Sep 19, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Who were the greatest true freshmen in college football history? There hasn’t been one who won the Heisman, but this group were among the all-time greats.
In 2007, Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. Redshirt freshmen Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston captured the award in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The final frontier for the Heisman? A true freshman has never won it.
No recruit during the 2016 Signing Day cycle generated more buzz than DT Rashan Gary, a five-star Michigan commit. And while he won’t capture the most recognizable individual award in American sports, he will have a chance to join the pantheon of true freshmen who began their college careers with improbable success and suddenness.
Gary is poised for an auspicious debut in Ann Arbor. So, too, is Georgia QB Jacob Eason on the offensive side of the ball. Gary, Eason and all of the first-year signees are hoping to make a splash in 2016. And if everything goes positively perfect, they may have a chance to join the list of rookie sensations since 1972, the year the NCAA granted eligibility to true freshmen.
40. QB Josh Rosen, UCLA (2015)
While there were intermittent rookie moments along the way, Rosen consistently showed why he was the most ballyhooed true freshman on Signing Day 2015. He beat out Jerry Neuheisel in the summer with his poise and arm talent, and then operated like he’s been at this for years. Setting the stage for what will be a celebrated career in Westwood, Rosen debuted by completing 292-of-487 passes for 3,669 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
39. OG Brad Budde, USC (1976)
True freshmen didn’t start very often in the 1970s, especially at a program with the depth and the overall talent at USC. Budde was a glaring exception shortly after arriving on campus from Kansas City. He was a key cog for a Pac-8 championship team that won the final 11 games, capped by a Rose Bowl victory over Michigan. For Budde it was the type of debut that served as the ground floor for a memorable career as a Trojan.
38. QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor (2008)
The seeds of Baylor’s emergence into a national entity were planted almost a decade ago by a skinny kid with breakaway speed and uncommon poise. Griffin served notice to the Big 12 with an auspicious first season on campus, throwing 15 touchdown passes, running for 13 more and accounting for almost 3,000 total yards. While still unpolished in the finer points of playing quarterback, the one-time track star threw just three interceptions, while finishing No. 27 nationally in passing efficiency.
37. S LaRon Landry, LSU (2003)
In 2003, Landry delivered one of the best seasons ever by a Tiger rookie defender. Instrumental to LSU’s national championship campaign, the 10-game starter led the team with 80 stops. The fiercely competitive and physical Landry was not intimidated by his surroundings or the step up in competition. He was not only named Freshman All-American, but he was also honored by the AP as an All-SEC second-teamer.
36. OT Shawn Andrews, Arkansas (2001)
Just the third freshman in Razorback history to start along the offensive line, Andrews earned First Team Freshman All-American honors with his blocking over the final two months of the season. He pass protected and opened holes at an elite level, even if it took until the following year before the rest of the nation truly paid attention. Andrews allowed two sacks in a career that qualifies as one of the best in modern SEC history.
35. RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina (2010)
Every bit as good as advertised coming out of high school as a blue-chip recruit, Lattimore exploded on to the scene in Columbia. He was third in SEC rushing with 1,197 yards, chipping in 29 receptions and 19 total touchdowns. Lattimore was the embodiment of what Steve Spurrier was achieving at South Carolina by signing NFL-caliber athletes to a program lacking the winning tradition of its rivals and peers. By saving his three best efforts for Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, Lattimore quickly emerged as a big-game producer.
34. CB Vernon Hargreaves, Florida (2013)
After beginning the season on the bench, Hargreaves made it impossible for the Gator staff not to promote him. He was just too good in the secondary to be used as a part-timer. Flashing lockdown corner potential, the rookie ball-hawk quickly looked capable last fall of becoming one of the country’s top defenders by 2014. Instinctive and intelligent in coverage, Hargreaves parlayed a team-high three picks and 11 passes defended into the All-SEC First Team and the AP All-American Third Team.
33. RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh (2009)
Of all the instant stars of the past four decades, Lewis was one of the most unlikely of the bunch. He wasn’t very big and he was not widely recruited out of Blair (N.J) Academy, generating offers from the likes of Tulane, Wake Forest and Miami (OH). But, he sure got noticed right away, even making Pitt fans forget about LeSean McCoy. Lewis went over 100 yards in all but three games, finishing an improbable All-American campaign with 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground.
32. RB Mike Hart, Michigan (2004)
Not the biggest or the fastest. Hart, though, was the best rookie running back to ever wear the winged helmet. Without a lot of advanced warning, he ended up being the successor to Chris Perry that the Wolverines desperately sought. Hart began the season behind David Underwood and Jerome Jackson, but it wasn’t long before he shot past his elders. He averaged more than 150 yards over the final eight games, finishing with 1,455 yards, including three straight 200-yard games for the first time in school history.
