We’ve hit the stretch run of the college football season and the emergence of several freshmen could ultimately affect who is crowned national champion in just under two months.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams are two of the nation’s most dangerous receivers regardless of age and continue to jostle for the top spot in our rankings, just as they did a year ago in ESPN’s final recruiting rankings for the 2024 class.
In total, eight of the 10 players atop the list play for ranked programs currently vying for spots in the College Football Playoff. Others could be poised to spoil playoff runs.
Here’s a look at our expanded list of the top 20 freshmen this season:
Previous ranking: 2
Forget just freshman receivers. Smith, a Walter Camp Award semifinalist, is making his case as one of the top receivers in the country. He is averaging 86.5 yards as he closes in on 1,000 for the season. His nine receiving touchdowns lead all freshmen and he’s among the most productive pass catchers in the Big Ten, ranking second in yards (865) and fourth in yards per reception (17.7). The 6-foot-3 receiver has a tremendous catch radius and has already broken Cris Carter’s Ohio State record for freshman receiving touchdowns amid a spectacular first season.
Previous ranking: 1
The 17-year-old Williams isn’t far behind his counterpart at Ohio State. He trails Smith by only one touchdown and has been even more of a big-play threat, averaging 19.2 yards per catch. Williams consistently produces highlight-reel grabs with the body control and ball skills to evade double coverage. After winning consecutive Mr. Football awards as a prep in Alabama, the No. 1-ranked receiver reclassified from the 2025 class to become part of the 2024 recruiting group, and he remained the top receiving prospect despite the jump. Now fans are seeing why.
Previous ranking: 4
Stewart is a potential game-wrecker at 6-foot-6, 248 pounds and has 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles on the season, including a stretch in which he recorded a sack in three consecutive outings against Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss. Few players move like Stewart at his size. He has elite quickness to win around the edge, but also the explosive power to go right through offensive tackles. It’s easy to see why he is compared to former South Carolina great Jadeveon Clowney and he’s one of the anchors of a resurgent South Carolina team that has cracked the top 25.
Previous ranking: 6
Colorado’s issues up front were no secret a year ago. Neither was the upside of Seaton, a five-star offensive tackle. So far, Seaton has appeared as advertised, protecting the blind side of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Buffaloes are yielding sacks at a lower rate this season — 3.2 sacks per game compared to 4.6 a season ago — and improved line play has helped them go 8-2 so far while ranking No. 16 in the country. Seaton continues to show a similar size-and-athleticism combination as last season’s standout freshman left tackle, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor.
Previous ranking: 3
The top-ranked pocket passer from last year’s recruiting class was the catalyst behind Nebraska’s 5-1 start, but some of the shine has worn off as the Cornhuskers plunged deeper into their Big Ten schedule. Nebraska has lost four in a row, including three consecutive one-score games, and Raiola has thrown seven picks in those four losses. Still, the physical tools remain intact, and some growing pains are to be expected with a freshman quarterback. Perhaps Nebraska’s move to Dana Holgorsen at offensive coordinator will coax a more productive finish for Raiola.
Previous ranking: 5
Simmons notched a pair of sacks in Texas’ 20-10 win over Arkansas on Saturday and now has a pair of multisack games on his ledger this season. He could become a bigger factor as the Longhorns press for an SEC title and CFP berth. His six sacks lead all freshmen and he is becoming unblockable off the edge. The former No. 12 overall prospect in the ESPN 300 is getting better at stopping the run, too.
Previous ranking: Unranked
Lagway’s emergence this season has rejuvenated The Swamp and might have even preserved Billy Napier’s job for 2025. A hamstring injury knocked him out of Florida’s loss to Georgia and sidelined him against Texas, but Lagway returned Saturday to lead Florida to a 27-16 win over No. 22 LSU and earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Lagway was ranked No. 8 in last year’s recruiting class and was the top dual-threat quarterback in the nation. He could stand to be more efficient — Lagway is completing 58.5% of his passes for 1,297 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions — but his skill set has Florida fans dreaming of even brighter days next season.
8. Josiah Thompson, OT, South Carolina Gamecocks
Previous ranking: Unranked
South Carolina is averaging just over 35 points during its recent four-game winning streak. An improved offensive line has keyed the Gamecocks’ step up this season, and entrenching the 6-foot-7, 300-pound Thompson at left tackle has certainly helped. Thompson was the No. 61 prospect in the Class of 2024 entering the season.
Previous ranking: 12
The former three-star wasn’t even the highest-rated offensive tackle to make it to campus for Notre Dame, but he enrolled early and pushed for immediate playing time at left tackle amid injuries during training camp. In a lot of ways, Knapp’s improvement has mirrored Notre Dame’s offense. He has settled in after an inconsistent start to the season and shows a nice blend of strength and athleticism on which to build.
