Ranking the Top 25 Freshmen Heading into the 2015 College Football Season
As the 2015 college football season draws closer, writers and fans of the game have focused a lot of attention on the freshmen who will have chances to make big plays this fall.
The majority of these freshmen are fresh out of high school and are hitting the field with their new teammates for the first time during fall camps. Others who benefited from redshirt seasons and early enrollments are now on the fast track to lock down key roles on the depth chart.
As practices continue all across the country, let's pool all these competitors together, rank them for the upcoming campaign and check in on their progress so far in August.
This list of top 25 freshmen is based on a combination of factors, including prior practice experience, chances at cracking the starting lineup this year and their respective places in the 247Sports composite rankings, which combine several of the industry's leading grades for players.
Of course, the vast majority of those listed haven't played a down of college football yet, and these are still preseason rankings based on potential and what their teammates and coaches are saying at practice. Sound off on which players you think 2015's top freshmen will be in the comments below.
25. Minnesota WR Jeff Jones
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Jeff Jones was the nation's No. 9 running back when he signed with Minnesota in 2014, but he's now lining up at wide receiver for the Golden Gophers after sitting out last season because of academics. Minnesota returns only one wideout who caught a touchdown pass in 2014 and simply needs more offensive explosion.
"He can also do things in the backfield, if needed," Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill told Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press. "He's talented enough to do both, but we'll see how all that goes. ... He's done good in the class, now we've got to see what his work habits are going to be."
Jones brings a much-needed shot of athleticism to Minnesota's attack, which is led by junior quarterback Mitch Leidner. The new receiver will play a number of roles for the Gophers in his redshirt freshman campaign.
24. Alabama CB Minkah Fitzpatrick
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Alabama has several true freshman defensive backs who were once high-profile recruits. But the one who is currently standing out above the rest is New Jersey native Minkah Fitzpatrick. According to Charlie Potter of 247Sports, Fitzpatrick has lined up with the first-team defense at corner and "Star" so fall during fall camp.
"Minkah's done a really, really good job," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, per Potter. "He's very instinctive and learns quickly, understands concepts, and he’s probably going to be a guy that, if he continues to progress, can make some contribution for us this year."
At 6'1" and 195 pounds, Fitzpatrick brings size and a physical nature to an Alabama secondary that needs improvement after last season's struggles with allowing big plays downfield.
23. Alabama QB Blake Barnett
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At this point in fall camp, Blake Barnett isn't one of the projected favorites to win Alabama's starting quarterback battle. But, according to Travis Reier of 247Sports, Barnett has looked impressive while working with the Tide's offensive reserves.
Reier wrote:
"Although he spent most his time working with second- and third-team personnel, I didn't need to see him with the 1s to understand that he already has a better feel for the game than any other quarterback on the roster. That was made clear when, after being flushed from the pocket, Barnett moved to his right—keeping his eyes up the field all the while—and delivered a perfect ball for a touchdown while on the run.
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If he keeps making great plays in fall camp, Barnett could pull off an upset over the likes of senior Jake Coker and redshirt freshman David Cornwell.
22. Clemson DE Christian Wilkins
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Clemson is looking to rebuild its defensive front after losing the majority of its starters from the nation's No. 1 unit for opponent yards per game. Christian Wilkins is reportedly doing a great job in making sure he will get on the field as a true freshman for the new-look Tigers.
"He is just one of the most athletic defensive linemen I've seen," Clemson offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain told Brad Senkiw of the Anderson Independent Mail (via the State). "He’s a great combination of [former Clemson defensive tackle] Grady Jarrett’s work ethic and [former end] Josh Watson’s body. The roof is wherever he wants it to be I think, and he’s going to be a really great player for us this year."
Wilkins was the highest-rated defensive signee for Clemson in the class of 2015, and it's hard to imagine the Connecticut native's missing out on some sort of role for the Tigers this season.
21. Missouri DT Terry Beckner Jr.
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Like Clemson, Missouri has to replace its defensive front this season. Season-ending injuries to Harold Brantley in the offseason should open the door for Terry Beckner Jr., a highly rated defensive tackle from Illinois.
According to David Ching of ESPN.com, Beckner has already impressed his new coaches at Missouri with his hand quickness. The athleticism of the former No. 13 overall recruit will be an important addition to the Tigers as they hunt a third straight SEC East title.
Beckner is currently working behind juniors Josh Augusta and Rickey Hatley at defensive tackle, but Brantley's absence gives Missouri a major need for depth down the middle of a line that has produced some stars over the last couple of seasons.
20. Florida State DE Josh Sweat
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Josh Sweat, the No. 9 overall recruit in the class of 2015, is an interesting case for these freshmen rankings. Sweat had surgery on his torn ACL last October and has been recovering with the Seminoles since enrolling in time for spring camp.
