2025 5-Star CFB Recruits Making the Biggest Impact as Freshmen
Throughout the nation, true freshmen are making an impact all over the place. Some of them are names you'd expect, while others weren't the highest-rated.
Still, when the inexact science of recruiting hits on a prospect, it's usually a grand slam.
There are a few of those around college football through five weeks of the season. In some cases, they're already budding megastars. In others, they're key contributors who are weaving their way firmly into the rotation.
In all these cases, they are players with extremely bright futures.
From a top-shelf quarterback to a scintillating wide receiver to trench warriors on both sides of the ball, several former 5-star prospects from the 2025 recruiting class are making their names known.
The only criteria for making this list is being players from the 2025 class ranked as 5-stars on either 247Sports Composite, 247Sports or Rivals rankings.
Here are a handful of names you need to know.
Harlem Berry, LSU Tigers Running Back
1 of 11
If you want to flash back to just how elite LSU coach Brian Kelly's recruiting class was at a very early stage of the process, the Tigers had five players on this list committed.
A trio of them wound up signing with the Bayou Bengals, and the two who didn't are a pair of the most elite freshmen in the nation. Still, they've got to be thrilled with who they did get to Baton Rouge.
Harlem Berry was the nation's top-rated running back, ranked 15th nationally in 247Sports' composite rankings. The Metairie, Louisiana, (outside of New Orleans) native elected to remain home and play for the state's flagship school, and Tigers fans are glad he did.
Berry isn't RB1 in Baton Rouge, but he's firmly a piece of the puzzle, primed for big things.
The 5'11", 190-pound freshman has 22 carries for 109 yards and scored a touchdown, which came in last weekend's narrow loss at Ole Miss. The past two games, he has a season-high seven carries, but his biggest showing came in a six-carry, 56-yard game against Louisiana Tech.
LSU must get better running the ball, but with Caden Durham out against the Rebels, Berry got a long look. Sure, he must improve, but he's going to be relied on in a big way moving forward.
Vernell Brown III, Florida Gators Wide Receiver
2 of 11
It's been a rough start to the season in Gainesville, but even if the hot seat ultimately claims coach Billy Napier, he's going to leave a full cupboard in the Swamp.
The Florida Gators have a lot of quality young playmakers, and none have made waves from the 2025 freshman class like Vernell Brown III.
The 5'11", 170-pound pass-catcher has proved too dynamic to keep off the field, and even with quarterback DJ Lagway's issues, he has been a steady target.
So far, Brown has 18 catches for 219 yards. And while he hasn't gotten in the end zone just yet, he's shown he can make players miss. He leads the team in yards, and he will get fellow electrifying classmate Dallas Wilson by his side for the first time in the upcoming Texas game.
Brown had three catches for 79 yards in the season-opening win over Long Island. In a game where Lagway threw five picks in a loss to LSU, Brown had eight catches for 62 yards, proving Napier was trying to get him the ball in space so he could make a play for a struggling offense.
Things aren't going to get any easier moving forward, but the Florida legacy looks like he will be a weapon no matter who is running the show in the future.
Michael Carroll, Alabama Crimson Tide Offensive Tackle
3 of 11
It's not often a backup offensive tackle makes an early-season impact list, but Michael Carroll's play is making it hard to ignore.
Simply put, the 6'6", 321-pound Pennsylvania native who prepped at IMG Academy is bullying his way into playing time, and he's excelling while doing it.
Carroll was the No. 17-ranked overall player in the nation and the top-rated interior offensive lineman in the class according to the 247Sports' composite rankings, but his first action is coming at right tackle. Not only is he pushing starter Wilkin Formby, but he's also causing line shifts.
Formby moved over to guard to clear the way for Carroll for 25 snaps during last weekend's massive win over Georgia, and Carroll didn't allow a single pressure.
The Tide's offensive line is improving, and Carroll is bringing aggression and turning heads.
Bama247's Alex Scarborough wrote before the game against the Dawgs that Carroll "plays with an edge," and that was before he went out in the biggest game of the year and played great.
"Just a hungry young kid," is how left tackle Kadyn Proctor described him. "I mean, he hates being with the twos, as anybody would."
He may not be for long.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Carius Curne, LSU Tigers Offensive Tackle
4 of 11
The LSU Tigers suffered their first setback of the season this past weekend, but when you factor in just how much young, elite talent is on this roster, you realize there may be some growing pains.
