Pac-12 Football Predictions: 10 Freshmen Who Will Make an Immediate Impact

Fall camps are underway across the Pac-12 as teams finalize their depth charts before the season officially begins in September.  The Pac-12 graduated a lot of talent after last season so fans will need to get used to some new faces making plays around the conference.

Some of those new faces are bound to be true freshmen with the talent that is coming to campus this fall.  Several teams in the conference currently still have question marks at key positions, and these freshmen could set up and fill the void.

Here are 10 freshmen from the Pac-12 who will make big impacts for their teams in 2011.

10. Logan Mayes, LB, Washington State

Linebacker Logan Mayes has been a Washington State Cougar since he was born.  The son of former Washington State All-American running back Rueben Mayes is in the mix to start at outside linebacker for the Cougars as a true freshman.

Mayes is a very athletic backer who displays good football smarts and intangibles on the field.  Had he chosen another school, Mayes probably wouldn’t be in the mix to start right away, but that’s not the case at Washington State.

Over the course of his career with the Cougars, Mayes has the potential to become one of the most productive linebackers in school history.

9. Aundrey Walker, OG, USC

One of the newest USC Trojans, Aundrey Walker has some of the most potential of his class.  He is extremely big and strong, which are ideal for the guard position.

USC should have one of the best offenses in the Pac-12, if not the country, this season.  But for that to happen, their offensive line will need to come together.

Walker is more than capable of playing as a true freshman, but that may not be the best thing for USC as they try to get back to the top of the conference they dominated not too long ago.

8. Devon Blackmon, WR, Oregon

Of all of Oregon’s incoming receivers, I think Devon Blackmon is the quickest.  He has incredible change-of-direction speed that makes him very dangerous in the open field. 

The Ducks need receiver help after the graduation of Jeff Maehl and DJ Davis, and Blackmon could play in the slot right away.  Although he looks a little bit lean for Division I football, Blackmon is a spectacular athlete who should merit playing time.

He has been working with quarterback Darron Thomas over the course of the summer and should be ready to take the field for Oregon's season opener against LSU.

7. Rob Hankins, LB, Arizona

Due to Jake Fischer’s knee injury, the Arizona Wildcats need to find a new middle linebacker.  Although freshman Rob Hankins will likely be the Wildcats starting outside linebacker for a few years, he might start his career in the middle.

The Dallas, Texas, product is one of the more complete linebackers in the country with his ability to defend both the run and the pass.  Although Arizona did not want to force him into action too early, he could flourish with early minutes.

During his high school career, Hankins became better every year.  He shows no signs of that changing now that he’s at Arizona.

6. George Farmer, WR, USC

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 a freshman that Robert Woods did in 2010.

5. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington

There are very few young athletes in country who are as big and as coordinated as Washington freshman Austin Seferian-Jenkins.  The Washington native is going to be the Huskies major red-zone threat for at least the next three years.

Although it is still very early, Seferian-Jenkins has the potential to become an NFL tight end down the road.

This season he will likely serve as the Huskies No. 2 tight end, although he should get plenty of looks from new quarterback Keith Price.

4. James Vaughters, LB, Stanford

Andrew Luck gets most of the credit for the success of the Stanford football team, but their defense was a big reason they won games 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. 

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.

With his versatility, Vaughters could start at any one of the linebacker spots on the Cardinal defense.

3. Viliami Moala, DT, Cal

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.

2. Colt Lyerla, TE/H-Back, Oregon

Oregon has a ton of athletes on their team who could play multiple positions, and true freshman Colt Lyerla adds to that group.  Although many scouts feel he has the brighter future at linebacker, head coach Chip Kelly 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.  Oregon expects to feature Lyerla as David Paulson's primary backup, but don't be surprised to see them on the field at the same time.

The Ducks have a lot of incoming freshman who can make a difference, but Lyerla is uniquely gifted with tight end size and running back speed.

1. Harvey Langi, RB, Utah

Utah has had great success in the Mountain West Conference, but the Pac-12 will offer a new level of competition on a weekly basis. 

Lucky for the Utes, they return quarterback Jordan Wynn to run Norm Chow’s offense.  The question in Utah is: Who will carry the ball after the team lost its two leading rushers from last season?

The answer will likely be freshman Harvey Langi, who was an early enrollee and caught a lot of people’s attention in spring practice. 

The Utes will likely feature multiple backs in their backfield, but Langi is a powerful back who can help take the pressure off of Wynn.