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Christopher Boan writes for BetOhio.com and has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, with experience at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
Best True Freshman In College Football
A growing college football trend is that the sport’s youngest players have increasing roles. And true freshmen are often playing more than in years past, which is worth watching for Ohio sports betting customers.
Quarterbacks Dylan Raiola of Nebraska and DJ Lagway of Florida, and wide receivers such as Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State, Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Michigan State’s Nick Marsh are the latest to prove that it’s a great time to be a true freshman in college football.
A simple glance at the Heisman Trophy odds board at DraftKings Ohio Sportsbook proves as much. Smith (+7500) and Raiola (+12000) are listed on the Boston-based operator’s odds board after Week 4 of the CFB season.
With all that in mind, BetOhio.com wanted to break down which true freshmen have stood tallest this season.
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Top True Freshman in 2024
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Statistics |
| 1 | Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | WR | 14 rec, 281 yards, 4 TDs |
| 2 | Ryan Williams | Alabama | WR | 10 rec, 285 yards, 4 TDs |
| 3 | Dylan Stewart | South Carolina | EDGE | 8 TKs, 2.5 sacks, 2 FFs |
| 4 | Dylan Raiola | Nebraska | QB | 967 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs, 162.3 rating |
| 5 | Nick Marsh | Michigan State | WR | 11 rec, 232 yards, 1 TD |
| 6 | Ryan Wingo | Texas | WR | 9 rec, 239 yards, 2 TDs |
| 7 | Colin Simmons | Texas | LB | 11 TKs, 2.0 sack |
| 8 | Jerrick Gibson | Texas | RB | 42 carries, 210 yards, 3 TDs, 5.0 avg |
| 9 | DJ Lagway | Florida | QB | 617 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INT, 182.4 rating |
| 10 | KJ Bolden | Georgia | DB | 11 TKs, 1.0 sack |
This insight is provided by BetOhio.com, where the best Ohio betting promotions reside.
Right now, it’s hard to go against Smith and fellow wideout Ryan Williams of Alabama as the top true freshmen of the CFB season. The Buckeyes landed the No. 1 recruit in the country, according to 247 rankings, when Smith committed to coach Ryan Day and company. The freshman has delivered already, with 14 catches for 281 yards and four touchdowns in three games for Ohio State. All of those numbers lead the team (Emeka Egbuka also has 14 catches).
The Buckeyes handled their first three foes easily, as expected. OSU has rolled over Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall. The Big Ten opener, Saturday at Michigan State, looms for the scarlet and gray. You can follow Ohio State playoff chances all season as the Buckeyes try to qualify for the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff field.
Other Top True Freshman Nationwide
Alabama’s Williams, another true freshman receiver who was among the nation’s top recruits (ranked No. 8 overall and third among WRs), has been worth the hype so far. He has 10 catches for 285 yards and four touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.
EDGE star in the making Dylan Stewart, of South Carolina, has eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for the 3-1 Gamecocks. Raiola (967 passing yards, eight touchdowns) has been strong so far for the Cornhuskers. Another Big Ten team getting big production out of a freshman is Michigan State, where Marsh has 11 catches for a team-high 232 yards and a TD.
Then there’s top-ranked Texas, which has three players on our list: linebacker Colin Simmons, Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson and a newcomer to this week’s top 10, WR Ryan Wingo.
Will any of these players join this list of the best true freshmen in college football history? As you watch their performances all season, keep an eye on our Ohio State bowl projections at BetOhio.com.
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Best True Freshman In College Football History
- Herschel Walker (Georgia): One of the greatest running backs in college football history, Walker burst onto the scene as a true freshman and became an immediate impact player.
- Ron Dayne (Wisconsin): The legendary Wisconsin running back is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy in 1999 and holding the all-time leading rushing yardage record in NCAA Division I FBS history.
- Luke Kuechly (Boston College): As a true freshman in 2009, Kuechly finished the season with 158 tackles, which lead the team and conference – as well as second nationally. He was named the 2009 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and went on win the Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award and more during his college career.
- Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma): Peterson set the record for the most rushing yards for a freshman in NCAA history with nine consecutive games of 100-plus yards. The First Team All-Big 12 and unanimous All-American finished second in voting during the 2004 Heisman Trophy voting.
- Trevor Lawrence (Clemson): One of the highest touted recruits of all-time, Lawrence took over the starting QB role for the Tigers during the season and led them to an 11-0 record with 3,280 passing yards & 31 total touchdowns. He led them over Alabama to win the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.
USA Today Network photo by Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
True Freshman Q&A
A true freshman in college football is a student-athlete who is in their first year of college and playing their first season of college football. This means they have not yet redshirted, which is when a player takes a year off from competition to preserve their eligibility.
No, Johnny Manziel was not a true freshman. He redshirted his first year at Texas A&M, meaning he didn't play in any games. However, he still attended classes and practiced with the team. Manziel's breakout season came in his redshirt freshman year, where he led Texas A&M and won the Heisman Trophy.
No, a true freshman has never won the Heisman Trophy. While there have been several impressive performances from true freshmen in college football, the Heisman has always been awarded to a player in their second or later year of college. The closest a true freshman has come was Trevor Lawrence, who was a finalist for the award in his freshman season at Clemson.
Yes, a true freshman has won a national championship. The most notable example is Trevor Lawrence, who led Clemson to the national championship in his true freshman season. There have also been other cases of true freshmen contributing significantly to championship-winning teams.
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