Top 10 Breakout Stars After Week 1 of College Football
For some collegiate football players, it takes four years to break through. Others can do it in one weekend.
Either way, the cycle of building the next batch of college football stars never stops, and there is always an abundance of young talent circulating through the sport.
After Week 1 of the new season, a plethora of new stars emerged.
As we look at fresh faces in college football, let's first make a key distinction. Players like USC's Caleb Williams and UNC's Drake Maybe—certified collegiate stars already—will have no place here. That star power has been established.
Instead, we're looking for new names who have already made a sizable impression in one (or two) games this year. Some might be obvious, others less so.
Regardless, there are plenty of stars to celebrate.
1. Travis Hunter, Colorado
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It's the obvious place to start and the only place to start.
Hunter, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022 according to 247Sports, made his Power Five debut with Colorado on Saturday. He responded by playing north of 100 snaps on both sides of the ball, and he flourished in every roll.
On offense, he caught 11 passes for 119 yards. On defense, he intercepted a pass on a beautiful play in the red zone, which turned out to be an enormous play in Colorado's win over TCU.
He's been a football star his entire life, although everything changed this weekend. Given his ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball—something the sport hasn't seen in quite some time—expect his star power to grow each week.
2. Kimani Vidal, Troy
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If you were paying attention late last year, Vidal is already a known name. The junior running back from Troy delivered back-to-back 200-plus yard games when given more carries after working his way into a bigger role.
In Week 1, he exploded for 248 rushing yards on 25 carries. He also caught two passes for 54 yards. Granted, it came against Stephen F. Austin, and it will get tougher in the weeks ahead—starting this week against Kansas State.
Still, Vidal is likely to keep this production rolling. Don't be surprised if he's the nation's leading rusher when it's all said and done.
3. Deontae Lawson, Alabama
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He's not quite Will Anderson Jr., but Lawson looks like he's going to have a sizable impact on the Alabama defense for the foreseeable future.
A former 5-star prospect, he has added size to his explosive arsenal, and the tools were on display Saturday night against Middle Tennessee State. He finished with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack, and he's poised to chase quarterbacks all season long.
Lawson is relentless, and he's likely to compile stats and a greater impact with more reps. While the Alabama defense is loaded with future stars, his performance jumped off the screen on Saturday night.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
4. Mikey Keene, Fresno State
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Keene isn't new to college football, but he flourished in his first start with Fresno State.
The former UCF quarterback had success when given reps in his previous stop, but he looked extremely comfortable on Saturday as the Bulldogs upset Purdue.
In a road game against a Power Five team, Keene threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Given the teams Fresno State will play this season, he has a great chance to post massive numbers if he can stay healthy.
Standing 5'11", he's not the biggest quarterback. But he can create, and he'll do much more of that for a Group of Five team that could push for a major bowl game.
5. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
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Our second Colorado player to make this list uncorked a 510-yard passing day.
Shedeur, the son of Deion Sanders, also made his Power Five debut on Saturday against TCU. In short, he looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
At Jackson State, he did the same. The question, of course, was how the skills would translate against better competition, and Shedeur answered that with his performance against a team that competed for a national championship back in January.
Still just a junior, he is yet another Pac-12 QB poised to put up big numbers this year. This is all terrible news for Nebraska, which will travel to Boulder to take on Colorado this weekend.
6. Dante Moore, UCLA
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We stay in the Pac-12, and we zero in on yet another quarterback.
Dante Moore was considered one of the top signal-callers and overall players in the 2023 recruiting class. While he did not start the game for UCLA against frisky Coastal Carolina, he threw a touchdown pass on his very first collegiate pass.
Splitting time with Ethan Garbers, Moore assumed the role as starter later in the game. He completed seven throws for 143 yards and two touchdowns, showing great mobility and an enormous arm.
He's a future star; it's that simple. That ascension will come with mistakes along the way, although Moore is destined to be a national sensation. It's simply a matter of when.
7. Xavier Legette, South Carolina
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While many of the names on this list are underclassmen, that is not the case with Legette.
The big-bodied senior was a bright spot for South Carolina in its loss to North Carolina, hauling in nine catches for 178 yards. He also returned two kicks for 43 yards.
We saw a glimpse of this in SC's bowl game last year. Legette caught two touchdown passes, and he carried that momentum into the offseason. If Spencer Rattler stays healthy, Legette should get plenty of opportunities all season.
And at his size (6'3", 227 lbs), it would not be shocking to see him become one of the biggest threats in the SEC.
8. Caleb Downs, Alabama
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The most coveted safety in the class of 2023 didn't take long to make an impression.
While freshmen don't typically start at Alabama, there are some exceptions. Downs, who was widely considered one of the best high school football players in America last year, will be a force for the next three seasons.
He led the team in tackles, which included a tackle for loss. And it wasn't just the numbers; he hits hard and tackles well.
As the quarterback situation settles itself, Alabama will need to rely on its defense. If his first game is any indication, Downs could wind up being the next elite defensive back with the Crimson Tide.
9. Laiatu Latu, UCLA
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It's been a wild ride to say the least. Latu began his career at Washington, although a neck injury during his sophomore year prompted him to medically retire. Well, at least temporarily.
Ultimately, he transferred to UCLA, didn't play for two seasons and then returned in 2022 with a double-digit sack season. In a Week 1 win against Coastal Carolina, he finished with three sacks.
Completely healthy again, Latu is a fascinating player in a quarterback-heavy league. With ample opportunities to chase QBs, the senior could blossom into one of the most dangerous defensive players in college football.
10. Zachariah Branch, USC
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One of the top wideouts in the class of 2023, Branch has already delivered multiple touchdowns across multiple weeks.
Against San Jose State in Week 0, he caught a touchdown and returned a kick 96 spectacular yards for a touchdown. Oh, he also had 66 punt return yards. In Week 1, he scored once again to open the game, catching a 22-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams.
So, what's next?
While USC will continue to spread the ball around, Branch will likely grow his role in the Trojans' offense. And if he continues to return punts and kicks, it's likely he'll add to a growing list of highlights in his young career.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
