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Top 12 Impact Freshmen
Top 12 Impact Freshmen
<TABLE style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px" width="97%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" vAlign=top><TABLE style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px" width="100%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"> After a year that a good portion of the freshman class stood up and played like old veterans, this year’s class will enter with some high expectations. Players like Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson, and Marshawn Lynch are going into their sophomore seasons as perhaps the best players on their teams, and there are several teams across the country hoping to capture that same type of impact in one of their young talents. So, after going over recruit lists and depth charts, these are the 12 players that I believe will have the biggest impacts on their new teams in 2005.
12. Jemario O’Neal, DB Ohio State
The Buckeye secondary is a talented one, but as it showed against Texas, can be susceptible to the big plays. What’s one thing that can stop big plays? A playmaker; enter Jemario O’Neal. He came out of a High School as a top corner prospect, but could play Safety as well, in fact, many believe that he’s got Sean Taylor type potential if he stays there long term. He’s a huge hitter, and has that elite corner speed, so it’s just a matter of getting him mentally prepared before he’s ready to step in, probably sometime around midseason.
11. Marlon Lucky, RB Nebraska
Remember this name, Lucky will be the man that returns the Huskers to their glory days. His signing with Nebraska coming out of North Hollywood California was probably a surprise to most, but to Bill Callahan it was a godsend. The fist year attempting the West Coast offense was admittedly fairly ugly, the lone bright spot being incumbent RB Cory Ross; but that will soon change. Lucky is the perfect WCO back, very fast, great hands, and vision, so it’s just a matter of time before he gets serious game action.
10.Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon
When a team like the Ducks get a player who many consider the top at his position coming out of high school, he’s going to play right away, no matter who else they have on the offense. He’s in pretty much the same position that Adrian Peterson last year with OU, an experienced Senior QB leading the offense (Kellen Clemons), very good talent at WR (Williams, Colvin, Tim Day), and a veteran back whose started in the past (Terrence Whitehead); and also just like AD, despite all those returners, Stewart has shown very early in the season that he’s more capable of being the guy that the offense revolves around.
9. Kevin Grady, RB Michigan
Kind of an odd choice, considering that the Wolverines have a sophomore RB who some consider the best of his entire class in Mike Hart, but Grady will be looking at a lot of run this year. After Hart went down against ND, Grady came in and held his own, though it was very clear that he was a freshman. Once the season goes on, and they start figuring out the best way to rotate between Hart and Grady, both of their games should pick up, and that will mean nothing but bad things for Big Ten defenses.
8. Justin King, CB/WR Penn St.
It could be a while before Justin King isn’t looked at as the “other star recruit,” but that shouldn’t faze him. King is more versatile than Williams, just because he’ll be depended heavily on playing both offense and defense. It’ll be Paterno’s job to find a good balance for King, as to not tire him out, but at the same time not waste his talents. The only guarantee about exactly what his duties will be is that he’s going to be starting somewhere on the Penn St. depth chart, and of course making big time plays.
7. Jamaal Charles, RB Texas
Despite most of the nation expecting the RB position for the Longhorns to be a season long battle between Selvyn Young and Ramonce Taylor, Jamaal Charles is the man who has emerged. A rare breed for UT, Charles brings true breakaway speed to the table, that’s not to say he can’t be the same workhorse back that Horn fans have grown to expect. His 4000+ yards over his final two seasons in High School should have prepared him nicely to be Vince Young’s sidekick in the backfield. Then again, all that really matters to Texas fans is that they now have another potent weapon to throw at the Sooners when they meet up at the Red River Shootout.
6.Barry Turner, DE Nebraska
Of all the top players that Nebraska picked up in last year’s excellent recruiting class, the most important may be a lesser known DE who was amongst their final commitments. All offseason, Barry Turner’s play has earned him a load of respect, and hype, fro the Husker faithful, leading many to believe that he’ll not only beat out one of the Blackshirt’s veteran DE’s, but also lead the entire freshman class in sacks. It’s a risky selection, especially for the top 5, but the smart money says that if this kid gets on the field with any type of consistency, he’ll make plays.
5. Derrick Williams, WR Penn St.
There are some players that go to a certain college knowing that they’ll likely have to sit a few years before getting their chance at stardom; Derrick Williams is not one of those players. The minute he signed the letter of intent to play for PSU, he became the most dangerous player on the offense, and there’s no way that Joe Paterno will keep his star recruit off the field. Expect the high school QB to be used in a number of different ways, very similar to last year’s phenom Ted Ginn, that is to say returning, wide receiver, maybe a little cornerback, and even lining up in the backfield some occasions. How effective he’ll be really depends on the amount of touches he can get, because the sky’s the limit for his potential.