While many expected him to sit out this season, he looks to be ahead of schedule. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Sweat "has been working during special team drills at camp—a task usually reserved for players who are expected to be contributors at some point or another during the season."
That's great news for a Florida State defense that needs to reload its ranks. If Sweat can continue to progress in his recovery, the Seminoles will have another talented pass-rusher on their hands.
19. Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk
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Texas A&M has plenty of talent at wide receiver heading into the 2015 season—Speedy Noil, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones, to name a few key players—but Christian Kirk is expected to get in the rotation thanks to the extra work he put in during spring practice.
"He watches just as much tape as I do," Texas A&M offensive coordinator Jake Spavital told Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN.com. "He'll tell me that he watched 100 clips of something every single day. Most kids don't do that, especially at the freshman level. He comes in, he's doing extra in the weight room, he's out there running routes every single day, he's a gym rat."
The 5-star wide receiver from Arizona is already ahead of the game when it comes to getting acclimated to his new team. With the praise he's getting from his coaches, Kirk seems like a lock to become a playmaker for the Aggies in 2015.
18. Stanford DE Solomon Thomas
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Stanford had plenty of veteran talent on its defensive line last season, so the Cardinal went ahead and redshirted Solomon Thomas, the No. 25 player in the class of 2014. With a full year of practice under his belt, Thomas is set to become a starter for Stanford this year.
"In Stanford's physical 3-4 defense, Thomas is next in line," Barton Simmons of 247Sports wrote. "He has rare strength and motor as a young football player and he has the right temperament to excel as a 3-4 defensive end. Reports out of Stanford had him virtually unblockable in the spring."
If the 6'3", 271-pound Thomas can live up to his 5-star ranking from a year ago, the Stanford defense could once again be one of the best in the country—even with several new starters.
17. Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon
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After his yearlong suspension and the rise of fellow 2014 signee Samaje Perine, who has become the clear-cut No. 1 running back at Oklahoma, Joe Mixon has a big hill to climb this season. But the 6'2", 217-pound Mixon has received rave reviews from his coaches for his work during the first few days of practice.
"When a guy’s that big, you don’t expect him to be able to make people miss like he does. I’m not saying he’s exactly like this, but you guys have seen Tavon Austin," Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh told Guerin Emig of Tulsa World. "[Mixon] has the ability to make you miss and go the distance, but he also has the ability to run you over. You don’t see many like that. There are very few in the country like that."
It still remains to be seen what role Mixon will play with Perine and Alex Ross also at running back in new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley's air-raid scheme. But Mixon has put his 5-star talent on full display so far this offseason.
16. Texas A&M DT Daylon Mack
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Five-star defensive tackle Daylon Mack is this season's highly touted defensive freshman at Texas A&M, and he'll look to join end Myles Garrett on a resurgent Aggies line. New A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis was impressed with the true freshman during his first days of fall camp.
"He’s definitely a talented guy," Chavis said, per Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports. "It’s a different league and he’s got a bigger adjustment to make than our corner [Brandon Williams] because he’s played winning football in the SEC. It’s always difficult but you see it every year, high school guys come in and make the transition."
One of Mack's biggest goals during fall camp is to cut down his weight. According to Suzanne Halliburton of the Statesman, Mack arrived in College Station this summer at 350 pounds—and head coach Kevin Sumlin wants him to play at 330.
15. Florida State WR George Campbell
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George Campbell hit the ground running for Florida State this year, as one of the nation's top receivers enrolled early in Tallahassee and immediately grabbed the attention of his coaches.
Campbell recorded an impressive touchdown in the spring game, and he's carried his good play through the summer and into the fall. He has the size (6'4", 202 lbs) and the speed to grab a key role in a receiving corps that lost top receiver Rashad Greene to the NFL.
The true freshman has plenty of competition around him at Florida State, but he already has a head start over the likes of Da'Vante Phillips and Auden Tate thanks to spring camp. Expect to see Campbell making big plays for the Seminoles this season.
14. Alabama CB Marlon Humphrey
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After redshirting the 2014 season, former 5-star recruit Marlon Humphrey is expected to be a key figure this fall in what Alabama hopes will be a more successful pass defense.
Humphrey, a talented track star and the son of former Alabama running back Bobby Humphrey, had a strong spring camp for the Crimson Tide. Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee predicted Humphrey would "set [the] SEC on fire in 2015."
The only thing holding Humphrey back at the moment is what head coach Nick Saban said was a "pulled muscle," per Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh. He has missed a couple of practices with the injury, opening the door for other corners to get valuable reps in fall camp. However, the former No. 12 overall recruit figures to play early and often for Alabama in 2015.