The Bayou Bengals still could contend for the College Football Playoff this year, and the future is bright.
Against Ole Miss, first-year right tackle Carius Curne made his first career start for injured Weston Davis. And while there were some bumps in the road, the 6'5", 320-pound Arkansas native did some good things, too.
Curne has had head coach Brian Kelly's attention since he signed him, though.
"Carius is one of the stronger offensive tackles I have recruited in some time. He absolutely dominates his opponents. He is physically ready to play in the SEC right now," Kelly said on National Signing Day.
While Curne's long-term future may be better-served at guard, one thing is certain: He's already one of the Tigers' top five offensive linemen, and he's going to have to play. There will be some initial blips, but he's extremely talented, and there are many reasons to be excited.
Curne was only a 5-star prospect in the Rivals/On3 rankings, but he's proving the other services missed by not making him one of the nation's elite players.
Michael Fasusi, Oklahoma Sooners Offensive Tackle
5 of 11
There's no denying Michael Fasusi's immense talent, and his meteoric rise to 5-star prospect to first-year starter in Norman has been incredible.
This is a dude who moved to Lewisville, Texas, from Nigeria during his ninth-grade year, and the 6'5", 290-pound road-grader proved his strength and athleticism very quickly. You normally hear of a player like Fasusi being "raw," but raw players don't start right away in the SEC.
If he can just stay healthy, he's going to be a stalwart protecting John Mateer for the Sooners this season.
Fasusi was projected to be a starter right out of the gate, but injuries have kept him from playing in two games. He has one start (during Week 2), and he is firmly entrenched in the rotation. You have to think he will win his starting job back once he's 100 percent.
The nation's former fifth-rated overall player and top-ranked offensive tackle was a major coup for coach Brent Venables, and he's proving why already. Even when he's been out, he's still locked-in.
"Whenever he plays, he's laser-focused," OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle told SI.com's Ryan Chapman. "Really diligent kid. Really understands the process of learning. Whether it's active reps or mental reps, doesn't really let anything distract him."
Juan Gaston, Georgia Bulldogs Offensive Tackle
6 of 11
This is an unusual year where some of the top-tier offensive linemen in the nation are coming in and doing big things right away.
Michael Fasusi, Michael Carroll and Carius Curnes are already on this list, and it's just a matter of David Sanders Jr. getting healthy in Knoxville before he's a plug-and-play starter, seeing his first action last weekend against Mississippi State.
The best young offensive lineman so far this year who held 5-star status, though, is Georgia offensive tackle Juan Gaston. Only 247Sports had the 6'7", 365-pound Atlanta native as a 5-star, which makes you think, "What did everybody else miss?"
Gaston is a star-in-the-making. He can play all over the place and has logged starts at tackle so far.
"I've been really impressed with Juan," UGA center Drew Bobo told DawgNation's Connor Riley. "I think he's done a really good job. Just, I mean, he's huge. He takes up space. He literally, when he's blocking somebody on film, it looks like he just engulfs them, because you can't even see him anymore."
The former Westlake High School native is the first UGA offensive lineman to start as a freshman since Cade Mays, and even if he rotates in and out, he will be firmly in the mix for playing time all year.
That's tough to do on a title-contending team.
Elijah Griffin, Georgia Bulldogs Defensive Lineman
7 of 11
Much like Michael Carroll for Alabama, Elijah Griffin is working his way more and more into the rotation. In games where the elite athletes shine, the former 5-star prospect from Savannah is watching his snap count surge.
There's a reason why he was the No. 3-ranked overall player in the nation according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
You knew it was just a matter of time before he made it, even at a position where it's notoriously difficult to get on the field.
The 6'4", 310-pound run-plugger played 31 snaps in last weekend's close loss to Alabama in Athens, and he played the same number in a Week 3 win over Tennessee. That's after only 30 combined snaps the first two weeks.
Coach Kirby Smart is getting more comfortable putting him on the field, and Griffin has responded. He has eight tackles so far at a position where there aren't going to be many stat hounds.
He's already showing flashes of brilliance, and it's only a matter of time before he's one of those UGA maulers who wind up being taken near the top of the draft. First, he's got three years left in Athens.
He's big, strong, fast and young. The Dawgs simply have to keep increasing his snaps, and he will be one of the biggest-impact youngsters in this class when all is said and done.
