The landscape of college football has changed in recent years, with NIL becoming more and more of a factor. That has led to some major transfers, but also an increase in playing time for the top true freshmen in the country.
Through the first three weeks of the season, there have been several true freshmen who have already made their marks as some of the best players in college football.
Let’s break down the top 10 true freshmen so far, which includes some standouts on both sides of the ball.
Michigan QB Bryce Underwood
The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood was thrust into the spotlight as the starter from Week 1 on, and he has looked the part for a freshman.
Through the first three games of the season, Underwood has 628 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while completing 57.5 percent of his passes.
Now, the numbers may jump off the page, but Underwood has been a good decision-maker thus far, while not getting as much support from the pieces around him.
The Wolverines have already dropped eight passes this year, which is an ugly 14.8 percent rate. And Underwood has been pressured 23 times through three games.
Still, he has done well to get the ball out quickly (2.68 seconds average time to throw), and he has a very solid 13.8 percent pressure-to-sack rate, which is impressive when considering that he’s limited turnover-worthy plays so far.
There’s obviously room to grow, but for a true freshman, Underwood is looking the part through three games.
Cal QB Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele
Perhaps the most underrated top recruit so far in the 2025 class, Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele had a late change in his recruitment when he flipped from Oregon to Cal, giving the Bears their successor to Fernando Mendoza.
Keawe-Sagapolutele became the Week 1 starter for Cal and had an amazing performance with some big-time throws against Oregon State, throwing for 234 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-15 win on the road.
Through three games, he has 780 passing yards, six touchdowns, and an interception, while helping his team beat Oregon State and Minnesota en route to a 3-0 start.
Keawe-Sagapolutele has also dealt with a 10.1 percent drop rate, but he’s done an amazing job with only two turnover-worthy plays to date, while pushing the ball down the field with his strong arm. He’s also done a good job navigating pressure and gets the ball out quickly, which are musts for a true freshman quarterback.
Don’t be surprised to see his name rise amongst all college football quarterbacks as the season goes on.
A five-star recruit in the Class of 2025, Dakorien Moore has taken full advantage of his early opportunity with the Oregon Ducks.
With lead receiver Evan Stewart likely out for the season, Moore has emerged as quarterback Dante Moore’s go-to guy, becoming one of the top quarterback-receiver combos in the country.
Through three games, Moore has nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. The five-star is dealing with a hip injury that could cause him to miss Week 4, but he is starting to emerge at the right time for the Ducks.
Oklahoma LT Michael Fasusi
Yes, he’s only played one game. But, 2025 five-star offensive lineman Michael Fasusi has been thrown into the fire as Oklahoma’s starting left tackle. He got a tough challenge, playing the Michigan Wolverines in his collegiate debut, and was able to hold up well.
Fasusi had 34 pass-blocking snaps, allowing just two pressures from quarterback John Mateer’s blindside, while not allowing a single penalty. He played 66 overall snaps, and held his own for the most part in a tough situation for a college freshman.
Fasusi missed Week 3 after leaving the Michigan game late with an injury, and will hope to return for the SEC opener in Week 4 against the No. 22 Auburn Tigers this weekend.
Penn State EDGE Chaz Coleman
Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman has been phenomenal to start the season. A four-star recruit from Ohio, Coleman has blasted onto the scene as a situational pass-rusher for the Nittany Lions, leading the team with 10 pressures and a whopping 28.6 percent win rate through three games.
In true pass sets, that figure jumps up to 42.9 percent. That’s ridiculous for a true freshman, even with the small sample size. Coleman does have some things to clean up as a run defender (three missed tackles so far), but that production as a pass-rusher cannot be ignored.
He seems to be next in a long line of Penn State pass rushers.
Maryland DLs Sidney Stewart & Zahir Mathis
Maryland hit paydirt with its 2025 recruiting class, namely with three-star defensive lineman Sidney Stewart and four-star Zahir Mathis.
Both players have immediately become front-line starters for the Terrapins, and they’re already wreaking havoc at the collegiate level.
Stewart leads the Terrapins with 13 pressures, recording two sacks over the first three games. He’s also third on the team in defensive snaps, and has seven run stops already.
Mathis, on the other hand, has averaged over 40 snaps per game, and is second on the team with 10 pressures. His 18.6 percent win rate leads the team, and that jumps up to 33.3 percent in true pass sets.
Both players are already key fixtures for the Maryland defense, and will look to make their names known in Big Ten play.
A three-star recruit in the Class of 2025, Miami Hurricanes slot receiver Malachi Toney has been one of the biggest revelations of the college football season so far.
Making his collegiate debut on primetime against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Toney caught six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, helping the Canes get a crucial victory.
Since then, he’s emerged as Carson Beck’s lead receiver, catching 18 passes for 228 yards through the first three games. Those numbers lead all true freshmen receivers at the Power 4 level, so Toney is clearly making a mark early.
At 5’11, his separation and quickness out of the slot has been big for Beck, who has emerged as a top Heisman contender early in the season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes were looking for an answer at running back to replace NFL second-round picks Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. And they may have their answer with true freshman Bo Jackson.
A four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, Jackson has exploded to start his collegiate career, rushing for 217 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 12.1 yards per carry through his first two games.
Yes, they were against Grambling and Ohio, but Jackson eclipsed 100 yards on under 10 carries in both games, and is looking to be the answer for the Buckeyes at running back.
Maryland QB Malik Washington
A four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, Malik Washington was handed the keys to the Maryland Terrapins program, and he’s looked the part through three games.
In wins over FAU, Northern Illinois and Towson, Washington has tossed for 773 yards, six touchdowns, and an interception, while completing 62 percent of his passes.
The quarterback has especially capitalized on the deep ball to the sidelines, connecting on seven passes of over 20 yards, with four of them going for touchdowns. He has also dealt with seven drops, which would have improved his completion rate, but the four-star has looked good early on.
He now has his first true test against the Wisconsin Badgers this weekend on the road to kick off Big Ten play.
