NFL Draft can wait: 5 true freshmen who are already dominating college football

In the scouting world, we are always looking for the newest sensation. This year, college football is offering plenty of options with true freshmen ranking among some of this year’s most exhilarating performers.

Before breaking down the who’s who among our October list of the Top 5 freshmen in college football — complete with scouting reports and player comps — it is worth explaining why many first-year players are making such an immediate impact.

[Related: Why Colorado’s Travis Hunter is an unprecedented NFL Draft prospect]

Certainly, the players themselves deserve a great deal of credit. Advanced training and coaching at the high school (and even earlier) levels have also made an undeniable impact.

Perhaps even more significant are the new rules of today’s college football. Coaches no longer have the luxury of redshirting supremely talented underclassmen in the hopes of saving them for future seasons. Those players now have the option of transferring elsewhere in search of more immediate playing time or NIL opportunities.

That was the case, for example, with Pitt‘s quarterback Eli Holstein, who began his college career at Alabama. And while Holstein has been impressive, he and other redshirt freshmen (like Texas‘ Arch Manning and Tennessee‘s Nico Iamaleava are technically in their second seasons at the college level and were, therefore, excluded from this article.

Only the best of the best first-year freshmen were eligible here. And much to the chagrin of NFL scouts, that means they are at least two more full seasons away from the draft. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t enjoy them.

Here is our look at the top 5 freshmen you simply have to see to believe.

Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Heights and weights listed were provided by their schools. 

Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska, 6-3, 230

Coming off of the worst statistical performance of his young career (13-for-27 for 134 yards and no touchdowns with an interception), it would have been easy to drop Raiola from this list. To do so, however, would be to ignore the excitement that the Husker legacy has brought back to Lincoln, guiding Nebraska to a 5-1 start, including Saturday’s conference win over a gritty and previously undefeated Rutgers squad. Through six games, Raiola is completing 66.9% of his passes for 1,358 yards and nine touchdowns with three interceptions.

The five victories already equal last year’s total for a once-proud Nebraska program that has not enjoyed a winning season since 2016. His father, Dominic, was a center at Nebraska from 1997-2000, helping the Huskers win the national championship as a redshirt freshman.

It remains to be seen if the young Raiola can match his father’s success in the NFL. Dominic was the 50th overall selection in 2001 and started 203 games over 14 seasons for the Detroit Lions.

Scouting report: Dylan already possesses a pro-caliber frame with plenty of arm strength. He really layers the ball nicely on throws that require touch, feathering the ball over the top of defenders and leading his receivers to open space. For a young quarterback, he shows impressive awareness as well, deftly looking off coverage before firing accurate lobs downfield. 

Player comp: Wearing No. 15 in red will almost surely draw some comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs‘ superstar Patrick Mahomes, but in terms of both size and throwing style, Raiola reminds me more of a young Jameis Winston.

Colin Simmons, Edge, Texas, 6-3, 245

As long as Steve Sarkisian is calling the plays in Austin, it will almost surely be offensive players (like Manning or wideout Ryan Wingo) generating most of the buzz around the Longhorns, but don’t overlook Simmons in the team’s ascent to No. 1 overall in the latest polls.

The silky-smooth Dallas native leads the Longhorns in both tackles for loss (six) and sacks (four) in the early season, recording 18 tackles through the first five games. He was terrific in Texas’ SEC home debut against Mississippi State in the Longhorns’ last game, setting career-highs with seven stops overall, as well as three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.

Scouting report: It’s early, but Simmons already flashes the burst, bend and change of direction to project as a longtime difference-maker in the NFL. He times the snap well and complements his speed with a highly effective counter inside. 

Player comp: It might rile up Longhorns fans to compare their young star to a former rival, but I see shades of a young Von Miller (who starred at Texas A&M) in Simmons’ game.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State, 6-3, 215

Few programs consistently churn out NFL prospects like Ohio State. That is especially true at wide receiver, where the Buckeyes have had a staggering 13 players drafted in the past 10 years, including the last four in the first round. And the scary thing is none of them enjoyed the immediate success of Smith, who has hauled in six touchdowns (on 23 catches for 453 yards) over the first five games of his college career.

In this era of hyperbole, prospects are often characterized as “pro ready” long before they are, but with his prototypical size and chiseled frame, Smith already looks the part of an NFL veteran. It is easy to see why the Miami Gardens native was the consensus top-rated prep regardless of position last spring and has shot up the depth chart for a national title contending Buckeyes squad.

Scouting report: Smith’s size and speed combination make him an obvious mismatch, but he also possesses impressive body control and very strong hands. As you can see above, he is already a one-handed snag specialist.

Player comp: His ability to twirl, pluck, break tackles and leave opponents in his wake reminds me of the Philadelphia Eagles‘ standout AJ Brown.

Dylan Stewart, Edge, South Carolina, 6-6, 248

You’ll have to excuse Gamecocks‘ fans for crowing early, but South Carolina hasn’t boasted an edge rusher with this kind of juice since Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall selection a decade ago. 

Stewart signed with South Carolina amid great fanfare, traveling from Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington D.C. as one of the more highly touted defenders in the country. He’s certainly lived up to his billing thus far, recording 12 tackles in five games, with half of them coming behind the line of scrimmage, including 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Stewart was one of the few bright spots for South Carolina in last week’s ugly 27-3 loss to Ole Miss, recording three tackles for loss and a sack.

Scouting report: Like his predecessor Clowney, Stewart boasts a rare combination of height and explosiveness off the edge. He can beat tackles with a pure speed rush, greasing the corner like he’s lathered in Crisco. He is also highly physical, pushing would-be blockers into the lap of their quarterback with a simple bull rush. Perhaps best of all, he’s surprisingly polished already. Just watch the coordination above between his slap, shoulder dip and close on this pass rush, for example.

Player comp: Stewart’s combination of height, burst, bend and power reminds me of a young Montez Sweat at Mississippi State. Here’s a scary thought for opponents, however: Stewart is significantly more advanced at this point in his college career than Sweat, a former first round pick and 2023 Pro Bowler with 43.5 career sacks.

Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama, 6-1, 165

His last name might leave him last on the list for this article, but regardless of position, Alabama’s 17-year-old star pass-catcher just might be the most impressive freshman in the country over the first half of the 2024 season.

It is easy to venture into hyperbole with Williams, who is averaging a staggering 28.6 yards per reception over his first five games, hauling in six touchdowns during that span. And make no mistake, this isn’t Williams feasting on lower-level competition. Williams enjoyed his best game against Georgia, snagging six grabs for 177 yards and, as you can see below, the game-sealing touchdown against the Bulldogs.

Scouting report: Like the others on this list, Williams is no surprise to scouts. While he is technically the youngest player in D-I football, Williams signed with the Crimson Tide as the two-time Mr. Alabama as a prep. His rare acceleration, body control and soft hands have already made him a featured weapon in Kalen DeBoer’s high-octane offense. 

Player comp: Given his slight frame, savvy beyond his years and Alabama pedigree, Williams will surely draw plenty of comparisons to Alabama’s Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith. For those a generation older, there are similarities to a young Marvin Harrison (the Hall of Famer, not his rookie son), as well.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.

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