True Freshman Standouts from Week 11 of College Football

Although the days are starting to get darker, a number of true freshmen shined bright on the gridiron on Saturday. A former Five-Star Plus+ player had his 3rd-straight clean game stifling pressures, a budding star pass rusher continued to wreak havoc within the land where It Just Means More, and a former walk-on came off the bench to help his team snatch a conference road win – among others. 

TRUE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Jordan Seaton – Colorado – OT

The Buffs’ blindside blocker has unequivocally been college football’s most consistent first-year lineman. And against Texas Tech, the former Five-Star Plus+ prospect recorded arguably his most complete game yet. Along with not allowing a pressure for the 3rd straight contest against Core 4 opponents, Pro Football Focus awarded Seaton with a 77.6 overall grade, which significantly trumped his previous high of 69.4 vs. Kansas State in Week 7. Moreover, his 71.2 run block grade was also a personal best and only the second occurrence this fall of cracking the 65.0 threshold. Granted, Colorado again favored attacking the Red Raiders aerially. But a well-rounded showing adds more weight to Seaton’s promising upside as one of the game’s best young blockers. The Washington D.C. native ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking.

2. Dylan Stewart – South Carolina – EDGE

On any given week, it’s a safe bet that Stewart will wind up being one of the most impactful first-years. So far, he’s managed to hurry opposing passers on over a quarter of true dropback opportunities. And this past Saturday, only five defenders logged more pressures than his six against scrappy Vanderbilt. By sheer volume, his 35 pressures more than double the next freshman defender in line. Such production has enabled him to boast 53 impact plays– i.e. snaps where a pressure, sack, stop, batted ball, or takeaway occurs, which is among the top 25 at his position. That said, Stewart isn’t just a compiler. He remains one of college football’s best bang-for-buck options. When honing in on all edges that have played at least 250 snaps, the Gamecock’s 15.3% Impact Rate is a top 10 figure. The Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy product was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect and finished at No. 12 overall in the 2024 On300.

3. Wayshawn Parker – Washington State – Running Back

The Cougars are in a bit of transition mode. But, their freshman running back hit another gear against Utah State. In his fourth-straight start, Parker ripped off 149 yards and 2 touchdowns on only 11 carries. Ultimately, 8-of-12 total touches resulted in either a first down or score with four explosive carries. His main highlight came at the start of the second half, where he housed a Y-Insert run 75 yards to paydirt. Bursting north through the shoot, he displayed terrific burst worthy of a playmaking feature back. The California native ranked as the No. 96 running back in the 2024 class according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

4. Jeremiah Smith – Ohio State – Wide Receiver

Every week, Smith’s lofty ceiling continues to climb. Little was needed of his services, but the Buckeyes’ breakout pass catcher managed to haul in 6-of-7 targets for 87 yards and a score in Ohio State’s rout of Purdue. Smith has now notched a touchdown in all but one game this year. And as a result, the school record for most touchdowns by a first-year receiver is all his. Subsequently, his consistently high level of play is reflected by his premier efficiency. Over half of his targets have resulted in either a conversion or points, and his 3.45 yards per route run is top 10 among qualifying receivers. Moreover, Smith’s 84.8 PFF receiving grade sits inside the top dozen at the position. The Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep product is the former No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class.

5. Sammy Brown – Clemson – Linebacker

Dabo Swinney and Co. had a solid bounce-back win against Virginia Tech. And their blue-chip linebacker was noticeably impactful in the process. Making his first career start, Brown notched 5 tackles, all of which prevented a successful offensive play. No other freshman totaled more than his handful of defensive stops this past weekend. Furthermore, his 15 this fall are now top 5 among all first-year defenders. But, he wasn’t just a one-dimensional thumper against the Hokies. Brown also showed flashes as a situational pass rusher notching a pair of pressures and a sack. Plus, he only allowed 10 yards in coverage. The Jefferson (Ga.) native was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect and ranked No. 22 nationally in the 2024 class.

6. OJ Frederique – Miami (FL) – Cornerback 

Frederique has the makings of a certifiable gem. The St. Thomas Aquinas product has worked his way into being arguably the Hurricanes’ most reliable coverage man and is among Miami’s highest-graded defenders. Speaking of, none of his teammates bested his 80.5 score from Saturday. No doubt Georgia Tech gashed and bashed their way toward an upset, but the former-three-star prospect again punched above his weight tallying a pair of pass breakups across four targets. His lone blemish was allowing a short touchdown in the second quarter. But after that, he was lockdown. Though a volatile position, his stable play puts him on the shortlist among future studs at the position. 

7. Ashton McShane – Boston College – Cornerback

Starting his third-straight game, McShane recorded his best game to date in Boston College’s shootout win against Syracuse. Yes, he did allow half of his targets to be completed along with a couple of chunk gains, but his three pass breakups were tied for the most of anyone this past weekend – freshman or not. Additionally, PFF scored him with a 74.9 coverage grade, which cracked the top 35 at the position. Considering most freshmen thrown into the fire are outright coverage liabilities, Bill O’Brien’s bunch ought to be proud of the value McShane has provided the Eagles secondary, which presently boasts a top 50 Expected Points Added Per Dropback exiting this weekend. The Texas native was rated three-stars and was ranked as the No. 133 cornerback in the 2024 class according to the On3 Industry Rankings

8. Cash Cleveland – Colorado – Center

In Week 11, only three freshmen offensive linemen allowed less than two pressures that played at least 35 dropbacks. One of them was our Freshman of the Week. Another was walk-on and IMG Academy product Cash Cleveland. Called off the bench early in the contest against Texas Tech, he turned in a balanced, sturdy showing that helped keep Shedeur Sanders clean and take care of business in the trenches. He scored inside the top 5 among all freshman front-liners in PFF offense, run block, and pass block grades. It remains to be seen if Cash’s showing was money enough to stay in Colorado’s starting lineup moving forward. But all else considered, his worthwhile performance was easily among the most impressive among first years this past weekend.