College Football Recruiting 2012: 12 Top 40 Prospects Who Could Start as Freshmen

Last week I rolled out my preseason top 40 rankings and today I'm going to take a couple players from that list to name who I think could start as freshmen next season. In reality, with so many different factors playing into the feat of starting as a true freshman, this is a tough thing to do.

With factors and variables such as grasping the system, depth chart, position changes, adjusting to college life, academics, homesickness and more all playing into it, there's a chance that no player on this list actually starts as a true freshman.

Yet I'm going to take a stab at it anyways. Here we go!

12. Ronald Darby, CB/ATH

Darby is just too athletic and quick to not have on the field in some capacity. He's 5'11", 175 pounds, looks to be a bit wiry strong for his size and a speedy athlete.

Some are saying he could play RB in college, which speaks volumes to his playmaking ability with the football. Yet, others say he will be a great CB due to his loose hips, transition quickness and athleticism to mirror WRs.

Notre Dame will have a choice to make, but I think he could be on the field as a freshman.

11. Keith Marshall, RB

Marshall plays a position that is quite easy to impact early as a young player: running back. He's a 5'11", 190-pounder that has excellent burst, quickness, vision and long speed.

He has offers from schools like Georgia and Notre Dame among basically the whole country, and I think he could come into a team with an established bigger runner and start in a two-back tandem rushing attack.

The question I have on Marshall is his strength to hold up as a blitz protector on passing downs.

10. Gunner Kiel, QB

Kiel is headed to Indiana where he will join his brother on the Hoosier roster. Also, Kevin Wilson tutored the great QBs at Oklahoma for years, so now as head coach he has another prized pupil to develop.

With Kiel being perhaps the biggest recruit to ever commit to Indiana, and the fact that he's a QB from the state, fans will be clamoring for Wilson to put him in this season. 

Yet in 2012, the combination of Kiel's elite talent and skill set, his 6'4", 200-pound frame, and the lack of talent on the QB depth chart (he's better than his brother) will have Kiel get a starting nod at some point during the season.

9. Andrus Peat, OT

Peat's ranked higher on my prospect board, but for this list he's at this slot. It's no knock to his skill set, as I think he has a bright future. I'm just not overly comfortable making early playing projections for offensive linemen.

Especially someone like Peat, who I think could be a LT. He's blossomed to 300 pounds this offseason and is perhaps the most complete OL prospect in this year's class, yet you just don't know about OLs.

But Peat very well could be a rare freshman OL starter at OT—he's that good.

8. Noah Spence, DE

Spence is a 6'4", 240-pound DE that many hail as the top pass-rusher in the country. He's got great length, wingspan and a hugely explosive first step.

I think once he adds some more girth and strength to his frame, he should develop into one of the better defensive players in college football.

As a freshman, it's very easy to see Spence being a team's DPR in sub-packages and on passing downs.

7. Stefon Diggs, WR/RB/RS

Diggs is a dynamic player with the football in his hands. It looks like he wants to play WR in college and that is likely his most natural position.

At 6'1", 190 pounds, he is a quicker-than-fast athlete with excellent release quickness and agility. It's always tough for a WR to impact as a freshman, but it does happen.

Diggs' playmaking ability and RAC skills are phenomenal and he could be used as a package player as a freshman on smoke screens, bubbles, reverses and also return kicks and punts as a freshman.

6. Jonathan Gray, RB

Gray is another player that is higher on my overall board than he is on this list. He's a 5'11", 195-pound RB that I feel is the most complete RB prospect in this year's class.

He's been other-worldly productive in his high school career and is committed to Texas. Easily, I can see Gray forming an all-time tandem with 2011 signee Malcolm Brown, such as Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown or LenDale White and Reggie Bush.

Gray will see a lot of time as a freshman and should be a co-starter in the Longhorn backfield.

5. Rushel Shell, RB

The only reason Shell is ahead of Gray on this list is the fact that he's bigger at 5'11", 215 pounds.

Shell's size and speed will get him on the field as a freshman and he should be able to start a couple games for a program as the season wears on.

Florida, Ohio State and Auburn are just a few schools to name that are hot for Shell. I think he's big and strong enough to carry a good portion of the rushing load as a freshman in college.

4. Eddie Goldman, DT

Down the line Goldman has a chance to be special in the defensive interior. He's 6'4", 300 pounds and is as strong as an ox.

It's tough for a DT to make a start as a freshman because most are not physically ready. Yet Goldman's strength and anchor ability, along with his elite snap quickness to jump on top of OLs make him a rare candidate to achieve the feat.

With Cal, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and a slew of other schools after him, there's a good chance we could see Goldman in the field as a freshman.

3. Mario Edwards, DE

Edwards is a big DE at 6'4" and nearly 270 pounds. Yet he's no stiff, as he's one of the most athletic ends in the country.

With his ability to rush the passer with such a big and thick frame, Edwards could make a start or two, although it'll be tough to crack the lineup at Florida State.

However, his skill set, size, strength, athleticism and quick first step could have him marked for a DPR role as a freshman in Tallahassee.

2. Arik Armstead, DE

At 6'8", 280 pounds? Yeah, that'll get you on the field as a freshman. But Armstead also can play a hard position to find: strong-side DE.

He reminds me of Chris Canty a bit, as his size, length, strength and very good athleticism make him a premier prospect.

Armstead could come in, use a few weeks of camp and a few games to learn the system then make a couple late-season starts at USC.

1. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

I know I said that it's tough for a WR to impact and start as a freshman, but Green-Beckham has the skill set to make a Mike-Williams-at-USC-type of impact for a program. 

He's 6'6", 220 pounds and has been said to run a 4.3 40-yard dash. DGB has a huge catch radius, separation quickness, leaping ability and shocking RAC ability for a big WR.

He'll be a No.1 WR in college, and I think he likely will be a three-and-out player.