True Freshman Standouts from Week 5 of College Football

Week five in college football saw a number of true freshmen made huge impacts in games over the weekend. Another true freshman from Colorado had a breakout game against a top ten team. Two Clemson true freshman starred in the Tigers’ road win over Syracuse. Two SEC safeties racked up over 10 tackles and an interception on the road.

Let’s highlight five true freshmen who stood out on week four of college football.

WR Omarion Miller – Colorado: True Freshman of the Week

Looking for a spark down 41-14 to No. 8 USC, Deion Sanders and Colorado turned to true freshman wide receiver Omarion Miller. The Vivian (La.) North Caddo product delivered in a huge way, helping ignite a furious comeback attempt that ended in a 48-41 loss. Miller finished the day with seven catches for 196 yards and a touchdown. To make the gaudy stat line even more impressive, Miller did all of that in the second half. The 6-foot-1.5, 195-pounder won in about every way possible. He showed outstanding concentration in tracking the ball over his shoulder. We later saw him make a diving grab for a touchdown. Miller also proved to be strong after the catch, getting upfield quickly. The routes and technical savvy were also impressive.

Miller ranked as a consensus four-star prospect according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

WR Tyler Brown – Clemson

Tyler Brown has emerged as Clemson’s top wide receiver – if not top offensive player – over the past three weeks. The true freshman set a career high in the Tigers’ 31-14 win at Syracuse with 153 yards on nine catches. He also added 23 yards on the ground. Brown’s movement skills and playmaking ability make him a unique player in Clemson’s wide receiver room and one who offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and quarterback Cade Klubnik are looking to target at an increasing rate.

A one-time Minnesota commit, Brown flipped to Clemson on the heels of a strong final two seasons at Greenville (S.C.) High that saw him notch close to 2,000 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns. Also a sprinter with 10.92 second speed in the 100 meters, Brown was a four-star outlier for On3, checking in at No. 294 in the 2023 On300.

EDGE TJ Parker – Clemson

While Tyler Brown has emerged as Clemson’s breakout player on offense, that honor may go to fellow true freshman TJ Parker on the defensive side of the ball. Parker was one of two blue-chip defenders from the state of Alabama to generate early buzz for Clemson, along with Peter Woods. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Parker has been ascending for the Tigers over the past few weeks and had his best game to date against Syracuse. Parker tallied five tackles, four hurries and two sacks against the Orange. The Phenix City (Ala.) Central product is a technically-advanced, savvy rusher with a high effort level. It’s likely we’ll see his role continue to increase as Clemson moves deeper into ACC play.

Parker ranked as the No. 54 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

S Caleb Downs – Alabama

Caleb Downs is a True Freshman Standout for the second straight week. The former Five-Star Plus+ prospect continues to grow within Nick Saban’s defense. Downs had a stellar showing on Saturday night against Mississippi State. The true freshman tallied 13 tackles along with an interception and pass breakup. The interception came on a 4th and 4 in the fourth quarter, with Downs jumping a Will Rogers pass. Downs finished the game as Alabama’s top-graded defender per Pro Football Focus. Given how he’s played the past few games, Downs is tracking to live up to his lofty expectations as a freshman.

Downs ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in the 2023 On300.

S Jalon Kilgore – South Carolina

Jalon Kilgore was a bright spot in South Carolina’s loss to Tennessee. The true freshman was pressed into duty in week one and has continued to play at a very high level. The Eatonton (Ga.) Putnam County product stuffed the stat sheet, racking up 13 solo tackles, 3 assists, an interception and pass breakup. Kilgore’s combination of strong coverage and active tackling consistently jumped out. Like Caleb Downs, Kilgore was also his teams’ highest-graded defender this week per Pro Football Focus. Kilgore ranked as the No. 168 overall prospect in the 2023 On300.