College Football 2011: 15 Freshmen Who Will Make an Immediate Impact
The high school class of 2011 is loaded with talented football players that are ready to make a difference on Saturdays. Many big time programs had top recruiting classes, but are so deep at certain positions that incoming freshmen must wait their turn to play.
Each school has their fare share of freshman athletes who they believe can make a difference the moment they set foot on campus. Here is a list of 15 incoming freshmen who will make an impact on their programs this season.
15. George Farmer, WR, USC
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Since arriving on campus as a freshman, Matt Barkley has improved each year as the Trojans starting quarterback. This season will be his junior year, and incoming freshman George Farmer is going to be a big reason why Barkley will continue to improve.
Farmer is a special talent with a unique blend of size, speed, and soft hands. USC is deep at wide receiver, so Farmer may not see much playing time immediately. However, Farmer is far too talented to keep on the sidelines. I expect him to have a similar impact as freshman as Robert Woods did in 2010.
14. Viliami Moala, DT, California
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Cal’s defense was one of the best in the Pac-10 last year and it will only get better with the additions form their newest recruiting class. The prize of the class is defensive tackle Viliami Moala who has grown-man strength and size at 6’2, 330 pounds.
The Bears lost some D-line talent to the NFL after last season and Moala should push for playing time right away. Moala has a high motor and is extremely quick for his size, which will help him early on as he transitions to the next level.
13. Jaxon Shipley, WR, Texas
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His older brother Jordan had a very good career catching passes at Texas, and now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. Jaxon is not going to take a back seat to his big bro.
The Longhorns believe that Jaxon is faster and stronger than his brother was when he arrived on campus, and could have an even brighter future. Shipley is arguably the most ready-to-play recruit in Texas’ class and will have the opportunity to get meaningful minutes as a true freshman.
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12. Ray Drew, DE/LB, Georgia
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2010 was one of the most disappointing seasons in Georgia football's recent history. Luckily for Bulldog fans, Georgia had one of the best recruiting classes in the nation this year. One of the headliners is defensive standout Ray Drew. Drew will likely come in right away to fill the hole left by Justin Houston, who is now in the NFL.
Drew is very big for a freshman at 6’5, 245, but he is lightning fast off the edge. Although he played defensive end in high school, Drew will likely transition to outside linebacker, where he can wreak havoc as a pass rusher.
11. Savon Huggins, RB, Rutgers
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Since Ray Rice left campus the Rutgers offense has been stagnant, especially in the running game. Head coach Greg Schiano believes he has finally found the back that can return Rutgers to the top of the Big East with Savon Huggins.
Huggins is a powerful and explosive runner who does a great job picking up extra yards after contact. He should come in start right away, giving Scarlet Knights the dangerous running attack they've missed recently.
10. James Vaughters, LB, Stanford
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Andrew Luck gets most of the attention when Stanford football is discussed, but their defense was a big reason for their success last season. The Cardinal run one of the better 3-4 schemes in the country, and inside linebacker Shayne Skov should be very excited for his new partner in crime.
James Vaughters was one of the most highly recruited linebackers in the country, and should play right away at Stanford. He has the size, strength, and athleticism to compete against the best offenses in the Pac-12 and should have an outstanding career in Palo Alto.
9. Christian Westerman, OL, Auburn
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In Auburn’s run to the National Championship last season the strong play of their offensive line went widely unnoticed. The Tigers had the luxury of an experienced line to protect Cam Newton, but most of his former blockers have since graduated and Gus Malzahn will need to retool this group.
It helps to have an incoming freshman who can play almost anywhere on the line and stands at 6’5, 290 pounds. Christian Westerman is the most talented O-lineman in a strong Auburn recruiting class and should be a starter come opening kickoff at either right tackle or guard.
8. Thomas Finnie, CB, Miami
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First-year head coach Al Golden surprised fans when the spring depth chart came out and early enrollee Thomas Finnie was listed as the starting cornerback. Finnie is a local product with an unparalleled work ethic.
