With the 2024 college football regular season coming to a close, ESPN’s Tom Luginbill has released his True Freshman All-American Team. There were plenty of highly touted freshmen with chances to make an impact this season, but a few stood out among the rest.
From Florida quarterback DJ Lagway to a pair of star wide receivers in Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams, there’s plenty offensive firepower primed to takeover college football for the next couple of years. On the other hand, South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart and Texas’ Colin Simmons led the way on the defensive side of the football.
Aside from the obvious stars, there were a bevy of true freshman who deserved recognition after their first season in college football. Check out who ESPN’s Luginbill decided to honor below, with so many impressive athletes to choose from.
ESPN’s 2024 True Freshman All-American Team — Offense:
QB: DJ Lagway, Florida
No true freshman quarterback had more of an effect on winning at their respective program than DJ Lagway. Lagway took over for Florida following the season-ending injury for Graham Mertz and led the Gators to wins in four of their last five games, providing a bunch of positive momentum heading into the offseason in Gainesville.
We saw the top-notch physical skill set that made DJ Lagway the No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 quarterback for On3 in the 2024 cycle. He has a top-shelf arm with the ability to make some eye-popping throws, and on top of that he is very tough to bring down in the pocket and also provides a run threat. Lagway looks to be one of the top quarterback talents in all of college football entering next season and is a franchise piece for Florida and Billy Napier to build around.
RB: Ahmad Hardy, Louisiana-Monroe
Ahmad Hardy was the most productive running back among true freshmen, with 1,346 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Not only is Hardy a standout among true freshmen, he finished among the top 10 nationally.
Hardy was a big piece of Louisiana-Monroe’s offense as a true freshman, rushing for over 1,000 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. He was able to maximize his yardage and looks to be a budding star in the Group of Five. Hardy came into college on the heels of a big senior season in high school, where he rushed for 2,200 yards.
RB: Fluff Bothwell, South Alabama
After going unranked in high school Fluff Bothwell made an instant impact for South Alabama. He ran for 832 yards and 13 touchdowns on 111 carries this past season, all while splitting time with Kentrel Bullock.
Whether he remains with the Jaguars is a question for another time, as he’s certainly being courted by a bevy of Power 4 teams. Luginbill noted that the lack of wear-and-tear that Bothwell possesses will make him an attractive runner to plenty of big-name programs moving forward.
WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
On3 tabbed Jeremiah Smith as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 cycle and as the top wide receiver to come through high school football in the last 15 years. Smith lived up to those lofty expectations as a true freshman and was not only the best receiver in a loaded group of freshman pass-catchers, but was also the top overall offensive player this season.
Smith led all true freshmen in both receiving yards and touchdowns and was instantly the top wide receiver talent on Ohio State’s campus the second he enrolled, which knowing the history and how Ohio State recruits the position is just a massive indicator of his overall talent. At 6 foot 3, 220 pounds with high-end athleticism, elite route-running ability and high end ball skills, Jeremiah Smith is already one of the top receivers in college football.
WR: Ryan Williams, Alabama
Ryan Williams looked like one of the most electric playmakers in college football as a 17-year-old true freshman. He had one of the top single-game performances and individual plays of the college football season against Georgia, leading the Crimson Tide to a massive win.
Williams entered Alabama following a reclassification from the 2025 to 2024 cycles and was one of the most productive high school prospects in a loaded year at wide receiver. We saw his elite athleticism transfer over seamlessly to college football. He is a top deep threat, lethal with the ball in his hands and showed the ability to make some eye-popping adjustments with the ball in the air.
WR: Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson
Bryant Wesco Jr. might have been overshadowed by the impressive play of Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams, but the Clemson wide receiver was incredible in his own right. He led all Tigers wide receivers by averaging 17.3 yards per catch in 2024.
However, Wesco truly put himself on the map during the ACC title game. That’s when he caught eight passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, proving he can get the job done when the lights are the brightest.
TE: Decker DeGraaf, Washington
Kalen DeBoer recruited Decker DeGraaf to Washington, and the Huskies are glad he stayed while the coach departed for the SEC. The tight end was only a three star recruit, but he made an impact from the jump, as his first catch of his career went for a 33-yard touchdown.
It wasn’t the best season for Washington, but the tight end made the most of his extended opportunity. He caught three touchdowns over the course of the season, and he’s ready to take another bite of the apple in 2025 with the Huskies.