13. Florida DE CeCe Jefferson
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CeCe Jefferson earned national attention for his national signing day drama after announcing his commitment to Florida. But the defensive end is in Gainesville now, and he's wasted no time in turning the heads of his new teammates.
"He’s a guy that can make an impact," Florida head coach Jim McElwain said, per Adam Silverstein of Only Gators. "[Defensive line coach Chris] Rumph really enjoys working with him. He’s a guy that’s eager to learn, jumped right in at everything we’re doing. That just speaks volumes of the type of kid he is, too."
The Gators could definitely use Jefferson's talents after Dante Fowler Jr.'s early departure to the NFL. The young defensive end, known for his strength and pass-rushing abilities, is definitely on the way to earning some early playing time in his true freshman campaign.
12. Oregon DE Canton Kaumatule
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Oregon is looking to get back to the national title game this season, and the Ducks defensive line could be one of the best ever in Eugene. Canton Kaumatule is a bright spot in that group after he enrolled early as a 5-star defensive end from Honolulu.
According to Keeler McJunkin of 247Sports, Kaumatule is focused on gaining weight heading into the season. He weighed 295 pounds at the spring game but wants to get to 310 in order to prepare for the rigors of a Pac-12 season.
If Kaumatule can get to that weight and still retain some of his elite athleticism, Oregon will have a massive advantage on the defensive line playing opposite star end DeForest Buckner.
11. Alabama WR Calvin Ridley
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To say Calvin Ridley has high expectations placed on him is completely understating facts. According to Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the nation's No. 1 receiver in the class of 2015 has the talent of elite targets such as Amari Cooper and Marqise Lee.
"Calvin has really kind of showed some elite talent of guys over the years we've been able to be around," Kiffin said, per John Talty of AL.com. "A couple of Biletnikoff winners and a bunch of All-Americans, he's shown that talent. Now there's a long way to go to get to that level, but...if he does the other things all the way through, which is a lot, he's going to be really special."
Ridley is stepping into a situation at Alabama where the Tide are having to replace their top three receivers from a season ago—including fellow Miami-area native Cooper, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. The door is wide-open for Ridley to follow in Cooper's footsteps and have a big true freshman year.
10. Tennessee DT Kahlil McKenzie
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Since stepping onto the practice field for the first time this month, Kahlil McKenzie has made jaws drop all over Knoxville.
First, there was the viral practice photo from the Times Free Press' Patrick Brown (h/t College GameDay) of the massive (6'3", 344 lbs) true freshman defensive tackle dwarfing the 6'4" Darrell Taylor. Then there was the video courtesy of WBIR-TV's Patrick Murray of McKenzie flattening a teammate during a one-on-one drill that made the rounds (h/t 247Sports' Wes Rucker). The hype just can't stop for the 5-star Volunteer.
According to Rucker, Tennessee coaches are saying McKenzie is still a "work in progress" who needs to slim down some more. But with what he's shown so far in Knoxville, McKenzie should get his fair share of playing time for the Volunteers this season.
9. Auburn DE Byron Cowart
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When Auburn's defense kept its offense out of the end zone earlier this week in a scrimmage, the attention immediately turned toward the two biggest additions to the Tigers this offseason—defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and 5-star defensive end Byron Cowart.
"[Cowart] looked good, real good," Auburn defensive lineman DaVonte Lambert told Brandon Marcello of AL.com. "A freshman that can come in and play, that's real good. We always talk and work on a few things so having him come in as a freshman and playing, that's a big part of this defense."
Cowart could nail down a starting job on Auburn's rebuilding defense with more standout performances in fall camp. With returning sophomore Carl Lawson owning Muschamp's hybrid "Buck" role, Cowart looks like a perfect fit at traditional defensive end for the Tigers.
8. USC CB Iman Marshall
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After his music video commitment through Bleacher Report and his arrival at USC this summer, Iman Marshall is set to play a big role in the Trojans' pass defense, which finished No. 118 nationally last season in opponent yards per game.
"Marshall, the Class of 2015’s consensus top-ranked corner, boasts a tantalizing combination of size and speed and figures to play a mix of nickel corner and safety this year," Matt Borcas of Grantland wrote. "His unyielding physicality will cause opposing receivers to think twice before they run across the middle of the field, and getting to practice against sophomore speedster JuJu Smith-Schuster will only make him better."
Slotting Marshall (6'2", 200 lbs) into a secondary that includes Adoree' Jackson, Kevon Seymour and Leon McQuay III should make for a huge jump in numbers for USC this season.
7. Florida OT Martez Ivey
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New Florida head coach Jim McElwain inherited a mess of a situation at the offensive line. But landing Martez Ivey, the nation's No. 2 overall recruit, should be a huge boost to the Gators offense this season. Ivey's teammates are already wowed by his talent.
