10 College Football Freshmen Turning Heads in Fall Practice
Fall practice is often the first opportunity for college football freshmen to impress both teammates and coaches, and several first-year players are taking advantage.
Some of the new talents are backing up a high recruiting billing in the process, while others are attempting to prove they're just as ready to contribute right away.
Though August praise doesn't always become on-field production, the preseason attention can be a promising sign for the future.
The list—which focuses on true freshmen but is not limited to summer arrivals—is organized alphabetically by school.
Eli Stove, Auburn
1 of 10
Nate Craig-Myers and Kyle Davis have garnered most of the attention as potential boosts to Auburn's unproductive receiving corps, but Eli Stove is standing out above them.
Also a 4-star recruit, Stove amassed 136 receptions for 1,878 yards and 22 touchdowns in high school. He earned an Under Armour All-America Game invite yet still wasn't discussed in the same breath.
Stove is proving he deserved a mention, too.
"He's caught our attention," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said, per Brandon Marcello of 247Sports. "There's no question."
Senior receiver Marcus Davis added, "Eli showed a lot of flashes of what he could do, he's really fast. I'm pretty sure he'll be able to help us with his speed and all of those things he can do."
Trayvon Mullen, Clemson
2 of 10Clemson's secondary lost three starters to the NFL, but Trayvon Mullen might help fill a couple of those vacancies.
"I love that guy," head coach Dabo Swinney said, according to David Hood of TigerNet. "We are trying to find the best place for him—do we use him as a nickel or dime guy, or use him some at safety, or do we throw him in at corner."
Mullen, who is listed at 6'2" and 185 pounds, was the sixth-best cornerback prospect in the nation and the No. 60 player overall.
Per Hood, Mullen has already taken first-team reps. At this point, the question is how much he'll play, not simply if.
Levonta Taylor, Florida State
3 of 10
Florida State defenders can't stop raving about Levonta Taylor.
"He's really, really, really quick," cornerback Marquez White said, per Bob Ferrante of 247Sports. "He's really good at diagnosing routes. He's a little undersized, but he has the heart of a lion."
According to Brendan Sonnone of 247Sports, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi said Taylor is "doing amazing things, really. It's amazing how fast he's picked up to it. He's done a really great job."
Taylor—the country's No. 7 overall prospect—appears destined for a regular role on defense in addition to potentially returning punts.
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Mecole Hardman Jr., Georgia
4 of 10The Jacob Eason-to-Isaac Nauta connection is a popular topic. However, Georgia has a versatile weapon in Mecole Hardman Jr.
A 5'11", 183-pounder, he's capable of contributing at receiver, cornerback and on special teams. During one practice, Hardman even blocked a pair of field goals.
Jake Rowe of 247Sports notes it's fair to expect the 5-star prospect will earn a limited role in all three facets.
Hardman has the skill set to impact a game like Michigan's Jabrill Peppers, USC's Adoree' Jackson or Pitt's Jordan Whitehead. That's excellent company.
Rashan Gary, Michigan
5 of 10Perhaps it's easier to grab a few darts, because Michigan players and coaches love the class of 2016 freshmen. But Rashan Gary is poised to hold the largest role.
Considering he was the unanimous No. 1 overall prospect, that's no surprise. The defensive lineman is absolutely showing why, though.
"He doesn’t play like a freshman," right tackle Erik Magnuson said, per Angelique S. Chengelis of the Detroit News. "Sometimes freshman defensive linemen come in and they dominated all through high school and they'll get here and they're playing against everyone who's 300 pounds-plus on the offensive line and they struggle. But he steps in, he's just like one of the guys. He's very good, too."
The 6'5", 287-pounder is a special talent, and Gary will showcase that skill as a top rotational piece.
Donnie Corley, Michigan State
6 of 10
Michigan State signed four 4-star receivers during the most recent cycle, but Donnie Corley is running away with the attention. After a breakout spring, he's still impressing in the fall.
"He is going to be a problem in the Big Ten," cornerback Vayante Copeland said, per Sean Scherer of 247Sports. "Mark my words, Donnie Corley is going to be a monster in the Big Ten."
Receivers coach Terrence Samuel added that Corley "is playing faster, earlier, than most freshman would be coming into a college offense," according to Kyle Austin of MLive.
Corley will likely return kicks at some point of his college career, and taking snaps at cornerback is also a possibility.
Daelin Hayes, Notre Dame
7 of 10
Notre Dame's outlook for pressuring opposing quarterbacks isn't great, so the defense could use a boost from Daelin Hayes.
The 6'3 ½", 250-pound edge-rusher has caught Brian Kelly's eye. Per J.J. Stankevitz of CSN Chicago, the Fighting Irish head coach said Hayes is "faring quite well" against the first-string offensive line.
Hayes probably won't leap both Jay Hayes and Andrew Trumbetti for the starting role, but expect to see the 4-star on the field.
"We'll find something for him to do," defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said, according to Matt Jones of Rivals.
Austin Mack, Ohio State
8 of 10
Ohio State will lean heavily on redshirt freshmen in 2016, but several first-year players will earn immeadiate playing time. Head coach Urban Meyer is certain Austin Mack fits that mold.
"When you take a kid like that, who is very serious about his trade, came from a very good high school program, has a guy who trained him in the offseason, and then we get him, that's why he's game-ready," Meyer said, per Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch. "And he will play this year."
A 4-star recruit and the nation's No. 10 wide receiver, Mack was the second-best prospect from Indiana.
Although Mack is caught in a crowded position, the Buckeyes don't have much returning production. He'll have many opportunities to impact Ohio State's offense this season.
Tristen Wallace, Oregon
9 of 10
During the spring, Dillon Mitchell made his presence felt. In August, Tristen Wallace has demanded a turn in the spotlight.
"[Wallace] is big, but man, he can move," teammate Travis Jonsen said, per Jarrid Denney of the Daily Emerald.
The 6'4", 235-pound Wallace is a converted quarterback. He initially committed to Ohio State before flipping to Oregon.
According to Ryan Thorburn of the Register-Guard, head coach Mark Helfrich said Wallace will compete for reps in the slot. But even if he ends up taking a redshirt because of a loaded receiving corps, Wallace's first impression is excellent.
Devin Duvernay, Texas
10 of 10Devin Duvernay planned to enroll at Baylor, but the 4-star speedster ended up with Texas following the major problems in Waco.
And he's a significant addition for the Longhorns, who watched just two players tally more than 12 receptions last year.
In the accompanying video, Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer said he considers Duvernay the freshman to watch in 2016 because of his ability to attract extra defenders and free up teammates.
Per Jeff Howe of 247Sports, receiver John Burt said, "The speed is there but he also has the ability to make quick cuts, which is something I found interesting. He's a super-fast guy who can stop on a dime and make cuts. I think we got good receiver with him."
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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