OL: Jordan Seaton, Colorado
Jordan Seaton has been the top true freshman offensive lineman throughout the season. The former five-star-plus prospect manned the left tackle spot for Colorado, playing over 800 snaps and performed very well, particularly in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, Seaton surrendered just three sacks and 16 hurries, which is among the best of the group of Power Four offensive tackles who started as true freshmen.
Seaton came into college with a high level of polish in addition to play strength. Seaton looks to be a foundational building block along the offensive line as Deion Sanders continues to rebuild Colorado’s program.
OL: Anthonie Knapp, Notre Dame
A former blue-chip outlier for On3, Anthonie Knapp caught many by surprise when he won the starting job as a left tackle at Notre Dame following a preseason injury to Charles Jagusah. Despite likely being an interior offensive lineman long-term, Knapp has held down the left tackle spot admirably for Notre Dame.
He came into college with an advanced level of technical skills in addition to physical play and good athleticism. According to Pro Football Focus, Knapp played close to 700 snaps for the Fighting Irish at left tackle and surrendered just 15 hurries on the season.
OL: Josiah Thompson, South Carolina
A five-star prospect who ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2024 cycle for On3, Josiah Thompson was considered to be a high-upside, developmental talent at the position. Despite the belief that he could have benefited from a redshirt year and time to add weight, Thompson quickly added 30 to 35 pounds and was able to lock down the starting left tackle job at South Carolina.
While he’s had some baptism-by-fire moments while playing against elite competition in the SEC, Josiah Thompson has shown the type of high-end ability and potential that made him such a touted prospect. Thompson is on track to be a three-to-four-year starter for the Gamecocks and is a big piece of Shane Beamer’s efforts to improve South Carolina’s line play heading into next season.
OL: Tyler Mercer, North Texas
Tyler Mercer was the top true freshman offensive lineman in the Group of Five this season, manning the center spot for the Mean Green. Mercer played 565 snaps and only surrendered three pressures. He was very clean in pass protection.
Mercer comes from a program at Prosper High School in Texas that is an offensive line factory. He entered college with an advanced skill level and understanding for the position and that showed up with how he played as a true freshman.
OL: Aidan Banfield, North Carolina
Aidan Banfield was more than a solid contributor for North Carolina in 2024. He started nine games at left guard for the Tar Heels, after he chose to take his talents to Chapel Hill while being courted by a bevy of ACC programs.
He thought about leaving North Carolina, but he withdrew from the transfer portal after the hiring of Bill Belichick. That was certainly a win for the longtime NFL coach, as he dips his beak into the college football world, as Banfield figures to be a huge part of the Tar Heels offensive line moving forward.
All-Purpose: Isaac Brown, Louisville
Louisville looks to have found a gem in the All-American Isaac Brown, who was the top true freshman running back in the Power Four conferences this season. Brown emerged as the primary ball-carrier for Louisville midway through the season and really took off, finishing with over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground while averaging over seven yards per carry.
His ability to tempo his runs, to run with advanced vision and pace stands out. Brown had a ton of chunk plays in the back half of the season and really was a key driver in Louisville’s offensive success. He enters next season as one of the top running backs in the ACC, if not the country, and looks to be part of a really promising one-two punch of young running backs alongside fellow true freshman Duke Watson.
Defense:
DL: Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Dylan Stewart is the top true freshman pass-rusher that we’ve seen come through college football in recent memory. At 6 foot 6, 250 pounds, Stewart has elite athleticism and a budding pass-rush skill set. He was dominant off the edge as a true freshman, pairing with Kyle Kennard to give South Carolina arguably the top pass-rush duo in all of college football.
Stewart was highly disruptive and lived in opponents’ backfields. He generated 48 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s 21 more pressures than the next true freshman pass-rusher. Stewart looks to be one of the top overall young talents in college football entering next season. The former five-star-plus prospect is tracking to be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft should he continue to play at this level.
DL: Colin Simmons, Texas
Colin Simmons is an impact player and arguably the top pass-rusher on the nation’s No. 1 defense as a true freshman. He has been phenomenal in his first season of college football coming off the edge, notching seven sacks.
After Dylan Stewart, he’s the clear No. 2 pass-rusher among true freshmen. Simmons’ first-step quickness and ability to create constant disruption in the backfield really stands out for such a young player, helping get him onto this year’s All-American list.
