The Top 10 College Football True Freshman Performances from Week 4

1 of 12

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

There are few things more exciting in college football than a true freshman making an impact on the field.

So far this season, the college football landscape has seen a few true freshmen make immediate contributions for their respective teams.

Week 4 saw a few breakout performances, and some 100-yard games that stood out from the rest.

Here are the top 10 true freshman performances from Week 4 of the college football season.

10. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

10 Carries, 63 Yards

T.J. Yeldon was one of the most highly regarded players in the 2012 recruiting class and has seen immediate playing time for Alabama during the early part of the season.

He had another solid outing for the Crimson Tide against Florida Atlantic and should continue to see his carries increase.

Yeldon has entrenched himself as the No. 2 running back behind Eddie Lacy.

9. Rushel Shell, RB, Pittsburgh

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

13 Carries, 41 Yards, 1 TD

After a huge game in Week 3 against Virginia Tech, Rushel Shell followed it up with another solid performance against Gardner-Webb in Week 4.

He only had 41 yards on 13 carries, but he did get into the end zone and looks like he is going to be the next great Pittsburgh running back once Ray Graham departs.

8. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/09/alabama_shouldnt_play_florida.html

4 Receptions, 65 Yards

Amari Cooper has improved steadily every week so far and had his best game to date, yardage-wise, in the win over Florida Atlantic.

He did not find the end zone, but averaged over 16 yards on four receptions.

Cooper is quickly developing into a threat for the Crimson Tide.

7. D.J. Foster, RB, Arizona State

http://bigstory.ap.org/photo/dj-foster-patrick-nixon-youman

10 Carries, 70 Yards. 1 Rec, 26 Yards

D.J. Foster saw more carries against Utah than he has in any game all season and certainly did not disappoint.

He is well on his way to earning more playing time in the coming weeks and has developed into a reliable back for the Sun Devils.

6. Jalen Mills, CB, LSU

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2 Tackles

Cornerback Jalen Mills was forced into the starting role because of the departure of Tyrann Mathieu and he has done an admirable job so far for the Tigers.

He helped lead a strong defense to a 12-10 victory over Auburn on Saturday and had two tackles in the process.

Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier only threw for 97 yards and was stifled all game long.

Mills played a large part in that.

5. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

13 Carries, 72 Yards. 4 Rec, 38 Yards

There was no running back more highly touted in the 2012 class than Duke Johnson, and he has had a solid four-game stretch so far for the Hurricanes

On Saturday he rushed for 72 yards and also caught four passes for 38 yards. He did not reach the end zone, but has gotten his fair share of touches all season long.

Look for his numbers to continue to increase as the season progresses.

4. Gabe Marks, WR, Washington State

http://www.komonews.com/sports/Colorado-seeks-first-win-at-WSU-170766386.html

7 Rec, 107 Yards, 1 TD

There has not been a true freshman receiver more productive over the past two weeks than Gabe Marks from Washington State.

He is a huge big-play threat and has averaged over 17 yards per reception for the season.

Marks is a nice compliment to Marquess Wilson, giving the Cougars a talented wide receiver combo.

3. Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

10 Carries, 82 Yards, 2 TD's. 2 Rec, 11 Yards

The departure of Isaiah Crowell from the Georgia Bulldogs opened the door for some freshmen running backs, and they have been awfully impressive.

One of those backs is Keith Marshall. He has gotten double-digit carries in all four games and averaged over eight yards a carry against Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Marshall also has the ability to catch passes out of the backfield.