31. LB Myles Jack, UCLA (2013)
Dual-threats don’t typically play linebacker, but Jack wasn’t the garden variety rookie three years ago. In an incredible testament to versatility, he was named the 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year … on offense and defense. Freakishly athletic and multi-dimensional, he made 75 stops and broke up 13 passes, yet he also rushed for 267 yards and seven touchdowns when the Bruins were hurting in the backfield. Jack is a unique prodigy, with a bright future in the NFL.
30. QB Philip Rivers, NC State (2000)
Has there ever been a more underrated recruit from the state of Alabama? Bama entered the mix too late, and Auburn wasn’t sure it would use Rivers behind center. The Pack and head coach Chuck Amato got a gift, the franchise quarterback that it coveted. The program knew it had something special right away. More than just a record-setter who threw for 27 touchdown passes and 3,364 yards, Rivers helped spark a Wolfpack resurgence by spearheading four come-from-behind victories in 2000.
29. QB Chad Henne, Michigan (2004)
The Wolverines, namely quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler, went hard after Henne, an unabashed Penn State fan from West Lawn, Pa. Michigan quickly reaped the benefits from its effort. Henne quickly rose up the depth chart to become just the second true freshman to ever start behind center in Ann Arbor. Even better, he was the first rookie in Big Ten history to lead his team to a league title, coolly throwing 25 touchdown passes, including four in an epic 38-37 Rose Bowl loss to Vince Young and Texas.
28. DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina (2011)
Every so often, there comes along a player who transcends his age and his lack of experience. Clowney was one such rarity when he joined the Gamecocks five years ago as the most heralded recruit in program history. Even at the age of 18, he was noticeably bigger and more athletic than other linemen who’d been on campus for three or four years. Clowney lived up to his runaway hype by making 36 tackles, 12 stops for loss, eight sacks and five forced fumbles.
27. DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee (2014)
It didn’t take long for Barnett to validate being the first Volunteer true freshman to ever start an opener at defensive end. He was physically ready to contribute from the moment he arrived in Knoxville a few months before the opener, and his work ethic was consistently beyond reproach. The instinctive Barnett led all rookies with 20.5 stops for loss to go along with 69 tackles and 10 sacks.
26. DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M (2014)
Garrett was a man-child in his first season as an Aggie. He exploded on to the scene in 2014 to become one of college football’s premier young predators. Playing as if shot from a cannon, Garrett as a rookie was an unstoppable blend of get-off, closing speed and strength, laying the groundwork for a brilliant career ahead. His opening act was highlighted by 11.5 sacks to obliterate Jadeveon Clowney’s SEC freshman record.
25. DE Devonte Fields, TCU (2012)
Before off-field issues sent Fields packing, the Horned Frogs were giddy about winning a tough battle to land him, beating out the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona and Texas A&M. The Arlington, Tex. rookie took advantage of an early injury to Ross Forrest, and never looked back. Explosive out of his stance and quick around the edge, he paced the Big 12 with 18.5 tackles for loss to go along with 10 sacks. The Hendricks Award finalist and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year helped pave the road for TCU in its first year as a Big 12 member.
24. OT Orlando Pace, Ohio State (1994)
Pace was an instant hit in Columbus, becoming just the second Buckeye true freshman to ever start from the moment he stepped foot on campus. He’d go on to start all 38 games of his Buckeye career, popularizing the term “pancake block” for his ability to flatten opposing defenders. Pace was an anomaly throughout his college and pro days, including in 1994, when he was physically and emotionally prepared to dominate just a year removed from Sandusky (OH) High School.
23. LB Anthony Simmons, Clemson (1995)
Five days. That’s how long it took Simmons to earn a starting assignment with the Tigers. And he didn’t just show up for Clemson in 1995. He enhanced a tradition of outstanding linebackers at the program that began with the likes of Levon Kirkland, Ed McDaniel and Jeff Davis. Simmons used his immense athletic ability to rack up 150 tackles, en route to becoming an All-American and the first defensive player ever named National Freshman of the Year by the UPI.
22. LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College (2009)
Kuechly was a revelation in his first season removed from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. Just months after star LB Mark Herzlich was lost for the year to a rare form of cancer, Kuechly filled his spot on the field with uncommon maturity, timing and production. The All-ACC First Team performer finished second nationally with 158 tackles, 15 of which were for minus yards. It was the opening chapter of a brilliant three-year career in Chestnut Hill that’s continued without interruption with the Carolina Panthers.
21. RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (2012)
On June 29, 2012, returning Dawg starter Isaiah Crowell was arrested on weapons charges, and subsequently dismissed from the program. The Georgia ground game never skipped a beat because of the presence of Gurley, a 218-pounder who shredded defenses as if he’d been in Athens for years—not months. He became the school’s first true freshman since Herschel Walker in 1980 to run for more than 1,000 yards, adding 17 touchdowns on the ground. Gurley was named AP All-SEC First Team, more than measuring up against the game’s best competition.