"Martez Ivey, the guy’s a freak, dude," Florida running back Kelvin Taylor told Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel. "The guy’s going to be great. He wasn’t a 5-star for nothing, trust me."
It's not often that an offensive lineman creates this much buzz, but Ivey should be a cornerstone of the Florida attack under McElwain for seasons to come. That starts this year, as he is projected to start from Day 1 at a tackle spot for the Gators.
6. Georgia DT Trent Thompson
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The nation's No. 1 recruit didn't get a head start in spring training like the top five players on this list, but Trent Thompson is primed to be a major factor for the Georgia defense in its second season under Jeremy Pruitt.
"He’s a guy that can play every down," Pruitt said, per Jake Rowe of 247Sports. "He’s a big guy. He plays the run well. He has the ability to rush the quarterback."
Pruitt's defense is elite on the edges, but it lacks established players on the inside of line. Even if Thompson isn't on the first starting lineup for Georgia, he'll play a huge role in the rotation. His all-around talent is just what the Bulldogs need at defensive tackle heading into what could be a huge 2015 season in Athens.
5. Texas LB Malik Jefferson
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Malik Jefferson is a top-10 recruit who enrolled early and immediately carved out a role in Charlie Strong's and Vance Bedford's fierce Texas defense. He hasn't slowed down his progression during fall camp, where he's delivering knockout hits to his new teammates, per beat writer Mike Finger (h/t 247Sports Trey Scott).
Jefferson is projected to start in some form or fashion for Texas when it visits Notre Dame to start the season. Right now, Bedford is trying to get Jefferson to look past the hype and focus on his development.
"It’s a learning curve for him," Bedford told Dan Wolken of USA Today. "He doesn’t know that he doesn’t know. But he has some ability. Once he figures it out he’s going to be a pretty good football player. Right now people have him on such a high pedestal and the guy hasn’t played one down of Division I football."
4. LSU CB Kevin Toliver II
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Elite defensive backs are always a staple at LSU, and Kevin Toliver II appears to be the next one to make a major impact early in his career for the Bayou Bengals. His work in spring camp has him high up on the depth chart.
"Toliver has to play and will be either the third or fourth cornerback," Jim Kleinpeter of the Times-Picayune wrote. "Last year, Dwayne Thomas played the nickel corner most of the time but Toliver's skills will get him more playing time as the season goes. ... Toliver already has NFL size."
Toliver (6'2", 185 lbs) was the No. 8 overall recruit in the class of 2015 and has the potential to even see the field as a starter during his true freshman season. "Defensive Back U" is in good hands, especially with this talented newcomer.
3. UCLA QB Josh Rosen
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Jim Mora said he doesn't know when he'll announce who his replacement for star quarterback Brett Hundley will be. But true freshman Josh Rosen's spot at No. 1 for the Bruins is starting to look like the worst-kept secret in college football.
As the No. 1 quarterback in his recruiting class, Rosen seems to have a clear-cut talent advantage over juniors Jerry Neuheisel and Mike Fafaul. Fall camp isn't Rosen's first time with the veteran-laden UCLA offense either, as he enrolled early and impressed during spring practices, per the Daily Bruin's Claire Fahy.
Starting at quarterback as a true freshman—especially in a daunting division like the Pac-12 South—will be a monumental challenge. But no other newcomer in the country looks as prepared as Rosen to handle that pressure.
2. Michigan ATH Jabrill Peppers
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Jabrill Peppers is the nation's most famous redshirt freshman. He arrived at Michigan with plenty of hype last season and started a game at defensive back.
But after injuries cost him the majority of the 2014 season, Peppers is back on the field and looking to make an even bigger impact for the Wolverines under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh said last month that Peppers, the nation's top-rated athlete in high school, could play offense, defense and special teams for Michigan this fall, according to MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner.
The only thing holding Peppers back is his health. But, if he can avoid the injuries that kept him off the field last year, Peppers has the potential to be a program-changing player for Harbaugh and Michigan this season with his athleticism at defensive back, wide receiver and return man.
1. Florida State S Derwin James
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Florida State defensive back Derwin James hits every criteria for an instant-impact freshman heading into the season, and that's why he takes home the top spot in this countdown.
High 5-star talent? Check. Enrolled early for extra practice time? Check. Impressive performance in his new team's spring game? Check, with an extra check for a pick-six. In line to have a starting job this fall? Check, according to Chris Nee of 247Sports.
"Derwin James is an elite talent on the defensive side of the ball who could play any and all positions in the secondary," Nee wrote. "The 6'3", 212-pound defensive back is an aggressive ball hawk who looks to be physical on every snap. He simply won’t be denied from seeing the field. His talent will win out and find him a role, likely as a safety, in the FSU defensive scheme."
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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