The Hurricanes graduated two starters from last season’s secondary, so regardless of who the starters are for the season opener, Finnie will see the field. He has all of the tools needed to be a spectacular corner in the ACC, especially with his closing speed and coverage awareness.
7. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia
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Quarterback Aaron Murray has a new best friend in Isaiah Crowell. The incoming freshman was arguably the best high school running back in the country last year and will make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs.
Last year’s starter Washaun Ealey has had some issues off the field and back up Caleb King has not emerged as a star back. This gives Crowell to the opportunity to make a big impact as a true freshman.
He is a dynamic runner with a good balance of size and speed. It won’t be long before fans in Athens are talking about Crowell and the Heisman Trophy in the same sentence.
6. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
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For the past few seasons, Clemson has been known for their speedy wide receivers. But with most of the household names now playing in the NFL, the Tigers are looking for new receivers to emerge.
Sammy Watkins has the best playmaking ability in a solid recruiting class of receivers, and should make an immediate impact once on campus. New starting quarterback Tajh Boyd is going to love his shake-and-bake style, which allows Watkins to easily separate from defenders.
5. Colt Lyerla, TE/H-Back, Oregon
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Oregon has a ton of athletes on their team that could play multiple positions, and early enrollee Colt Lyerla adds to that group. Although many scouts feel that he has the brighter future at linebacker, head coach Chip Kelley sees him making the biggest impact on offense as a true freshman.
Lyerla had a great spring for the Ducks, building chemistry with quarterback Darron Thomas, who lost his top two receivers from a year ago. The Ducks have a lot of incoming freshman that can make a difference, but Lyerla is uniquely gifted with tight end size and running back speed.
4. Karlos Williams, S, Florida State
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Head coach Jimbo Fisher has called Williams the most complete safety he has ever seen. Based on his performance at the Under Armor All-American game, I think Fisher may be on to something. Williams intercepted two passes in the game and returned one of them for a touchdown.
Williams has drawn comparisons to Arizona Cardinals All-Pro safety Adrian Wilson. He should be a starter on FSU’s defense from the moment he steps on the field, and fans should be very excited for what the future holds for Karlos and the Seminoles.
3. Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas
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In recent years Texas has had some outstanding quarterbacks, but their running game has been very suspect. Malcolm Brown is hoping to change that. Without a star at quarterback this year head coach Mack Brown wants to pound the ball on the ground.
At 6’0, 220 pounds, Malcolm is perfect for that type of system. The home-grown talent will likely get more touches as the season progresses, and he'll have fans dreaming of what's to come for this top notch prospect.
2. Aaron Lynch, DE, Notre Dame
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Very few players in the country had a better spring than Aaron Lynch. Notre Dame is bringing in a lot of talent on the defensive line with their 2011 recruiting class, but Lynch appears to be the most game-ready.
Lynch is a big kid at 6’6, 260 pounds, but he possesses great hands and quickness to get after the quarterback in passing situations. In the Blue-Gold spring game Lynch had seven tackles including 1.5 for loss.
Fans of the Fighting Irish hope he can have the same kind of impact when going up against opposing offenses.
1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State
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When Braxton Miller committed to the Buckeyes about a year ago, fans were hoping that he could redshirt this season and learn from incumbent starter Terrelle Pryor. Since then, there has been quite a bit of drama in Columbus, so much so that Pryor won’t be able to play until the sixth game of the season and coach Jim Tressel is no longer the team's head coach.
Pryor could be suspended for even longer as the NCAA investigation into the program continues. Despite all of this uncertainty, the Buckeyes are trying to conduct business as usual, which means finding a starting quarterback for the first five games of the season (at the bare minimum).
Miller had a stellar spring after enrolling early, and definitely has the most talent of all of the quarterbacks vying for Pryor’s job. Regardless of his freshman status, Miller gives the Buckeyes the best chance to win, and should be Ohio State's starting quarterback in the season opener and for years to come.
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