Top 2015 Recruits Most Likely to Sit out Their Freshman Year

One of college football’s most popular current trends is the seemingly immediate emergence of talented true freshmen across the country. 

For example, Georgia has gotten a boost offensively from talented skill players Isaiah McKenzie and Sony Michel, while Clemson has turned over its offense to dynamic freshman quarterback DeShaun Watson. 

In today’s battles on the recruiting trail, any talk of redshirting is a surefire way to turn off top prospects.

However, that doesn’t mean that every Top 100 recruit in the 2015 class will be physically and mentally prepared for the adjustment to playing on the college level.

Some recruits simply may not be able to contribute immediately, whether it be because of injuries or the need for more time to adapt to the rigors of college life on and off the field. 

Which top 2015 recruits are most likely to sit out their freshman year?

*players listed in alphabetical order.

Blake Barnett

In landing 5-star passer Blake Barnett, Nick Saban will welcome the highest-rated quarterback signee in his Alabama tenure.

However, history suggests that the earliest we will see the California native on the field is in 2016. 

As AL.com’s Andrew Gribble notes, none of the quarterbacks whom Saban has signed during his tenure at Alabama have ever taken a snap in their first year. 

Additionally, the Tide will have an experienced senior in Jake Coker, who could be in line to take over for Blake Sims next season. 

Despite Barnett’s immense upside, it appears he’s a safe bet to spend his first year in Tuscaloosa learning the ropes of the Tide’s program.

Chuma Edoga

Perhaps more so than any other position, offensive line is a spot where true freshmen are rarely ready to play right away upon entering college.

The physical demands of the position often require players to use their first year or two to prepare their bodies for the grind of life in the trenches on the college level.

At 6’3”, 276 pounds, 5-star offensive tackle Chuma Edoga is the current crown jewel of USC’s 2015 recruiting class.

While Edoga is one of the more athletic tackle prospects to come along in recent memory, he’s likely to need time to add weight onto his frame before taking over either tackle spot when he arrives in Los Angeles.

Additionally, the Trojans currently start a pair of third-year sophomores at their tackle spots, per Ourlads. Having a pair of seasoned tackles with experience is likely to decrease the need for Edoga to be pressed into action early in his career.

Torrance Gibson

While he remains one of the top-rated uncommitted players in the 2015 class, 4-star dual-threat quarterback Torrance Gibson appears to be a heavy lean toward Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

"Ohio State is my clear leader,” Gibson told Bleacher Report’s Kynon Codrington in August. “I like the offense they run; I really like everything. I know it's cold, but it's cold in the NFL too. The most important thing is they want me at quarterback, not athlete."

Gibson—who has been previously classified as an athlete—possesses the tools necessary to operate Meyer’s prolific offense. 

However, given the likely return of injured Buckeyes star Braxton Miller and Gibson’s need to further develop as a passer (he's completed just 55 percent of his passes over last two years), he’s a likely candidate to spend his first season developing as a redshirt.

Taj Griffin

Even though 4-star Oregon running back pledge Taj Griffin tore his ACL in the first game of his senior season, his performance during the SPARQ Rating National Championship at The Opening displayed his freakish athletic ability. 

Per Student Sports, Griffin busted off a 4.31 time in the 40-yard dash and an absurd vertical jump of nearly 46 inches.

However, with the Ducks set to return standouts such as Byron Marshall, Thomas Tyner and Royce Freeman, Griffin may be caught up in a numbers crunch in the backfield.

Add in the need for him to recover from his injury and it could mean that his first action on the college level will come in 2016.

Mitch Hyatt

One of the anchors of Clemson’s No. 4-ranked recruiting class is 5-star offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt.

The 6’6”, 271-pounder may be the nation’s top left tackle prospect, but he’s still got room to fill out his frame with added muscle before he’s ready to handle life in the trenches in the ACC. 

As Ourlads illustrates, the Tigers are scheduled to return a pair of veterans at left tackle in 2015.

As with Edoga, a redshirt year spent adding bulk is likely to prepare Hyatt to take over a starting position in 2016.

Kyler Murray

Life after Johnny Manziel doesn’t seem to be difficult for Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin. Sophomore Kenny Hill has taken off through the first month of the season, and his backup—freshman Kyle Allen—was a 5-star recruit in the 2014 class.

However, Sumlin has received a commitment from another dynamic passer in 5-star in-state standout Kyler Murray.

With Hill entering his junior season and Allen waiting in the wings, there doesn’t appear to be a pressing need for the 5’10”, 180-pound Murray to see the field in 2015.

Considering that Manziel redshirted and Hill played minimally last season, Murray will likely spend his first year learning the ropes of Sumlin’s offense before competing for playing time in 2016.

Roquan Smith

Credit: 247Sports

One of the fiercest remaining battles left in the 2015 class is the race to land Georgia 4-star linebacker Roquan Smith. Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss are among his primary group of suitors. 

The 6’2”, 205-pounder is rated as the No. 4 outside linebacker in the country. 

With his 4.55 speed in the 40-yard dash (via Student Sports), Smith can become a terror rushing off the edge or thrive as a speedy linebacker in pass coverage.

However, given his current size is more comparable to college safeties, he’s likely in need of a redshirt season from a physical standpoint, especially if he takes his talents to an SEC school.

Ricky Town

USC has become a haven for top-flight quarterback recruits, with 4-star Ricky Town becoming the latest signal-caller to pledge to the Trojans.

At 6’4”, 205 pounds and blessed with a bevy of college-ready tools, Town is rated as the nation’s second-best pro-style passer in the 2015 class. 

However, as the Trojans' loaded depth chart shows (via Ourlads), Town’s best chance to find the field may come after a year spent working on his craft behind the scenes.

With Cody Kessler having a year of eligibility left, there’s no need for Steve Sarkisian and his staff to rush Town into action unless unique circumstances arise.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani