College Basketball's Top 15 Freshmen in the Country

Freshmen are playing a bigger role in college basketball today, and these 15 diaper dandies have become stars.

Despite being only 18 years old, these kids are playing like upperclassmen, and taking the country by storm.

Brad Beal, Austin Rivers, Anthony Davis and many more are some of the best players in the country.

Once the NBA invented the one-and-done rule, stating that high schoolers could no longer go straight to the NBA, many NBA-ready stars have gone to college, and they play a huge role for their schools. These freshmen are some of the best players in the nation despite being young.

Since the days of Michigan's Fab Five, freshmen have been playing a bigger role in college basketball. When the Wolverines proved that age means nothing, the college game noticed, and despite not winning a national championship, the message was sent.

Now freshmen are vital to a team's success, and these 15 have made their teams among the best in college basketball.

15. Andre Drummond, Connecticut

After reclassifying from the 2012 class to the 2011 class, Andre Drummond immediately became the No. 2 recruit in the country. He is an athletic big man who threw down some spectacular dunks before the season during Midnight Madness, but he has yet to live up to expectations.

Drummond's 9.6 points per game is lower than most people expected of him, and he seems tentative on the offensive end at times. Surprisingly, however, Drummond leads the UConn Huskies in rebounds with 6.7 per game, and blocks with 2.7 per night.

While he is not playing like the superstar we expected, he is having a good season compared to other freshmen, and his team has lost only twice all season.

Drummond was my preseason pick for Freshman of the Year honors, which speaks volumes about his expectations. Unfortunately, he is not playing at that level.

14. Marquis Teague, Kentucky

Despite being ranked No. 8 in the country, Marquis Teague was only the third-best recruit John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats brought in. However, playing point guard, he is one of the most important, and he is certainly running the offense effectively.

Teague is distributing well, and averaging 4.5 assists per game in the process. He also kicks in 10.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest as well.

Teague hasn't blown anyone away in a game this season, but he consistently gets the job done. He typically will go for double-digit points and five or more assists, and he can be relied on to affect the game in some way.

13. Quincy Miller, Baylor

At 13-0, the Baylor Bears are one of the last undefeated teams in the country. That is due, in part, to freshman Quincy Miller, who rounds out arguably the best frontcourt in the country.

Miller's 10.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per night in less than 25 minutes per game help to solidify the frontcourt, consisting of Perry Jones III and Qunicy Acy alongside him.

Miller had a great start to the season in the absence of Jones due to suspension. Miller had to play a big role, and he did so, scoring 17 or more points in four of the first five games. Since Jones came back, Miller has been quieter, but he still makes his presence felt every time he plays.

12. Myck Kabongo, Texas

Myck Kabongo is one of a very select few members on this list that does not score 10 points per game or more, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better freshman point guard.

Kabongo averages 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He does not score much for himself, but instead facilitates for his teammates.

While the importance of assists is constantly overshadowed by points, I for one believe that a good point guard can mean the difference between a great season and a mediocre one.

While he is not in the Top 10, he is still one of the best freshmen in the country despite some complaints from fans who expected the nation's No. 11 player to be a star.

11. Rodney Hood, Mississippi State

Believe it or not, Mississippi State is second in the SEC at 13-2, thanks in part to Rodney Hood.

While Arnett Moultrie and Dee Bost carry the heavy-lifting on the offensive end, Hood is kicking in 12.3 points per contest. Hood also averages 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per night. Hood was ranked No. 31 in the class, so his output exceeds expectations.

Hood has been very consistent as well, scoring no less than seven points in a game this season, and scoring less than 10 only four times in 15 games. He has been a source of production that the Bulldogs can rely upon, and he is having an excellent freshman season.

10. B.J. Young, Arkansas

B.J. Young was ranked No. 16 in the class and No. 4 among point guards. He has been a vital part of the success of the Arkansas Razorbacks this season.

Young is second on the team in scoring, with 13.9 points per game. This isn't surprising, as Young is a score-first point guard, but it would still be nice to see him average more than 2.4 assists per game.

Young's offense is what matters most for Arkansas, but his defense is also good. He also knows how to handle end-of-clock situations, which is very important in a young point guard.

9. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of Georgia has been putting together a great season. Pope was ranked No. 24 in the class, yet he is playing as one of the best in the class.

KCP is averaging over 14 points and five rebounds per game, leading the Bulldogs in points and ranking third in rebounds.

Caldwell-Pope is taking a lot of shots, but as he is the best player on the team by far, he can afford to. The Bulldogs brought Caldwell-Pope in to do everything for them, and that allows him to take so many shots.

8. Austin Rivers, Duke

Austin Rivers was ranked No. 3 in the country coming into the season. The son of Doc, Rivers was expected to be an immediate star, and one of the Freshman of the Year candidates.

Unfortunately, Rivers has found the college game much more difficult than high school, and he is no longer a well-rounded star, but simply a scoring threat.

Rivers is scoring 15.4 points on 11.2 shots per game, and shooting around 45 percent from the floor. He is taking a lot of shots, some of which are ill-advised.

Rivers is scoring well, and leads the Blue devils in points per game, but that's not enough to make him one of the elite freshmen in the nation. However, we cannot deny that he is having a very good season.

