In just a few weeks, nearly every other signatory in the Class of 2022 will have enrolled in their school of choice ahead of summer practices. Some, however, have already given fans a taste of their potential during spring training by signing up early. College football coaches — especially those in programs that recruit at the highest level — won’t hesitate to put real freshmen on the field this fall, especially if they arrived on campus in January.
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was a prime example of that last year, as he became one of the Bulldogs’ best players as a true freshman. While this may not be the year of the quarterback in terms of true freshman stars, there will be plenty of contributors.
In a recent episode of the “Late Kick” podcast, Josh Pate of 247Sports singled out five real freshmen who he believes will make a big impact on their respective teams this fall. It’s worth noting that four of the five play skill positions – usually take longer for linemen to contribute. But one stallion in the trenches put enough on tape this spring to make Pate’s list.
Here’s a look at five real-life freshmen Pate says fans will want to keep an eye on this fall:
