 pounds. He’s a bit faster, clocking a 4.42 40. He squats 528 pounds and cleans 352. “The most intriguing thing about Leonard is his leadership and work ethic,” said Tommy Moffitt, LSU’s long-time strength coach who has also worked at Miami and Tennessee. “Not only is he an incredibly gifted athlete, he works as hard as anyone and handles his responsibilities of a leader with class and dignity. He is a leader on a team full of very hard workers and he’s out front challenging our best runners and lifters every day.”

2. DEVON ALLEN, OREGON, WR

Devon Allen.

In 2014, as a redshirt freshman, Allen — a legit world-class sprinter — was one of the Ducks’ most consistent wideouts as they made it to the national title game. He led Oregon in touchdown catches with seven and was third in receiving yards. Allen didn’t get to play in that title game after tearing up his knee and was limited last season, but he showed this summer that all of his speed is back. In fact, Allen qualified for the Summer Olympics in Rio with a 110-meter hurdles time of 13.03 seconds — the second-fastest time in the world this year. Allen also became the first man to win the 110 hurdles at both the NCAA Outdoor Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials in 60 years. After the Olympics, Allen plans to return to the Ducks football team, hoping to be ready for Oregon’s second game of the season.

1. MYLES GARRETT, TEXAS A&M, DE

Myles Garrett.

The SEC’s leader in sacks (12.5), tackles for loss (19.5) and forced fumbles (five) despite seeing an array of double teams, Garrett has more than lived up to his enormous recruiting hype. Listed at 6-5, 262, Garrett’s got the chiselled physique of a DB — a huge DB. The junior has off-the-charts workout numbers. He told me this month he power cleans 440 pounds and bench-presses 485 — staggering when you consider he also has a 40-inch vertical and his fastest 40 time at A&M, he said, is 4.45. “If I could dip into the 4.3s, that’d be great,” he told FOX Sports. It’s also been insane to see someone that big moving that fast. Garrett’s diet is pretty tight. “I just try to stay away from soda and try to stay away from candy and sweets,” he said, adding that he thinks he can bulk up to 270. Scary thought: Garrett doesn’t turn 21 until December.

Originally published as Here are the top 10 freaks in college football for 2016