7. Cody Zeller, Indiana

Cody Zeller made his name known to those who watched Indiana upset Kentucky, in which he dropped 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds. These numbers do not speak the volumes that Zeller's impact had on the final outcome of the game, yet those who watched constantly heard his name.

Zeller is a very efficient player. Since most of his shots come inside, we would expect him to make roughly 50-55 percent from the field, but he is shooting 64.3 percent. He has also scored double-digit points in every game except for two.

As the team's leading scorer and rebounder, the team goes as Zeller goes.

In the game against Michigan State, he scored only four points, and the team lost for the first time all season. That was also the only game he shot under 50 percent in. In the Ohio State game, Zeller dropped 14 points despite playing a career-low 21 minutes before fouling out, and the team barely won the game.

Zeller is the most important player for the Hoosiers, and his 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game have helped this team to a 13-1 record, including two wins over top two teams.

6. Jordan Tolbert, Texas Tech

After being ranked No. 10 in the class of 2011, Jordan Tolbert has shown flashes of brilliance, but has been very inconsistent.

Tolbert plays for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and he is trying to lead his team out of the basement of the Big 12, but he is getting very little help. The small forward is second on the team in points and third in rebounds, but he is close to first in both categories.

Tolbert has had two 20-point games this season, but he has also had five games in which he scored six points or less.

Tolbert needs to work on his consistency for the rest of this year. He could be a force if he can let the game come to him, yet that is a lot to ask of a young player. Texas Tech will get to see him mature into a great player, however, and his recruitment will not have been wasted.

5. Tony Wroten Jr., Washington

Tony Wroten Jr. was ranked No. 17 in the class of 2011, but I have seen the potential in this kid since I first started researching him.

TW2 has proved my bold predictions for his season correct, as he averages 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He is the best player the Huskies have in my opinion, and he leads the team in points per game, and is second in assists.

This kid has pure talent, and he is one of the best freshmen in the country. Since dropping 18 points in his first game, he has scored 10 points or more in every game this season except for the second. He has dropped double-digit points in 11 straight games, including four games with 23 or more.

TW2 is proving to be an elite freshman, and the Huskies are lucky to have him.

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was ranked No. 4 in the class of 2011, and was Kentucky's second-best recruit in the class.

Kidd-Gilchrist is a do-it-all small forward, who is one of the team's leaders in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. His stat line is impressive, and is as follows: 13.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.1 SPG.

This kid is one of Kentucky's best players, which says a lot considering how good the Wildcats are.

MKG has scored double-digit points in every game except for two, in which he scored nine against Penn State in 19 minutes and five against St. John's in 22 minutes. He recently had a career-high 24 points against No. 4 Louisville on New Year's Eve, and he is one of the hottest players in the nation right now.

One of the nation's best freshmen, Kidd-Gilchrist will be a first-rounder for sure in this year's NBA draft.

3. Moe Harkless, St. John's

There weren't many people who pegged Moe Harkless as an elite player before the season started, and indeed some didn't even think he would play.

The No. 39 recruit in the country had some recruiting issues and it was questionable about whether or not he would be eligible to play this year. He was cleared to play and he appears to be making the most of it.

Harkless leads St John's this season, as he is their leading scorer with 15.7 points per game, and their leading rebounder with 8.3 boards per game. He also averages 1.6 blocks and 1.7 assists per game.

Harkless has been consistent, scoring from eight to 19 points in every game except for his game against Providence. Harkless went off against the Friars, going for a ridiculous 32 points and 13 rebounds, and having one of the best games by any player this season.

Harkless has been on fire, and he should be a household name soon enough.

2. Brad Beal, Florida

Brad Beal has had to do a lot for the Florida Gators, yet his contributions are never put into the right perspective.

Beal is second in scoring on a team that scores the fourth-most points per game, and has arguably the best offense in the country. He is also second in rebounding, despite being only 6'3" and a shooting guard.

While these stats are impressive by themselves consider this: Beal is an explosive player who is very aggressive and savvy, which leads to his rebounding numbers. He is also a dangerous scorer despite being a freshman, and when given the chance, he can easily score 20 points in a game.

Unfortunately, the Gators have four talented guards on their team, so Beal cannot be the leader of this team by himself. Instead, he takes a backseat role at times, waiting for his chances. This leads to inconsistency, as he cannot be taking a dozen shots every night and not hear about it from coaches and teammates.

Brad Beal is a truly talented player, who will one day be a star. He may not be back next season if he can adjust to a point guard role at the NBA-level, so the Gators need to take advantage of his talent while he's there.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Anthony Davis was the No. 1 recruit in the 2011 class, and he has lived up to expectations. Despite growing six inches in just a few months, Davis did not miss a beat, nor did he lose his strength.

I personally did not believe in Davis, and I will admit it. I expected him to be shoved around inside after growing so much without a notable change in his weight. However, he has proved that he is more than a big-bodied player, and that despite some faults, he is the best freshman in the country.

While some say that Davis is not ready for the NBA because he cannot create his own shot, he still scores 12.1 points per game, and he makes his presence felt on the offensive end. He is also a prolific rebounder at 6'11", averaging over 10 boards per game.

What makes Davis elite is his defense. He averages 4.5 blocks per game because of his length and timing. None of his blocks have been bigger than the one that sealed a Kentucky win over North Carolina, when he blocked Harrison Barnes' attempt as time expired.

Anthony Davis looks like a man among boys in college, and we will surely see him in the NBA next year.

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