20. WR Mike Williams, USC (2002)
The Trojans have always liked big and physical wide receivers. Troy coveted Williams so much that they went all the way to Tampa to bring him back to Los Angeles. He fit in immediately, impersonating an amateur Terrell Owens at the expense of overmatched Pac-10 defensive backs. Williams established a new standard for rookie wide receivers by pulling down 81 balls for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was so dominant at such a young age that he attempted, in vain, to follow Maurice Clarett’s lead and enter the 2004 NFL Draft after just two seasons.
19. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh (2002)
Fitzgerald played only two seasons of college ball, which was more than enough as far as opposing DBs were concerned. He was NFL-ready not long after leaving Valley Forge (Penn.) Military Academy, using his size, strong hands and acrobatics to dominate. Fitzgerald was the first true freshman in Big East history to earn unanimous first-team all-conference honors, while establishing Pitt freshman records for receptions (69), receiving yards (1,005) and touchdowns (12).
18. WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson (2011)
Watkins’ first career catch was a 17-yard touchdown. It was a harbinger of things to come. He was as skilled in his infancy as any first-year wide receiver, becoming in 2011 just the fourth true freshman ever named AP First Team All-American. Vexing veteran defensive backs with his speed and his advanced ball skills, Watkins caught 82 passes for 1,219 yards and a dozen touchdowns. Testament to his versatility and game-changing ability, he also took back a kick for six.
17. RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma (2014)
In many respects, Perine’s first season in Norman looked like a reincarnation of Ron Dayne. The 5-11, 243-pound Perine lit a charge beneath the Sooner ground game in 2014, running with a bulldozing, north-south style that would have given Bud Wilkinson an ear-to-ear grin. Perine paced the Big 12—and all freshmen—with 1,713 punishing yards and 21 scores on 263 carries, including an FBS-record 427 yards and five touchdowns against Kansas.
16. DT Tommie Harris, Oklahoma (2001)
Harris exploded on to the scene as a rookie, performing with all of the dominance of a third-year regular. He was far too quick and explosive as a teen for even opponents who’d been blocking in the Big 12 for years. Harris was named First Team All-Big 12 right out of the gate, amassing 17 stops behind the line. In many ways, he emerged early on as the standard for what would be expected from defensive linemen during the Bob Stoops era.
15. RB Marshall Faulk, San Diego State (1991)
It didn’t take Faulk long to show why he’d eventually go down as the greatest Aztec of all time, rushing for an NCAA-record 386 yards and scoring seven touchdowns in just his second game on the Mesa. The New Orleans native was pursued by much bigger programs, but San Diego State promised him a chance to exclusively play running back. He repaid head coach Al Luginbill by rushing for 1,429 yards and scoring 23 times in a memorable All-American debut.
14. OT Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh (1981)
If Fralic isn’t the best rookie blocker of all-time, he’s certainly at the forefront of the discussion. He was physically and emotionally ready to go from the very first play of his career. Fralic was a fortress for the Panthers, unfazed by playing on a veteran team or filling the shoes of All-American Mark May. Fralic put down the ground floor in 1981 that would lead to three All-American appearances and a pair of top 10 Heisman finishes.
13. S Kenny Easley, UCLA (1977)
Easley might be the greatest Bruin of all-time. And it all began in the second game of 1977, when he moved into the starting lineup. The quintessential do-everything free safety, Easley intercepted six passes as a true freshman to be named to the all-league first team. Postseason accolades would become the norm for No. 5, who’d build on his first season by becoming a three-time consensus All-American and the first defender ever named First Team All-Pac-10 for four seasons.
12. LB Marvin Jones, Florida State (1990)
Jones instantaneously validated being rated as one of the nation’s most heralded recruits of 1990. He was a sideline-to-sideline wrecking ball in the middle of the D for Bobby Bowden, collecting 133 tackles and eight stops for minus yards. For his precocity, Jones was named AP Third Team All-American, an honor typically reserved for upperclassmen. In an era when most linebackers were one-dimensional run-stoppers, Shade Tree was a defender ahead of his time.
11. RB Emmitt Smith, Florida (1987)
No matter the venue, the opponent or the level of play, Smith was going to get his yards on the ground. His rookie year in Gainesville was no different. The prolific runner from Escambia (Fla.) High School didn’t start his first two games with the Gators, yet he still rushed for a school-record 1,341 yards and 13 touchdowns in only 11 games. Despite modest support on a .500 team that lacked a consistent passing game, Smith was still the nation’s top freshman of 1987 and the ninth place finisher in the Heisman vote.
