Power Ranking the Top 25 College Football Freshmen of September
If you can believe it, the month of September is just about in the rearview mirror, and the 2015 college football season is roughly one-third of the way through. With that in mind, we've been keeping tabs on freshmen all over the country who have had immediate impacts on their teams. Whether they're true first-year players or redshirt freshmen, plenty have stepped in either starting or important supporting roles.
After one month, which ones have stood out the most? That's what we'll attempt to answer by power ranking the top 25 freshmen through September. First-month stats are taken into consideration, as is consistency. In other words, did someone have one good game, or did he sustain it for three or four games? Is he a starter, or is he just cracking the two-deep?
Since the Football Bowl Subdivision of college football is nearly 130 teams strong, we realize we've probably missed some under-the-radar guys. Feel free to share your standout frosh in the comments section below.
No. 25 Indiana Safety Jonathan Crawford
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Don't look now, but Indiana is 4-0 and just two wins away from reaching bowl eligibility once again. While the Hoosiers have been known as an offensive team under head coach Kevin Wilson, one freshman who makes this list is safety Jonathan Crawford.
Crawford has been a busy man as a member of Indiana's last line of defense. He's third on the team in tackles (24) and leads the team with two interceptions. Of course, the Hoosiers still have lots of problems on that side of the ball, ranking 13th out of 14 in passing yards per attempt and 12th in scoring defense.
Still, Crawford's putting in work and was named the Big Ten’s Co-Freshman of the Week following a win over Western Kentucky.
No. 24 Pitt Running Back Qadree Ollison
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It's been an inconsistent first month for Pitt redshirt freshman running back Qadree Ollison. That's ultimately hurt his status on the power rankings more than anything else. Still, it's hard to ignore what he did in Week 1 against Youngstown State. Subbing for the injured James Conner, Ollison racked up 207 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries. Pitt needed every one of those yards in a 45-37 win.
Since then, though, Ollison's numbers have declined. He was held to under 100 yards in a win over Akron and had just 17 yards against Iowa. The Panthers' rushing attack has no doubt suffered in Conner's absence, and a committee approach will likely be Pitt's best bet going forward.
In this case, though, it's clear one individual (Conner) can be tough to replace. Ollison's had his moments but hasn't been able to do it consistently.
No. 23 South Carolina Quarterback Lorenzo Nunez
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It's been a tough start for South Carolina in 2015. Already, the Gamecocks have had to make a quarterback change because of injury, which means it has been Lorenzo Nunez's time to shine. And shine he has.
Nunez is far more of a threat running the ball than passing at this point in his young and inexperienced career, but he is getting things done with his arm as well.
"I think he played better than we all anticipated,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said following a win over Central Florida in Week 4 (via Josh Kendall of the State). “We knew he could run, but, gosh, he hit a lot of passes. He threw the ball a lot better than, maybe, we anticipated. He’s a gamer. I think we learned that.”
Nunez rushed for 123 yards against the Knights and will be a staple of the Gamecocks' running game going forward. If he had been the day-one starter, his stock would have been higher, but he's off to a good start in the time he has played.
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No. 22 Georgia State Wide Receiver Penny Hart
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At 1-2, Georgia State isn't going to get a ton of air time, but one of the top young receivers in college football plays for the Panthers: Penny Hart.
The true freshman is one of the top receiving playmakers in the Sun Belt. His only catch in the season opener against Charlotte went for 53 yards, but he had 11 catches against New Mexico State and nine catches against Oregon.
Granted, even with the Ducks in that conversation, we're not talking about stellar pass defenses here. In fact, New Mexico State and Oregon have the worst pass defenses in their respective conferences. Still, for Hart to have 100-plus-yard efforts in two of his first three games is at least noteworthy.
No. 21 Northwestern Quarterback Clayton Thorson
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We'll say this for Northwestern's 4-0 start: It hasn't always been pretty—in fact, it's rarely been so—but it has been effective. The Wildcats have won with defense, but redshirt freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson has shown flashes of being an exciting playmaker.
Thorson is a better runner than passer, as evidenced by his long touchdown run against Stanford in Week 1, which gives Northwestern's offense another look beyond leading running back Justin Jackson. Thorson is, understandably, still making some bad reads and decisions in the passing game, but that should come in time.
Right now, the Wildcats need him to be effective in the running game and good enough in the passing game. And he is.
No. 20 Louisville Wide Receiver Traveon Smith
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It's been a rough first month of the season for Louisville. Save for an easy win against FCS Samford, the Cardinals have lost three key games against Auburn, Houston and Clemson. Auburn might be struggling, but I don't believe anyone would begrudge Louisville for attempting that early-season slate.
