5 freshmen standouts who could be the next big thing in college football ft. Dylan Stewart
The 2024 college football season has featured several freshmen who have emerged as potential stars. One of the standouts this year has been South Carolina Gamecocks' edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who has become a vital part of his team's defense.
Along with Stewart, here are the other four freshmen that could be the next big thing in the league.
#1 Dylan Stewart- South Carolina Gamecocks Edge Rusher
Stewart showed fans that he was a player to look out for this season. South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) defeated Old Dominion Monarchs (4-5, 3-2 Sun Belt-East) 23-19 in Week 1 on Aug. 31. Stewart would play an important role in his first game by getting three solo tackles and two forced fumbles. Since Week 1, the edge rusher has remained a defensive threat for South Carolina.
Stewart has 13 solo tackles and 5.5 fumbles for the season. In Week 10, he had two solo tackles and one sack in the Gamecocks 44-20 victory over the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies (7-2, 5-1 SEC) on Nov. 2.
This Saturday, South Carolina will face the No. 24 Vanderbilt Commodores (6-3, 3-2 SEC). The team will look for Stewart to play another significant role in claiming their third consecutive win.
#2 Jeremiah Smith- Ohio State Buckeyes Wide Receiver
The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) have relied on freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as a key option in the team's offense. Smith has 39 receptions for 678 yards and eight touchdowns for the season.
One of his best performances was Ohio State's 47-10 win over the Michigan State Spartans (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) in Week 5 on Sep. 28. Smith ended the game with five receptions for 83 yards and one touchdown. He also had one carry for 19 yards and ran for his second touchdown.
The Buckeyes will face Purdue Boilermakers (1-7, 0-5 Big Ten) this Saturday. Smith has been targeted at least thrice per game and could have another great showing in the Week 11 matchup.
#3 Issac Brown-Louisville Cardinals Running Back
Running back Issac Brown has been a great offensive option for the No. 25 Louisville Cardinals (6-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast). He has 106 carries for 800 yards and seven touchdowns in his first year.
Brown's breakout moment this season came during the Cardinals' 24-20 win over the Virginia Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3 ACC) in Week 7 on Oct. 12 . He had 20 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Due to an open week, Louisville will be out of action for Week 11. Brown will get a chance to showcase his running ability when the Cardinals take on Stanford Cardinal (2-7, 1-5 ACC) on Nov. 16.
#4 Dylan Raiola- Nebraska Cornhuskers Quarterback
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) trusted Dylan Raiola to lead the team as the starting quarterback in his freshman year. Although he's had some ups and downs, Raiola has shown he has the potential to be great.
Raiola has thrown for 1,921 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. His best game occurred in Nebraska's 40-7 win over UTEP Miners (1-8, 1-5 Conference USA) in Week 1. He completed 19 of 27 attempts for 238 yards and had two touchdowns.
The freshman quarterback has received negative attention from fans lately for trying to emulate NFL Kansas City Chief quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Raiola has shown that he isn't on Mahomes' level yet. He'll have more time to progress into a threat as he continues his college career next season.
#5 Ryan Williams- Alabama Crimson Tide Wide Receiver
No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2, 3-2 SEC) wide receiver Ryan Williams has become an essential player for the team's offense. He leads the team in receiving 702 yards and seven touchdowns.
One of Williams' highlights of the season was Crimson Tide's 41-34 victory against No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) in Week 5. Williams had six receptions for 177 yards and one touchdown.
"The Tide" will take on the No. 14 LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-1) this Saturday. The rookie will be crucial in Alabama's success against their conference rivals.