10. DE Ross Browner, Notre Dame (1973)
Browner was a key cog in a national championship squad, a rarity to this day. He finished third on the Irish with 74 tackles, including a team-high 17 behind the line of scrimmage. It would set the tone for one of the best careers by a defender in ND history. Browner, and to a lesser extent rookie S Luther Bradley, brought athleticism and fresh energy to an Irish defense that yielded just 89 points all season.
9. LB Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State (1996)
The Big Kat pounced on his initial opportunity for snaps in Columbus, delivering the best opening act by a defender in Ohio State history. Katzenmoyer was ready to man the middle of the Buckeye D from the moment he arrived, possessing the physicality, closing speed and seek-and-destroy demeanor to excel at a Big Ten level. The first true freshman in school history to start opening day at linebacker finished with a staggering 23 stops for loss and 12 sacks, a program record at the position.
8. RB Maurice Clarett, Ohio State (2002)
It was all downhill after 2002, but what a debut it was for Clarett in Columbus. The Buckeyes’ one-year wonder carried an offense that didn’t get much help from Craig Krenzel and the passing game. Clarett was the offensive heartbeat of a team that ran the regular season table before shocking Miami in the national title game. He ended an injury-plagued season with 1,237 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, including the game-winner against the Canes, but he was bigger than numbers for that fleeting moment 14 years ago.
7. QB Jamelle Holieway, Oklahoma (1985)
Holieway was supposed to do little more than mop up for starter Troy Aikman in his first season out of Carson, Calif. And then opportunity knocked when Aikman broke his ankle in a Week 4 showdown with Miami. The Sooners lost that game, but it was the only time they’d fall in 1985. Holieway took over and ran the wishbone like a human knuckleball for Barry Switzer, dancing with untouchable misdirection. He went 8-0 as the starter, engineering a 25-10 Orange Bowl victory over Penn State to become the only true freshman to quarterback a national title team.
6. RB Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (1973)
Dorsett was the first rookie to fully exploit the 1972 NCAA ruling that permitted eligibility to freshmen, serving as the catalyst for a five-win improvement in Johnny Majors’ opening season at Pitt. While noticeably smaller than opposing defenders, the 160-pound Dorsett effortlessly glided for a freshman-record 1,586 yards and a dozen touchdowns on 288 carries. He helped spearhead a Panther renaissance that year, which peaked in 1976 with a Heisman Trophy and a national championship.
5. RB Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (1996)
What would Dayne have done for the Badgers two decades ago had he started the first four games? Even after beginning the campaign behind Carl McCullough, Dayne still rushed for 2,109 yards and 21 touchdowns, capped by a monster effort in the Copper Bowl. He was a throwback, a bridge to a day when backs relied more on their ability to run over defenders than past them. Dayne rewrote the Badger and Big Ten record books in his first year, laying the foundation for one of the great careers by a back in NCAA history.
4. RB Marcus Dupree, Oklahoma (1982)
By the time he made it to Norman, by way of Philadelphia, Miss., Dupree was already a man among boys. He forced his way into the lineup early on with an uncommon blend of power and breakaway speed that was reminiscent of Herschel Walker just a couple of years earlier. Unfortunately for Oklahoma fans, Dupree was also the original Maurice Clarett, a far-too-brief flash across the college football landscape. It was some statement for Dupree, a Paul Bunyan-esque runner, who exploded for 1,393 yards and 12 scores on only 163 carries.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma (2004)
If ever there was a player capable of leaping from high school to the NFL, Peterson might have been that guy. Coveted by every major program while at Palestine (Tex.) High School, he more than met the buildup in his Oklahoma debut. Peterson was the 21st century’s Herschel Walker, erupting for at least 100 yards in his first nine games, and finishing with 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns. As one of the catalysts of a perfect regular season, he finished second in the Heisman race and became Oklahoma’s first freshman named First Team AP All-American.
2. DE Hugh Green, Pittsburgh (1977)
A convincing argument could be made that Green was one of the premier defensive players in the history of the game. And he wasted little time making his case for college football immortality. Green posted 11 tackles, two sacks and a blocked punt in his first game, a 19-9 loss to Notre Dame. It was the start of something very special in Pittsburgh. Green ended a phenomenal rookie year with 92 tackles, a dozen sacks and five forced fumbles to earn a place on the All-America Second team.
1. RB Herschel Walker, Georgia (1980)
Walker was the gold standard for rookies, exploding on to the national scene in an almost mythical fashion. He looked nothing like a true freshman, and he certainly didn’t perform like one, rushing for 1,616 yards and 15 touchdowns, while leading the Dawgs to a national title. Walker was an instant legend—in and out of Athens—unleashing a combination of brute strength and world class speed that had previously only been seen on Sundays. And he reached that point in just his first year out of Johnson County (Ga.) High School.