Dakorien Moore, Oregon Ducks Wide Receiver
8 of 11
The former top-ranked wide receiver in the nation isn't just making an impact this season; he's looking like a 2025 version of Jeremiah Smith.
Of course, Smith burst onto the scene as a true freshman for Ohio State last year and was arguably the nation's top pass-catcher, proving he was a megastar in the College Football Playoff.
All Moore has done is come into a golden situation in Eugene after decommitting from LSU and signing with Oregon and become WR1 for new quarterback Dante Moore.
Even with Malik Benson on the roster, the Duncanville, Texas, native is a standout superstar. When Evan Stewart gets back from his injury, watch out. The 5-0 Ducks are going to be even more dangerous.
The 5'11", 195-pound pass-catcher leads the No. 2-ranked Ducks with 19 catches for 296 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On a huge stage at Penn State this past weekend, he grabbed seven passes for 89 yards.
Moore is just different on the football field. In high school at powerhouse Duncanville, he had Alabama freshman Keelon Russell throwing him the ball, and now he's Dante Moore's top target.
He just continues to make a name for himself every time he touches the ball.
DJ Pickett, LSU Tigers Cornerback
9 of 11
Rounding out the trio of LSU former 5-stars from the 2025 recruiting class who are already making waves on the gridiron is DJ Pickett.
The 6'5", 195-pound Zephyrhills, Florida, native is long, lanky and you almost never see a player his height playing on the outside, but he has shutdown skills, and he is not only getting on the field but also making plays.
This season, Pickett has seven tackles, one pass defended and an interception. The former No. 11-ranked player in the nation and second-rated cornerback, per 247Sports' composite rankings, decided to head to play for DBU, and he may be the next great one in Baton Rouge.
Pickett nearly made a game-changing play against Ole Miss this past weekend when he intercepted Trinidad Chambliss and seemingly returned the pick 71 yards for a touchdown. But it was called back for an extremely questionable defensive pass interference call.
Regardless of that play, Pickett is proving he's a difference-maker already even as a first-year player. His best football is in front of him, and he looks like the biggest DB star in the entire 2025 class.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California Bears Quarterback
10 of 11
Shockingly, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was only rated a 5-star prospect by Rivals/On3, but the southpaw Hawaii native is showing out already in Berkeley and looks like one of the rising stars in the game.
Yes, there have been some growing pains as would be the case with any freshman, but he has elevated the play of the Bears more than he's hindered it.
Back in the preseason, Sagapolutele beat out Ohio State veteran transfer Devin Brown for the starting gig, and even though the 6'3", 225-pound first-year player threw up a clunker in a surprising loss to San Diego State, he's done big things.
Cal is currently 4-1, and JKS has completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,242 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has a rushing touchdown.
Immediately JKS made a splash with a three-touchdown debut in a win over Oregon State, and he hasn't looked back.
Last weekend, he threw a 51-yard scoring toss with 1:30 left to lift the Bears to a 28-24 road win over Boston College.
"We've seen him so much now, we're not all that surprised," coach Justin Wilcox said after Sagapolutele directed an 88-yard drive, punctuated by his 51-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to tight end Mason Mini, according to SI.com's Jeff Faraudo.
The kid just makes plays.
Bryce Underwood, Michigan Wolverines Quarterback
11 of 11
Bryce Underwood was handed the keys to a storied program as a true freshman quarterback, and the spotlight has been on him all season.
While things have been far from perfect, the former consensus top-ranked player in the nation is showing glimpses of what the future holds.
The 6'4", 228-pound signal-caller from the Detroit suburbs isn't making a big splash from a scoring standpoint, but he's guiding the Wolverines offense and letting a dominant rushing attack lead the way for coach Sherrone Moore's 3-1 team.
So far, Underwood has completed 57 percent of his passes for 733 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while running for 169 more yards and a trio of scoring scampers.
There have been guardrails on Underwood early this season, but the more they give him, the more he seems to thrive. Maybe Moore understands and is seeing that, too. He recently told Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio program (via Yahoo's Isaiah Hole) that they're going to "let him play and play free and play loose and have fun."
That will be fun to see Underwood unimpeded by the fear of failure. This is a guy who is growing each game. If Michigan is going to be a factor in the Big Ten, the Wolverines need him confident, because the talent isn't an issue.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