DL: Jayden Jackson, Oklahoma
After making news by earning a starting role prior to the season, Jayden Jackson played well, played very well for Oklahoma along the defensive front as a true freshman.
Defensive line is a position where we typically don’t see a ton of true freshman impact, but Jayden Jackson was a key piece of Oklahoma’s front, playing 359 snaps and registering two sacks and 10 stops, according to Pro Football Focus.
DL: Malik Blocton, Auburn
All Malik Blocton did in high school was perform, and that didn’t change in college during his first season with Auburn. He notched 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks during the 2024 campaign, and he figures to be a building block for years to come with the Tigers.
Luginbill made sure to point out that his brother is Marcus Harris, who played at Auburn before taking his talents to the NFL, believing Blocton’s early returns show he’s on the same path at the moment.
LB: Sammy Brown, Clemson
Sammy Brown made an instant All-American impact on Clemson’s defense as a true freshman. We saw the former five-star-plus prospect make a bunch of plays behind the line of scrimmage this fall.
He finished the regular season with 10.5 tackles for a loss and 5.0 sacks, good for second on Clemson’s defense in both categories. Brown was one of the most athletic prospects in the 2024 cycle. We saw his outstanding play speed, physicality and high effort level show up on the field as a true freshman. Clemson’s defense was clearly better when Brown was on the field, particularly at the end of the season.
LB: Simeon Coleman, Cincinnati
Simeon Coleman emerged as an impact true freshman on Cincinnati’s defense, finishing the regular season with 32 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. Coleman particularly stood out as a run defender.
He was credited with 16 stops, according to Pro Football Focus. He comes from a top high school program at St. Frances and came into college with a high level of development and was able to make an early impact for the Bearcats.
LB: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa showcased why he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He’s been a tremendous all-around talent for Notre Dame, rushing off the edge while also flashing in coverage over the course of the 2024 campaign.
All told, Viliamu-Asa accumulated 29 tackles, a sack and an interception this season. He missed a game due to a knee injury in November, but he figures to be a key piece of the Fighting Irish’s defense moving forward in his collegiate career.
DB: OJ Frederique, Miami
OJ Frederique looks like a great find out of south Florida by the Miami staff. He played 554 snaps over his true freshman season and only gave up 14 completions, according to Pro Football Focus.
We saw Frederique’s ball skills and natural cover instincts on display. He came down with two interceptions and four pass breakups and made several impact plays in pass coverage, particularly in ACC play.
DB: Eli Bowen, Oklahoma
Eli Bowen emerged as a key player in Oklahoma’s secondary as a true freshman. We saw him make a big impact against top competition throughout the season. He was stellar in Oklahoma’s game against Texas and came down with an interception in the Sooners’ big win over Alabama.
Bowen played over 400 snaps and was the highest-graded true freshman corner who saw significant action, according to Pro Football Focus. His high level of coverage polish, physicality as a tackler and just ability to be around the ball and make plays stood out in high school and continues to show up early in his college career.
DB: Koi Perich, Minnesota
Few true freshmen made a bigger impact than Koi Perich. Perich was a game-changer for Minnesota’s defense once he assumed a key role a month into the season. It’s not a surprise that we saw the Golden Gophers turn their season around once he got on the field.
Perich led the Big Ten and all true freshmen with five interceptions. He’s an instinctive player who completely changed the identity of Minnesota’s defense while on the field. The defensive back looks to be a top talent for PJ Fleck and one the Golden Gophers will look to build their defense around in years to come.
DB: KJ Bolden, Georgia
KJ Bolden was a huge recruiting win for Georgia late in the 2024 cycle, and that paid dividends for the Bulldogs as Bolden was a key contributor in the Bulldogs’ secondary as a true freshman. He logged 482 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and surrendered just 86 yards in coverage.
We saw Bolden earn his first career start against Florida and play at a very high level in that game. He’s continued to show his versatility with his range and physicality and looks to be the next top safety talent out of Athens.
DB: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
In his first season in South Bend, Leonard Moore has proven to be more than the three-star rating assigned to him when he was coming out of high school. He was thrust into the starting lineup for the Fighting Irish after Benjamin Morrison’s injury, and he’s performed admirably in his stead.
All in all, Moore accumulated 37 total tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles, incredible numbers for a true freshman at defensive back. If Notre Dame makes a run at a national title this season, Moore will be a key piece as to how they got there.
On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this article.
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