Previous ranking: 9
Bolden is coming off his most productive performance of the season. The top safety in last year’s recruiting class notched eight tackles, including seven solos, in Georgia’s 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee. Kirby Smart’s defense deploys Bolden in a variety of looks and he has remained productive, ranking fifth on the team in tackles (42) to go along with one sack and one interception. Bolden has great size, range and closing speed. His performance against the Vols could be a sign of things to come to close the season.
Previous ranking: 13
Despite Auburn’s disappointing season, Harris has emerged as a dependable future key player in the secondary and quickly outperformed his three-star grade out of high school. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound defensive back has 28 tackles, including 17 solos, along with three pass deflections while also displaying impressive physicality and reliable tackling in the Tigers’ secondary.
Previous ranking: 14
Bailey’s performance this season is quite a pleasant surprise considering the Wolfpack didn’t expect him to even play until injuries forced transfer Grayson McCall to retire. The former three-star prospect has thrown for 1,794 yards, 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions while completing 64.6% of his passes. A product of Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Florida), Bailey has a winning background, leading his high school to three consecutive state titles, and has done a better job playing winning football in recent weeks, throwing only one interception in his past three games.
Previous ranking: Unranked
Perich was a four-star defensive back whom Minnesota managed to keep home despite a late push from Big Ten rival Ohio State. That’s looking like quite a recruiting win so far. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defensive back is a ballhawk. His five interceptions are tied for second in the nation along with four others who trail California’s Nohl Williams — all seniors. Perich’s signature takeaway was a game-ending interception to knock off then-No. 11 USC last month.
Previous ranking: 15
The former four-star recruit continues to outperform players ranked ahead of him entering the season. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound back is second among all freshmen in rushing yards (803) trailing only Ahmad Hardy. Brown is averaging 7.4 yards per carry to go along with seven touchdowns this season and 26 catches out of the backfield. Originally considered more of a change-of-pace option, Brown shouldered the load and performed well against Louisville’s top competition, including a 151-yard showing against No. 11 Clemson early in November. A shoulder injury knocked him out of the Cardinals’ 38-35 loss to Stanford on Saturday.
Previous ranking: Unranked
Miami’s up-and-down defense is a point of consternation among Hurricanes fans, but Frederique’s consistency this season stands out. Frederique has outperformed his three-star ranking as one of the best freshmen corners in the country. He’s coming off a season-high five tackles in Miami’s 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech and has deflected multiple passes in each of his past two games.
Previous ranking: 7
The four-star running back ranked No. 13 in the ESPN 300 entering the season and emerged as an unlikely early big-play threat for LSU, seizing the lead role in the Tigers’ rushing attack. LSU’s season has cratered amid a three-game losing streak and Durham’s usage and production have been more inconsistent during that stretch. Though he’s coming off a 91-yard outing against Florida, the dip in performance led to a nine-spot drop in the rankings.
Previous ranking: Unranked
At 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, Marsh has a nice combination of size, speed and big-play ability, and the former four-star recruit is already translating his tools to production in his first season in East Lansing. The downfield threat has 37 catches for 611 yards and three scores, including a 77-yard touchdown early in the season against Maryland. He already holds the Spartans’ record for most receiving yards by a freshman.
Previous ranking: Unranked
College football annually offers reminders that recruiting is an inexact science. Hardy is one of this season’s brightest examples. The Mississippi native was unranked when he arrived at ULM, yet leads all freshmen rushers with 975 yards this season. The 5-foot-10, 205-pounder is a decisive runner averaging a healthy 5.4 yards per carry to go along with 10 touchdowns. That includes a monster 206-yard showing against Marshall in early November when he ripped off an 80-yard score. Hardy leads all rushers in the Sun Belt by nearly 200 yards.
Previous ranking: Unranked
Bothwell is another Sun Belt standout who fits a similar profile to Hardy. The 5-foot-10, 219-pound back is a bit more powerfully built but was also unranked out of high school. Bothwell doesn’t quite have the gaudy totals of Hardy because he splits carries with Ole Miss transfer Kentrel Bullock. Still, Bothwell has 647 yards on 99 carries (6.5 yards per rush) and is tied with Hardy in touchdowns (10).
Previous rankings: Both unranked
Simmons (412 yards) and Coleman (392 yards) rank second and third, respectively, in receiving for Auburn this season. Simmons, a former four-star recruit, arrived with far less fanfare but quickly established himself as a reliable option in Hugh Freeze’s offense. Coleman, a five-star recruit and Alabama native, ranked No. 5 in the class behind Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith, offering the same amount of immense upside. He got off to a slower start, perhaps affected by Auburn’s uneven quarterback situation, but his eight-catch, 100-yard performance and three scores against ULM last week offered a reminder of what’s in the tank.