But one of the bright spots for Louisville has been in the receiving corps. Namely, freshmen Traveon Samuel and Jaylen Smith. Those two are in a three-way tie with freshman tight end Micky Crum for most receptions on the team.
The advantage Samuel has is that he's a special teams star with a kickoff return for a touchdown against Clemson. Samuel has also been involved in the running game as well, albeit on a limited basis. His versatility is quickly making him one of the ACC's more powerful offensive weapons.
No. 19 BYU Quarterback Tanner Mangum
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A surprisingly poor showing against Michigan in Week 4 knocks BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum down the power rankings. It's a shame, as Mangum has otherwise had a September to remember. He'll forever be known as the guy who threw a successful Hail Mary against Nebraska and a dramatic go-ahead touchdown against Boise State—all while filling big shoes for injured quarterback Taysom Hill.
However, his numbers dipped in a close loss to UCLA (5.2 yards per attempt) and were outright bad against Michigan (42.9 completion percentage, 55 yards, 2.0 yards per completion). That's taken a lot of momentum out of Mangum's freshman stock.
Still, there are encouraging signs. He has a cannon for an arm and better-than-advertised pocket mobility, and he is always looking to make plays downfield. There are encouraging things to build on for this first-year starter.
No. 18 Oklahoma Running Back Joe Mixon
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Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon could have been a star for the Sooners last year, but a legal problem resulted in his suspension, and he took a redshirt year. Now a second-year player, Mixon is showing why he was a 5-star prospect, according to 247Sports, in 2014.
Samaje Perine is still the team's leading rusher, but Mixon is second among running backs with 21 carries for 93 yards. His greater impact, though, has been in the passing game. He's the second-leading receiver only to Sterling Shepard with 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
First-year offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley knows how to use Mixon. The redshirt freshman is a smooth runner in the open field. Getting him the ball in space is one of Oklahoma's go-to plays.
No. 17 Utah Wide Receiver Britain Covey
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Utah running back Devontae Booker was no stranger coming into the 2015 season. Between Booker and quarterback Travis Wilson, the Utes have one of the premier rushing attacks in the Pac-12. But now Utah has developed a passing attack, which was on display in a 62-20 rout against Oregon in Week 4.
Leading that attack is freshman Britain Covey, who has a team-best 17 receptions, 182 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those scores came Saturday against the Ducks. Covey has also been a contributor on special teams, scoring on a 77-yard punt return against Fresno State.
Utah will always be a run-first team as long as Booker is in the lineup, but throwing for five touchdowns and eight yards per pass attempt against the Ducks is quite a showing, even if Oregon's pass defense is putrid.
No. 16 Texas A&M Defensive Tackle Daylon Mack
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If you want to know what it looks like when an 18-wheeler loses its brakes and goes plowing into something, check out Nevada refusing to block Texas A&M defensive tackle Daylon Mack. That'll give you an idea.
Generally speaking, opposing offenses have had the right idea by, you know, actually attempting to block the 335-pounder. Though Mack isn't starting, he's made his way into the playing rotation and recorded 14 tackles, four of which have gone for a loss.
"I was really pleased with the way he played [versus Nevada]," said A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis to Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN.com. "It's got to be growth every day. He's gotten better every day at practice and he'll continue to grow and we've got to push him to do that. He has responded well."
A&M is already set at edge-rusher with Myles Garrett, but having Mack in the interior of the D-line provides a spark for years to come as well.
No. 15 Penn State Running Back Saquon Barkley
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Akeel Lynch figured to be Penn State's go-to guy in the ground game this season, but freshman Saquon Barkley has burst onto the scene as one of the pleasant surprises in the Big Ten.
The bruising running back has gone toe-to-toe with Lynch in carries (42 to Lynch's 49) but leads the team in rushing yards and touchdowns, and he is averaging nearly nine yards per carry. His touchdown catch against San Diego State was all yards after contact. And when we say "all yards after contact," we mean "all yards after contact."
Unfortunately, Barkley left the game against San Diego State with an apparent ankle injury. His status going forward is unclear. But Lynch is also hurt with a knee injury, which means Barkley could take on a bigger role if his ankle is healthy enough to go.
No. 14 Middle Tennessee State Quarterback Brent Stockstill
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You probably won't hear much about Middle Tennessee State quarterback Brent Stockstill this season. That's because the Blue Raiders are 2-2 and have lost both games against Power Five opponents (Alabama and Illinois).
However, Stockstill, the son of Blue Raiders coach Rick Stockstill, leads all freshmen quarterbacks in 2015 in passing yards per game (305.3). He's also thrown 12 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He's topped the 300-yard mark in three of his first four games, including this weekend against Illinois.
Middle Tennessee has played from behind some, helping inflate some of those numbers, but Stockstill has been prolific all the same.