4. Desean Jackson, WR California
When a team loses its top QB, RB, WRs, and TE as California did, it’s safe to say there’s going to some offensive kinks to work out. Everyone knows that the 05 version of the Golden Bear offense will live and die by Marshawn Lynch, but High School All American Desean Jackson will be the man that gets the passing game off the ground. He’s probably right there with Lynch as the fastest man on the team, and proved in the Army AA game that he can be a deadly vertical threat. The only problem is that QB Joseph Ayoob needs to show more consistency throwing the ball before anyone can really depend on Jackson for the big numbers like Dwayne Jarrett or Calvin Johnson.
3. Jason Gwaltney, RB West Virginia
West Virginia has been known for making little known Running Backs into fairly big names on the college football scene, but they wouldn’t really have much NFL impact; USC on the other hand is, well, USC. That’s why when this 5 star RB from Long Island chose to head to Morgantown and play for the Volunteers, it showed that even the recruiting powers can be burned by kids who want to play early. Gwaltney will get that chance and then some, probably being the starting back at some point before the meat of the Big East schedule. Gwaltney’s powerful running style will fit well within the WVU offense, and he’ll be sure to make his presence known in the newly redesigned Big East. It’s not out of the question that a Big East title run will be set squarely on this kid’s shoulders.
2. Kenny Phillips, S Miami
There’s pretty much a guarantee that every year Miami will have at least one true freshman who plays way above his head, it’s just a matter of finding the right guy. Last year everyone expected it to be Willie Williams, but he missed the year so a highly touted WR (Lance Leggett) and a 3 star safety (Anthony Reddick) stole the show. This year, there’s not that much doubt, it’s going to be Ken Phillips. Probably one of the best safety recruits of the past ten years, Phillips has been compared to both Ed Reed and Sean Taylor at times (conveniently his two favorite players), and has come into Miami with the desire to do nothing but dominate from Day One. With the loss of Reddick to a torn ACL, Phillips moves into the starting lineup next to either Greg Threat or Brandon Meriweather, meaning Kenny has to start realizing that potential very soon.
1. Fred Rouse, WR Florida St.
Everyone in the country should have known that Fred Rouse was going to Florida St. He’s from FSU factory Lincoln HS in Tallahassee, worked out all the time on campus, and is good friends with Nole QB Xavier Lee; but Rouse still talked up Texas, Miami, etc. right up until Signing Day just to draw attention to himself. After his junior year in High School he was quoted in ESPN Magazine saying that he’d declare for the Draft if he were able to. Why? Same reason, attention. And how can he get away with doing all this? Because he’s the man. With FSU losing it’s top 3 WRs, along with both Chris Rix and Wyatt Sexton, that offense needs a whole new passing identity, and whoever wins that starting QB job will soon learn that’s he’s the best WR they have on the roster, even now never having played a game.
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12. Jemario O’Neal, DB Ohio State
The Buckeye secondary is a talented one, but as it showed against Texas, can be susceptible to the big plays. What’s one thing that can stop big plays? A playmaker; enter Jemario O’Neal. He came out of a High School as a top corner prospect, but could play Safety as well, in fact, many believe that he’s got Sean Taylor type potential if he stays there long term. He’s a huge hitter, and has that elite corner speed, so it’s just a matter of getting him mentally prepared before he’s ready to step in, probably sometime around midseason.
11. Marlon Lucky, RB Nebraska
Remember this name, Lucky will be the man that returns the Huskers to their glory days. His signing with Nebraska coming out of North Hollywood California was probably a surprise to most, but to Bill Callahan it was a godsend. The fist year attempting the West Coast offense was admittedly fairly ugly, the lone bright spot being incumbent RB Cory Ross; but that will soon change. Lucky is the perfect WCO back, very fast, great hands, and vision, so it’s just a matter of time before he gets serious game action.
10.Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon
When a team like the Ducks get a player who many consider the top at his position coming out of high school, he’s going to play right away, no matter who else they have on the offense. He’s in pretty much the same position that Adrian Peterson last year with OU, an experienced Senior QB leading the offense (Kellen Clemons), very good talent at WR (Williams, Colvin, Tim Day), and a veteran back whose started in the past (Terrence Whitehead); and also just like AD, despite all those returners, Stewart has shown very early in the season that he’s more capable of being the guy that the offense revolves around.
9. Kevin Grady, RB Michigan
Kind of an odd choice, considering that the Wolverines have a sophomore RB who some consider the best of his entire class in Mike Hart, but Grady will be looking at a lot of run this year. After Hart went down against ND, Grady came in and held his own, though it was very clear that he was a freshman. Once the season goes on, and they start figuring out the best way to rotate between Hart and Grady, both of their games should pick up, and that will mean nothing but bad things for Big Ten defenses.
