Top 10 freshmen in college football so far

The college football season has reached the halfway point and several players from the class of 2024 have already established their superstardom on the gridiron. This class has already produced dominant pass rushers, excellent quarterbacks and one of the best wide receiver classes in recent memory.

So what better way to highlight the best of the best than with a list? And not just any list, a top 10 list. Without further ado, here are the 10 best freshmen in college football so far.

10. Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson

Brown came to Clemson in the summer as one of the most accomplished in the state of Georgia, and he’s an even better football player. At a school known for producing several NFL-caliber linebackers, Brown is already making a name for himself by registering three sacks in his last three games.

9. Nick Marsh, WR, Michigan State

The first wide receiver from this class, and certainly not the last. Marsh already eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice this season. The Detroit native also leads an up-and-coming Spartans team in receiving yards and is a key piece to the very bright future in East Lansing, Michigan.

8. Zabien Brown, DB, Alabama

Being a starting cornerback in the SEC is never easy. Being a starting cornerback in the SEC as a freshman is nearly impossible. Zabien Brown has taken all these ideas and swatted them away like passes from an opposing quarterback. Brown put his name on the map when he secured the game-winning interception against the No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

7. KJ Bolden, DB Georgia

The crazy fact about Bolden is not that he’s holding his own in the SEC with significant snaps. It’s that he wasn’t even the highest-rated recruit in the Georgia secondary. Bolden will be next in a long line of Bulldogs that play on Sunday in a few short years.

6. Colin Simmons, LB, Texas

Simmons is another player who chose to stay in his home state and play for Texas. He’s been a key cog to a defensive line that lost their two best players to the NFL Draft. He could join them soon as he already has four sacks through five career games played.

5. Dylan Stewart, DE, South Carolina

South Carolina has been a surprise team so far this year and a big reason for that is Stewart. The Washington D.C. native has more than held his own on one of the best defensive lines in the country. Stewart has 4.5 sacks already this year including one sack a piece in back-to-back games.

4. Koi Perich, DB, Minnesota

Minnesota has a good track record with defensive backs under PJ Fleck, and Perich has reinforced that reputation. Perich established himself as a ball hawk with a nose for the football. So far this season, he is tied for second in college football with four interceptions. One of those was a game-winner to secure an upset win over the No. 11 USC Trojans. This dude is a baller.

3. Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska

The five-star recruit that was supposed to revive Nebraska alongside Matt Rhule has so far lived up to the billing. Yes, there have been some speed bumps along the way, that’s why he’s only the third-best freshman in the class. However, games against No. 24 Illinois and Colorado showed why Railoa’s star is continuing to rise.

2. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Breaking news, Ohio State has found another wide receiver who will dominate college football and turn into a first-round draft pick in three years. Smith has met every expectation placed upon him, and considering he was the No. 1 recruit in the entire class of 2024, those expectations were pretty high.

He already has over 500 yards and seven receiving touchdowns at the halfway point of the year.

1. Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama

Do I really need to explain this? The kid already has over 600 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He had 177 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Georgia.

He is Alabama’s top receiver. He is also doing this at 17 years old. The kid is already a star while still being just that, a kid. It’s scary to think what Williams can turn into while his body is still growing and he is still developing his game at a school that churns out NFL wide receivers almost every year.

Nathan Johns is a first-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, email jzn5275@psu.edu.