15 College Football Freshmen Who Will Live Up to the Hype

The young men entering the world of college football receive all kinds of national media attention.

We are bombarded with onslaught after onslaught of reasons why this defensive end or that cornerback will be successful at his chosen school.

They are not all success stories.

Some recruits struggle academically, others can't crack the two-deep and still others suffer injury and never live up to potential.

Those guys are not on this list.

This is a list of the 15 true freshman who will live up to all the hype they have received over the course of the recruiting process.

Just Missed the Cut

Kyle Murphy, OL, Stanford

Malcom Brown, DL, Texas

Michael Rose, LB, Nebraska

Noor Davis, LB, Stanford

Travis Blanks, DB, Clemson

Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon

Thomas Johnson, WR, Texas A&M

Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State

15. Shaq Thompson, DB, Washington

Tosh Lupoi's move to UW has already paid off for the Huskies.

Thompson was one of the benefits.

As can be seen in his highlight reel, he has incredible ball skills, and hands.

He will be playing in the defensive backfield for the Huskies, and will see time on the field this season.

In 2013, the Huskies are going to be a scary team with guys like Thompson maturing and Keith Price playing at a high level.

14. T. J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama

SEC teams breathed a collective sigh of relief when Mark Ingram left for the NFL, then did the same this past offseason following the departure of Trent Richardson.

Now they must find a way to deal with the incoming crop of stars at the position in Tuscaloosa.

As can be seen in the video, this kid has all the moves.

Juke, spin, outright speed—he has a full arsenal.

Alabama has some depth at running back, but don't be surprised to see Yeldon get on the field at some point in 2012.

And he will only get better from there.

13. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami

As evidenced from the video, this kid has all the swag needed to be a member of the 'Canes.

Throw in his ability to outrun everybody on the field and elude tacklers, and you have a future star.

The man is flat-out good.

Besides, his name is "Duke," you have to respect that, if nothing else.

12. Leonard Williams, DL, USC

Lane Kiffin has done an incredible job of recruiting.

Case in point, Leonard Williams.

The kid is from Florida.

How in the world did Kiffin get him to go all the way across the country, right out from under the noses of the elite SEC recruiters?

Regardless, the Trojans have picked up a gem in Williams.

He has excellent speed off the snap, and makes good decisions when protecting the edge.

USC has a plethora of talented young guys taking over on the defensive side of the ball, and they will be anchored by the play of Williams for several seasons.

11. Joshua Garnett, OL, Stanford

One sure way to make a smooth transition from the Andrew Luck era is to make sure that your next quarterback is well protected.

The Cardinal have done an incredible job of that, hoarding top offensive line recruits for the past several seasons.

Garnett is the one who stands out, in my mind.

He is surprisingly agile for a big guy, with strength to move defenders off the ball and good footwork.

At a school known for developing linemen, he will thrive.

10. Tracy Howard, CB, Miami

Is it just me, or do the Hurricanes recruit an unfair amount of athletic talent?

Howard is no exception.

He is a solid tackler, but his strength lies in his ability to absolutely shut down part of the field to the passing game.

Al Golden's squad needs a boost to help get back atop the ACC, and Howard will be one of the stars who helps get them there.

9. Mario Pender, RB, Florida State

Pender is a small guy, but this sometimes works to his advantage.

He has the speed and strength to make some noise out of the backfield for Jimbo Fisher's squad, but probably not much this season as the 'Noles are deep, but he will have a great college career.

The Seminoles need a guy like this to take over at running back after this season, and Pender definitely has the skills to make him a solid option.

8. Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas

Texas fans, I'm sorry for your struggles in recent seasons.

It's always difficult to see your team struggle.

The 'Horns, however, have the talent to turn this thing around immediately, if they can get some production out of the quarterback position.

Gray is going to be a star for Texas, and could possibly see significant time this season.

His ability to read gaps and his initial burst are incredible, and as you can see in the video, he runs away from the secondary with relative ease.

He may not be the entire solution to the problem, but a guy like this can really help a quarterback settle in and get comfortable.

7. Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU

Alexander is going to be the next big star for LSU's defense.

As if they didn't have enough already.

He makes solid reads, and has the speed to make big plays.

He will need to make sure he doesn't get sucked into fakes at the college level, but it's apparent to anyone who watches him for 10 seconds that he is a very talented young man.

Les Miles and his coaching staff develop young defensive talent very successfully, and Kwon will be no exception.

6. Rushel Shell, RB, Pitt

Shell is definitely a talented kid stepping into a good situation at Pitt.

New head coach Paul Chryst came over from Wisconsin, a school that has been able to produce incredibly productive running backs every year for a long time now.

Chryst is the consummate play-caller, and knows how to develop his talent.

Expect Shell to be a star very soon.

5. Trey Metoyer, WR, Oklahoma

Metoyer is a big target with excellent vision, hands and leaping ability.

Just another stud receiver for Oklahoma to terrorize the Big 12 with.

He has some experience in the return game, and may get a crack at that this season, but his height and ability to create separation leads me to believe we may see him playing opposite Kenny Stills at some point this season.

That's a scary thought for opposing defensive coordinators.

4. Noah Spence, DL, Ohio State

As if the Buckeye's defense isn't scary enough already, Urban Meyer went out and pulled in quite a haul with this guy.

The Buckeyes struggled at times last season on defense, but had a talented group returning.

The Big Ten in general and Ohio State in particular seems to thrive on finding that big star at a defensive position and dominating opponents on that side of the ball.

Spence is a key piece of that puzzle for Meyer, and he has the ability to change the complexion of a game all by himself.

3. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri

Missouri's offense is scary this season, with dual-threat quarterback James Franklin leading an imposing attack.

It only gets scarier with DGB in the lineup.

He is physical enough to square off against the tough cornerbacks in the SEC and win the matchup, and has the potential to be the best receiver the Tigers have ever seen.

The way the Tigers produce quarterbacks, he will always have someone throwing the ball who is at least semi-accurate, leading to huge numbers for a big-time playmaker.

2. Gunner Kiel, QB, Notre Dame

In spite of his relative indecision in the recruiting process, Kiel is a stud.

There is just no denying that.

He can make all the necessary throws, and Brian Kelly has had some success developing solid quarterbacks out of his recruits.

Given the fact that the Irish are struggling, to put it diplomatically, at the position, Kiel has the potential to step in and fill the starter role for his entire college career.

1. Shaq Roland, WR, South Carolina

Roland is tailor-made to step into the wide receiver position at South Carolina and make an impact.

The offense is experienced, Alshon Jeffrey departed for the greener pastures of the NFL, and this kid has the tools to be an All-American.

Not only will he have a successful college career, but he will make a positive impact from day one.