Best Freshman in College Football

The future of college football looks very bright and it’s all because of the freshmen who have made the immediate jump into some of the best players in college football.

These are in no particular order for the most part and each player has shown strides in their own way.

Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina

Stewart may just be the best freshman in the country. He has allowed the Gamecocks to remain in games against some tough competition and has proven to be a complete game-wrecker alongside his pass-rushing partner Kyle Kennard.

So far he has 3.5 sacks while forcing two fumbles. The numbers might not look that impressive, but he is constantly in the backfield and is pressuring the quarterback.

Stewart will continue to be a game-wrecker and a major threat to take the quarterback down at any moment of the game.

Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama

Likely the best offensive freshman in the country, Williams looks to be the next great Alabama wide receiver.

This is a Crimson Tide team that has struggled to produce top receivers over the past couple of years, but Williams is already proving he’s the next big-time guy at the receiver position.

What makes this crazier is Williams is not even 18 years old yet. If he decides to leave college in his junior season, he will be 19 years old and likely one of the top prospects in the draft.

He’s averaging 25 yards per catch with six touchdowns and is the top target for Jalen Milroe and one of the top teams in the country.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Smith is the other argument for the top offensive freshman in the country. His dominance to start the season shows he is ready for the big spot of being the next one in line for the coveted Ohio State receiving position.

A team known for producing top receivers, Smith is next in line as the clear-cut No. 1 receiver for Ohio State after Emeka Egbuka leaves.

He’ll give the inexperienced quarterbacks of the Ohio State future a star receiver to rely on in tough situations.

This season he already has 553 yards receiving and seven touchdowns for an Ohio State team with massive expectations.

Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska

Raiola has shown the talent is there for a quarterback that has received a lot of controversy throughout his recruiting process and his start to his Cornhuskers career.

The comparison to Patrick Mahomes is incredibly accurate. Despite a lot of fans hating the comparison, you can’t deny his mannerisms and plays on the field look very similar to Mahomes.

He has led Nebraska to a spot where they haven’t been in years. There are serious playoff implications in the upcoming weeks for Nebraska if they want to make a late push and he will be the main reason for their success.

He is completing just over 66 percent of his passes and has given Nebraska fans hope for the future.

Eli Holstein, QB, Pitt

Similar to Raiola, Holstein has the Panthers in a spot that they really haven’t been in since Kenny Pickett’s final year. There is serious hype behind this Pitt team that really hasn’t been there since potentially the Dan Marino days at Pittsburgh.

However, Holstein is not a true freshman. He spent a year at Alabama before transferring to Pittsburgh. He has given the Panthers a secure quarterback after they have been searching for a strong passer since that impressive final year from Pickett.

The Panthers are undefeated and Holstein has led his team on multiple incredible drives late in games to win games or secure games.

He is completing just under 64 percent of his passes with a 15 to five touchdown to interception ratio.

These freshmen have started to take over for their schools and have already become household names for these programs.

Andrew Deal is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email asd5765@psu.edu.