True Freshman Standouts from Week 2 of College Football

Week two of college football featured many true freshmen making significant impacts in games across the national landscape. A former Five-Star Plus+ quarterback shined in his first start, another touted first-year signal-caller led his team to a primetime victory, a receiver made several huge plays en route to a Big Ten league win, an ACC pass catcher dominated from the opening drive and a former Five-Star Plus+ pass rusher was disruptive in the week’s biggest matchup.

With that said, let’s highlight some true freshmen who stood out on week two of college football.

True Freshman of the Week: QB DJ Lagway – Florida

DJ Lagway shined during the first start of his college career. With Graham Mertz in concussion protocol, Lagway got the not against Samford. The Willis (Texas) High native did not disappoint. Lagway was electric and showed his plus-arm talent over the course of the game. He did not hesitate to push the ball downfield, helping to create opportunities for Florida’s wide receivers to make big plays. By the time the dust settled, Lagway had completed 18 of 25 passes for 456 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, adding 16 rushing yards in the 45-7 win.

The 6-foot-3, 239-pounder gave Florida fans a glimpse of his arm strength in the first quarter, hitting Elijhah Badger on a deep ball. He was able to spin out of would-be sacks and did a nice job keeping his eyes downfield. Lagway continued to settle in during the second half. His most impressive play of the game came in the third quarter. Lagway stepped up to avoid pressure and uncorked an eye-popping 45-yard pass that dropped right over Aidan Mizell‘s shoulder for a touchdown.

Crazy TD pass by Florida true freshman DJ Lagway, showing the arm talent that made him a 5-star. 18-25 for 456 yards, 3 TD so far in his first start https://t.co/DQ7Z5kiDx3 pic.twitter.com/FfCkgVibJh

— Charles Power (@CharlesPower) September 8, 2024

The second touchdown came later in the second half, with Lagway connecting with fellow true freshman Tank Hawkins on another deep ball.

It remains to be seen how Florida will handle its quarterback situation moving forward, but Lagway showed the considerable talent that made him On3’s No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 quarterback in teh 2025 cycle. The true freshman turned in a monster senior season last fall, passing for 4,634 yards and 58 touchdowns against eight picks while rushing for 957 yards and 16 scores en route to earning Gatorade National Player of the Year honors.

QB Dylan Raiola – Nebraska

Dylan Raiola and Nebraska faced off with Colorado in one of the weekend’s most anticipated matchups. The true freshman quarterback continued to look like a seasoned pro while operating the Husker offense. For the second straight week, he was able to protect the football and avoid negative plays, while keeping the offense ahead of the chains. Raiola threw with touch and showed the ability to deliver catchable footballs while standing in the pocket and taking hits. The Nebraska legacy completed 23 of 30 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown in the 28-10 victory.

Raiola, who was the No. 20 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, will lead Nebraska against Northern Iowa next week before the Huskers get into Big Ten play.

WR Nick Marsh – Michigan State

Nick Marsh had a coming out party in Michigan State’s comeback win over Maryland. The true freshman pass catcher had a massive afternoon, coming down with eight catches for 194 yards and a touchdown in the 27-24 win.

The River Rouge (Mich.) High product emerged as quarterback Aidan Chiles‘ go-to target down the stretch. Marsh showed strong hands, consistently finishing through contact and coming down with the ball in traffic. He was able to separate vertically for two long receptions in the fourth quarter, including the game-tying score. A few minutes later on the game-winning drive, Marsh drew a pass interference call and converted a first down, setting up the go-ahead field goal. Marsh, who doesn’t turn 18 years-old until October ranked as a four-star and was the No. 174 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking.

WR Bryant Wesco – Clemson

Bryant Wesco exploded out of the gate on Saturday evening, kickstarting an offensive explosion for Clemson that resulted in a 66-20 win over Appalachian State. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder made his presence felt on the game’s first drive, blowing past the secondary on a vertical route for a 73-yard touchdown. On Clemson’s following drive, Wesco took the top off yet again, gaining separation and coming down with a diving catch down to the 1-yard line. The true freshman from Midlothian, Texas finished the day with three catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Wesco ranked as the No. 61 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. The game also saw fellow true freshman and former five-star TJ Moore catch a touchdown pass. Clemson has a bye this week before facing off with NC State on September 21.

EDGE Colin Simmons – Texas

The week’s biggest matchup saw a former Five-Star Plus+ prospect make an impact as a pass rusher. Texas EDGE Colin Simmons created issues for the Michigan offensive line during the Longhorns’ 31-12 win in Ann Arbor. The Duncanville (Texas) High product was hyper-efficient off the edge, generating six pressures and one sack on 16 pass rushes attempts. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder flashed his first-step quickness and bend on the sack. Through two games, the true freshman has already carved out a valuable role on the nation’s No. 2 ranked team.

Simmons ranked as a Five-Star Plus+ prospect and was the No. 15 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking. The Longhorns have two non-conference games against UTSA and ULM before getting into SEC play.