No. 13 SMU Wide Receiver Courtland Sutton
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The revival of SMU football is clearly underway even though the Mustangs are 1-3. Head coach Chad Morris has lit a fire under an offense that was statistically the worst in major college football a year ago. Per the SMU football Twitter account, this team has already surpassed the point total from all of last season.
Part of that resurrection, at least on offense, has been redshirt freshman receiver Courtland Sutton. The big-bodied wideout leads the team and is second in the American Athletic Conference with 399 yards. He also has five of SMU's six receiving touchdowns.
The SMU rebuilding project will take all of this year, and possibly next year as well, but Sutton is establishing himself as a cornerstone of that turnaround. Now, if Sutton could just play some defense...
No. 12 Ohio State Defensive End Sam Hubbard
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Ohio State fans will know this, but the common fan may not: Buckeyes defensive end Sam Hubbard came to school in 2014...as a safety prospect. Since redshirting, he's put on more than 35 pounds to become a solid defensive end.
So far, he's been a tackling machine on what is one of the best defenses in college football. Through four games, he has 12 tackles, three of which have gone for a loss, 2.5 sacks and another quarterback hurry. When star defensive end Joey Bosa was suspended for the season opener against Virginia Tech, it was Hubbard who got the start.
"You see him making huge improvements, really, every day he goes out there," co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash said (via the Associated Press). "From Week 1 against Virginia Tech to where he was this last Saturday, a completely different player."
No. 11 Texas Quarterback Jerrod Heard
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Though he's 1-2 as a starter—not that wins are a quarterback stat anyway—Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard has become one of the breakout stars of this first month of the season. There might not be a more dynamic runner at the quarterback spot than Heard.
Through four games, Heard is Texas' leading rusher—something the coaching staff would like to change—with 295 yards and three touchdowns. When Heard is in the open field, there aren't many defenders who can track him down. His burst, patience/hesitation and change-of-direction are un-coachable.
His development as a passer is a work in progress, though, as is his decision-making. Heard is so confident in his ability that he'll sooner take an unnecessary sack than throw the ball away. His awareness of the first-down marker has been an under-criticized part of his game.
But those are fixable things. They're growing pains and part of the process of playing such a young talent. His overall game needs to improve, but he's an electric athlete.
No. 10 Florida Defensive End CeCe Jefferson
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While Florida's offense struggles to keep its head above water, the Gators defense is definitely doing its job. One of the immediate contributors on that side of the ball has been defensive end CeCe Jefferson.
Jefferson is seventh on the team in tackles, averaging three per game. He hasn't quite lit up the stat sheet as a pass-rusher, but he's come through in some key moments. He recorded a quarterback hurry against Tennessee and a sack against Kentucky. Just because he's not recording a sack a game doesn't mean he's not doing his job.
He still needs work on his run defense, namely in staying in his gap. That'll come with time.
No. 9 West Virginia Wide Receiver Jovon Durante
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For the first time this season, West Virginia freshman wide receiver Jovon Durante was held in check. It happened in Week 4 during an easy 45-6 win over Maryland. Durante, who caught seven passes against Liberty in Week 2, was held to just two catches for 18 yards and no score against the Terps.
Overall, though, September has been an excellent month for the freshman. Durante is tied with Shelton Gibson for the team lead in receptions (12) and is second with 199 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Gibson has been the more reliable receiver, which hurts Durante's ranking some, but the two have been excellent replacements downfield for the departed Kevin White and Mario Alford.
No. 8 TCU Wide Receiver KaVontae Turpin
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TCU's wide receiver corps is loaded, but freshman KaVontae Turpin is breaking through and making a name for himself early.
You could say it's...Turpin-Time.
Sorry.
Anyway, Turpin is the only receiver on TCU's roster to have multiple touchdowns (two). He's also been excellent in the return game on both kickoff and punt returns. TCU likes to get Turpin involved in the run game as well (he's averaging 10 yards per carry). In fact, TCU has been so creative with Turpin that the coaching staff even used him as a passer on a trick play against Texas Tech.
As ESPN Big 12 writer Jake Trotter noted, it's only a matter of time before Turpin is a household name.
No. 7 Michigan State Running Backs Madre London/L.J. Scott
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OK, we're cheating a little bit by putting Michigan State freshmen running backs Madre London and L.J. Scott together, but they've basically acted as Michigan State's version of Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins at Arkansas.
Pairing London and Scott doesn't give them an inherent advantage in the power rankings, either. They've just both done exceptionally well. London gets five more carries a game than Scott, does, but Scott has averaged a full yard more on the ground. The two have combined for five of Michigan State's eight rushing touchdowns.
A major question for Michigan State's offense revolved around who would replace Jeremy Langford and his bell-cow production. It's been a one-two punch for the Spartans with London and Scott, and so far, it's worked well.