8. Justin King, CB/WR Penn St.
It could be a while before Justin King isn’t looked at as the “other star recruit,” but that shouldn’t faze him. King is more versatile than Williams, just because he’ll be depended heavily on playing both offense and defense. It’ll be Paterno’s job to find a good balance for King, as to not tire him out, but at the same time not waste his talents. The only guarantee about exactly what his duties will be is that he’s going to be starting somewhere on the Penn St. depth chart, and of course making big time plays.
7. Jamaal Charles, RB Texas
Despite most of the nation expecting the RB position for the Longhorns to be a season long battle between Selvyn Young and Ramonce Taylor, Jamaal Charles is the man who has emerged. A rare breed for UT, Charles brings true breakaway speed to the table, that’s not to say he can’t be the same workhorse back that Horn fans have grown to expect. His 4000+ yards over his final two seasons in High School should have prepared him nicely to be Vince Young’s sidekick in the backfield. Then again, all that really matters to Texas fans is that they now have another potent weapon to throw at the Sooners when they meet up at the Red River Shootout.
6.Barry Turner, DE Nebraska
Of all the top players that Nebraska picked up in last year’s excellent recruiting class, the most important may be a lesser known DE who was amongst their final commitments. All offseason, Barry Turner’s play has earned him a load of respect, and hype, fro the Husker faithful, leading many to believe that he’ll not only beat out one of the Blackshirt’s veteran DE’s, but also lead the entire freshman class in sacks. It’s a risky selection, especially for the top 5, but the smart money says that if this kid gets on the field with any type of consistency, he’ll make plays.
5. Derrick Williams, WR Penn St.
There are some players that go to a certain college knowing that they’ll likely have to sit a few years before getting their chance at stardom; Derrick Williams is not one of those players. The minute he signed the letter of intent to play for PSU, he became the most dangerous player on the offense, and there’s no way that Joe Paterno will keep his star recruit off the field. Expect the high school QB to be used in a number of different ways, very similar to last year’s phenom Ted Ginn, that is to say returning, wide receiver, maybe a little cornerback, and even lining up in the backfield some occasions. How effective he’ll be really depends on the amount of touches he can get, because the sky’s the limit for his potential.
4. Desean Jackson, WR California
When a team loses its top QB, RB, WRs, and TE as California did, it’s safe to say there’s going to some offensive kinks to work out. Everyone knows that the 05 version of the Golden Bear offense will live and die by Marshawn Lynch, but High School All American Desean Jackson will be the man that gets the passing game off the ground. He’s probably right there with Lynch as the fastest man on the team, and proved in the Army AA game that he can be a deadly vertical threat. The only problem is that QB Joseph Ayoob needs to show more consistency throwing the ball before anyone can really depend on Jackson for the big numbers like Dwayne Jarrett or Calvin Johnson.
3. Jason Gwaltney, RB West Virginia
West Virginia has been known for making little known Running Backs into fairly big names on the college football scene, but they wouldn’t really have much NFL impact; USC on the other hand is, well, USC. That’s why when this 5 star RB from Long Island chose to head to Morgantown and play for the Volunteers, it showed that even the recruiting powers can be burned by kids who want to play early. Gwaltney will get that chance and then some, probably being the starting back at some point before the meat of the Big East schedule. Gwaltney’s powerful running style will fit well within the WVU offense, and he’ll be sure to make his presence known in the newly redesigned Big East. It’s not out of the question that a Big East title run will be set squarely on this kid’s shoulders.
2. Kenny Phillips, S Miami
There’s pretty much a guarantee that every year Miami will have at least one true freshman who plays way above his head, it’s just a matter of finding the right guy. Last year everyone expected it to be Willie Williams, but he missed the year so a highly touted WR (Lance Leggett) and a 3 star safety (Anthony Reddick) stole the show. This year, there’s not that much doubt, it’s going to be Ken Phillips. Probably one of the best safety recruits of the past ten years, Phillips has been compared to both Ed Reed and Sean Taylor at times (conveniently his two favorite players), and has come into Miami with the desire to do nothing but dominate from Day One. With the loss of Reddick to a torn ACL, Phillips moves into the starting lineup next to either Greg Threat or Brandon Meriweather, meaning Kenny has to start realizing that potential very soon.
1. Fred Rouse, WR Florida St.
Everyone in the country should have known that Fred Rouse was going to Florida St. He’s from FSU factory Lincoln HS in Tallahassee, worked out all the time on campus, and is good friends with Nole QB Xavier Lee; but Rouse still talked up Texas, Miami, etc. right up until Signing Day just to draw attention to himself. After his junior year in High School he was quoted in ESPN Magazine saying that he’d declare for the Draft if he were able to. Why? Same reason, attention. And how can he get away with doing all this? Because he’s the man. With FSU losing it’s top 3 WRs, along with both Chris Rix and Wyatt Sexton, that offense needs a whole new passing identity, and whoever wins that starting QB job will soon learn that’s he’s the best WR they have on the roster, even now never having played a game.
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