Every single year we see young playmakers put up incredible breakout seasons in college football. Even in a world where older transfer players steal starting spots from true freshman all over the country, the truly special talents continue to break through immediately. Which first year college football players can we expect to post phenomenal year one starts to their careers? Let's dive into ten of the best young stars in the nation to watch for this college football season.
Jeremiah Smith, WR Ohio State
It's rare to see a wide receiver be the consensus number one overall recruit in the nation, but that's just how special Jeremiah Smith is. He looks like the next Julio Jones already, standing at 6'3", 215 pounds, clocking in over 23 miles per hour on the GPS at Ohio State practices this off-season. Smith was the fastest true freshman to shed the "black stripe" for the Ohio State Buckeyes this spring and will be an immediate starter on the national championship favorites.
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) August 27, 2024Jeremiah Smith has arrived.
Called the best WR prospect ever by some, Smith will officially start as a true freshman for Ohio State this season.
Expect BIG things from #4
pic.twitter.com/4UlZAYHlqC
It's likely we get to see over 1000 yards out of this special true freshman talent. He's been burning future draft pick teammates all off-season long and he looks ready to continue that dominance in live game action very soon.
Dylan Raiola, QB Nebraska
Deemed by some to the best quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, Raiola is an elite five star talent who has been doing everything he can to model his game after Patrick Mahomes. From off-platform throws, to his release, to even the sunglasses he chooses to wear. He's taking imitation to the next level.
Raiola is going to start right away for the Nebraska Cornhuskers as he looks to continue his father's legacy with the school. His father Dominic was a two-time All-Big 12 conference player at center who went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. He should immediately become one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Cam Coleman, WR Auburn
Auburn's wide receiver play was frankly atrocious in 2023, so head coach Hugh Freeze decided to replace them all this season. He brought in three transfers and a trio of high pedigree true freshman, but none of them quite as impressive as Cam Coleman. A five star talent, Coleman has been impressing teammates and coaches since the spring and will open the season as the team's starting X wide receiver.
A size, speed, and ball skills freak, Coleman should find immediate success at 6'3", nearly 200 pounds coming off a state championship and a season where he logged nearly 1400 yards and 18 touchdowns. He'll almost immediately be one of the best Auburn wide receivers in history the moment he steps onto the field.
Micah Hudson, WR Texas Tech
Texas Tech desperately needs a difference maker at wide receiver and Micah Hudson is exactly that. Despite possessing a pass-happy offense just about every single season it's been nearly a decade since the Red Raiders had a wide receiver amass even 750 receiving yards. Joey McGuire tried to replace the majority of his wide receivers this off-season and will immediately look to Micah Hudson as a big-play machine and go-to option early in the season.
Ryan Williams, WR Alabama
It's not too often a player who should be entering their senior year of high school has a shot to break out as a true freshman, but that's how special Ryan Williams could be for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Williams reclassified from the 2025 recruiting class to 2024 and was not a part of the roster this spring, but has already been turning heads in fall camp.
Ryan Williams is Alabama’s next ELITE deep threat pic.twitter.com/53B4ZWoO7e
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 29, 2024
Williams should immediately slide into a deep threat role as an emerging favorite target of Jalen Milroe. Kalen DeBoer was quoted as saying Alabama has six or seven wide receivers who could rotate in and out quite often this season. Williams will most certainly be one of them.
Emmett Mosley, WR Stanford
He may just be a three star recruit, but he's already been earning rave reviews from teammates, staff, and national analysts everywhere. According to Stanford's Week 1 depth chart he's already earned the "OR" designation next to his name as a potential starter right away.
Mosley is an incredibly smart player who brings with him incredible route running, and surprising physicality for a player of his size at 6'0", 175 pounds. He should be able to stretch the field for Stanford alongside veteran Elic Ayamanor this season as a potential bright spot in an otherwise disappointing year for the Cardinal.
Yasin Willis, RB Syracuse
Another three star talent who is simply ridiculously underrated by the recruiting services is Yasin Willis. He's already built like a feature running back as an 18-year-old at 6'1", 220 pounds and will slot in as the second running back option for Syracuse right away. He should bring some power to go along with LeQuint Allen's burst and speed out of the backfield for the Orange.
Willis is coming off back to back 1100-yard seasons in high school where he had to carry his entire offense. Syracuse won't need him to do that right away, but he has the skill set to be an every down running back already. He should flash that immense potential early on this fall.
Zabien Brown, CB Alabama
A five star cornerback for Alabama, Zabien Brown has been consistent from day one with the Crimson Tide. Kalen DeBoer has been complimentary of Brown for months now as he continues to make plays, and even started in the spring game opposite Domani Jackson.
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) March 23, 2024Young Alabama defensive backs impressing at spring practice.
“They have certainly been highlighted throughout these first five practices. Red made a nice play or two today and Zabien has been super consistent.”
Kalen DeBoer on Zabien Brown and Red Morgan. pic.twitter.com/Hisioe6K58
Brown was actually high school teammates with the USC transfer cornerback Domani Jackson at the storied Mater Dei program out in Santa Ana, CA. Both of them ended up earning five star status as recruits who brought great length, athleticism, and impressive production against the top competition in the nation as prospects. Now teammates at Alabama, it wouldn't be surprising at all if Brown became the other starter opposite Jackson by season's end.
Boo Carter, DB Tennessee
The Tennessee secondary features a lot of new faces this year via transfer and some potential freshman impact players. But none perhaps look more impressive than Boo Carter for the Vols. Carter has consistently been one of three players rotating in and out of the "star" position in Tennessee's defense and could earn a near every down role if he performs well early in the season.
A high four star recruit, he was Mr. Football in Tennessee last season as he dominated in every facet of the game. As a senior in high school Carter tallied almost 2000 all-purpose yards on offense, and racked up over 100 tackles on defense. He's a special athlete that the Vols won't be able to keep off the field for long.
Colin Simmons, EDGE Texas
The Texas Longhorns have been on a recruiting hot streak since Steve Sarkisian arrived as the head coach and continue to find high impact true freshman every single year. This season it looks like Colin Simmons might be the biggest immediate impact true freshman as the coaching staff and beat reporters cannot stop talking him up.Simmons seriously racked up nearly 50 sacks throughout his illustrious high school career and is already looking like a rotational contributor for the Longhorns for year one as perhaps a hybrid linebacker and edge defender.
This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.