No. 6 Notre Dame Defensive Tackle Jerry Tillery
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Notre Dame freshman defensive tackle Jerry Tillery was already going to play this year. But, because of a season-ending injury to Jarron Jones, Tillery was thrust into starting action. So far, he's played excellently.
As one of the Irish's interior defensive linemen, Tillery's not going to be a stat machine. That's just not his role. But he's done a nice job of being a disruptive force up front. The Irish defensive line was 100 percent ready to take on Georgia Tech in Week 3 and barely yielded any room for the Yellow Jackets to run.
Tillery is also doing a nice job in the passing game, diagnosing screen passes against UMass as noted by Keith Arnold of Inside the Irish. Remember: Tillery was an offensive lineman when he arrived at Notre Dame and made a position switch. He's had a lot thrown at him early, but he's thriving.
No. 5 USC Linebacker Cameron Smith
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USC's 2015 class was No. 2 in the country, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and the Trojans are showing no fear in playing several members of that class. Of all the impact freshmen, it's hard to argue linebacker Cameron Smith hasn't been the most valuable for the Trojans.
Smith leads the team in tackles—yes, over Su'a Cravens—and has recorded a sack. But he's not just a one-dimensional run-stopper. Smith has a pair of pass breakups and very well could have had an interception against Arizona State in Week 4.
What stands out about Smith is that he's such a smart player for such young guy. As USC beat writer Josh Webb tweeted on Saturday, Smith doesn't get overzealous and knows when to stay home on defensive plays.
No. 4 Texas Linebacker Malik Jefferson
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The agonizing losses are piling up for Texas. For the second straight week, the Longhorns not only fell short in the final moments of regulation but did so after a special teams gaffe. Texas is clearly improving under head coach Charlie Strong, but the mistakes are undeniably costly.
That's because the Longhorns are an awfully young team. That's part of the territory. But one of the bright spots for Texas is linebacker Malik Jefferson. The early-enrollee and former top in-state player, according to 247Sports, has been everywhere on defense. He's second on the team in tackles (29) and tackles for loss (3.5).
Strong has commented already on how mature Jefferson is for his age. Obviously, Jefferson is still young and making freshman mistakes, such as taking bad angles and missing some tackles, but he has great instincts and can handle the work load at such a young age. He's going to be a star for Texas for years and is living up to the hype.
No. 3 Michigan Safety Jabrill Peppers
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Michigan is obviously still developing under head coach Jim Harbaugh, but the turnaround is already clearly underway. The Wolverines are 3-1 and just shut out BYU 31-0; conversely, their lone loss is by seven points to a Utah team that, rightly, should be ranked in or around the top 10.
The overall strength of Michigan is in its pass defense, which is tied for second with Ohio State in the Big Ten. The Wolverines have allowed just 4.6 yards per pass attempt and allowed two touchdowns through the air. Safety Jabrill Peppers has been everything and more in helping the Wolverines achieve those numbers.
An injury-derailed season prevented Peppers from shining as a true freshman in 2014, but he's been everywhere on this field this year. He's as complete a player as Michigan has on the roster, delivering punishing hits and performing well in coverage.
No. 2 UCLA Quarterback Josh Rosen
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For being the Rosen One, as he is unofficially known, it was possible heading into the game against Arizona that UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen wouldn't be the No. 1 impact freshman of September. He may not have even been top five.
Why? After a strong start against Virginia, Rosen dropped off in Weeks 2 and 3. He was statistically average against UNLV and had the worst game of his young career in a win over BYU (47.8 completion percentage, 4.6 yards per attempt, three picks).
Rosen bounced back in a huge way against the Wildcats, however, with 284 yards through the air at 10 yards per attempt and a pair of touchdowns. Following the game, head coach Jim Mora quipped, according to the Arizona Daily Star's Jon Gold, "I've never been around a freshman quarterback, so he's the best freshman quarterback I've ever been around."
Rosen has had his ups and downs. That's to be expected. But he's shown maturity beyond his years by playing big in a big-time game. UCLA still looks like a playoff-caliber team, and Rosen is helping lead the way.
No. 1 Texas A&M Wide Receiver Christian Kirk
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Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk has been a stud since Week 1, and he hasn't come close to dropping off or leveling out. Instead, he's thrived as the Aggies' best receiver.
Through four games, Kirk leads A&M with 24 receptions for 442 yards and four touchdowns. He's also been heavily involved on special teams, returning 14 combined punt and kick returns for 358 yards and a score. His touchdown in overtime against Arkansas in Week 4 gave A&M the go-ahead lead in a 28-21 win.
A&M has a deep and talented receiving unit. Kirk is on his way to being a freshman All-American and is a terror for defensive coordinators everywhere on the Aggies' schedule.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
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