Freshman-15: Week 5 (2024)
A weekly spotlight on 15 freshmen across the country who had standout performances. All stats are courtesy of PFF Premium Stats. (2024 season)
Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) dashes for the end zone in Alabama’s win over Georgia. Photo by Vasha Hunt/AP Photo
Ryan Williams
Snaps:
Slot - 11
Wide Out - 53
RB - 2
Stats:
Receiving - 7 targets, 6 catches, 177 yards, 29.5 YPA, 1 TD, 0 drops
Point blank: if you need me to explain why Ryan Williams is on this list, I am disappointed in you as a "college football fan." And for a performance as great as this one, the numbers do not do it justice. While they show dominance, they cannot show a moment.
Georgia had just taken a lead with 2:31 left in the game. Jalen Milroe took the snap from his own 25-yard-line and delivered a strike to Williams on the first play of the drive. Williams snatched the ball over Julian Humphrey and put a move on him and KJ Bolden, causing the defensive duo to run into each other. Williams ran down the sideline, evading Bolden one more time on the way to what would be the game-winning touchdown.
Oh yeah, add in the fact that Williams is only 17 years old, and it makes this even more crazy (I know, you did not need another reminder of how young he is but seriously, it's that crazy). This game may go down as one of the best of the CFP era, and Ryan Williams etched his name into the memories of all who watched with his game-winning play.
Arch Manning
Snaps:
QB - 64
Stats
Passing - 26/31, 83.9%, 324 yards, 10.5 YPA, 2 TDs, 0 INT
Rushing - 5 carries, 34 yards, 6.8 YPA, 1 TD
Manning logged his first SEC start against Mississippi State, the first SEC game ever for the Longhorns. Manning has now logged two starts while filling in for an injured Quinn Ewers, who is expected to return against Oklahoma following the Longhorns' bye week. Manning dominated, even if the Horns didn't cover the -37.5-point spread.
Manning had a great day passing the ball, he stood tall under pressure and delivered darts downfield, completing 2/3 passes when facing pressure for 57 yards and a touchdown. For most of the game Manning had a clean pocket, but his running ability was on display for the second week in a row, even if he didn't have a long touchdown run like he did last week.
Manning operated the offense excellently and has shown lots of growth since last season. Manning may not get many extended opportunities moving forward with QB Quinn Ewers returning for the Red River Showdown, but Austinites can rest assured that they have a contending team no matter who is in at quarterback.
Caden Durham
Snaps:
RB - 19
Slot - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 7 carries, 128 yards, 18.3 YPA, 1 TD
Receiving - 3 targets, 3 catches, 89 yards, 29.7 YPA, 1 TD
When Durham made his first appearance on the Freshman-15 list, I ended his segment by advising you to not be surprised when Caden Durham pops off some big plays. Against South Alabama, Durham did just that, but in excess.
Durham took a swing pass 71 yards to the house on the opening play of the game, and also had an 86-yard run before getting downed at the 1-yard line. Durham had a very impressive day but did it all before halftime. Durham found a spot on the bench due to the score but also because of a foot injury. Coach Brian Kelly said that he would not comment on the status of Durham with the Tigers having a bye week this week but said he should be ready to go when LSU plays Ole Miss the following week.
Durham has flashed his explosiveness in the limited touches he has gotten thus far, and if he doesn't miss time with injury, Durham could become the Tigers' starting running back during conference play.
Bryant Wesco Jr.
Snaps:
Slot - 4
Wide Out - 41
Stats:
Receiving - 6 targets, 2 catches, 104 yards, 52.0 YPC, 1 TD, 1 drop
Wesco has been inconsistent week-to-week, either tallying over 100 yards or less than 10 yards. His Week 5 performance against Stanford was a big one, and while it was not the kind of big performance many would like to see - he only brought in a third of his targets - Wesco helped his team with some big plays.
Wesco's two catches were both against zone coverage, the first one looking like busted coverage where Wesco found himself behind every single Cardinal defender. The ball was underthrown, however, so Wesco did not find the endzone. Wesco later scored where he faced Cover 2 and caught the ball in the space behind the corner in the flats. Wesco brought in the ball, cut inside and made the safety miss, walking into the endzone.
Wesco has shown that he has big-play ability and if he continues to get open now that Clemson is consistently facing ACC opponents, he will find himself getting more opportunities. Wesco should get a few targets each week moving forward.
Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed (10) sends a man in motion before the snap against Bowling Green. Photo by Kelii Horvath
Marcel Reed
Snaps:
QB - 62
Stats:
Passing - 11/22, 50.0%, 163 yards, 7.4 YPA, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing - 9 carries, 36 yards, 4.0 YPA, 1 TD, 1 fumble
For the third week in a row, Marcel Reed has gotten the nod on gameday as the starting quarterback for the Aggies. QB Conner Weigman continues to miss time with a throwing shoulder injury, and in his place, Reed has performed well, although more so as a runner than a passer as of late.
Reed struggled throwing the football against the Razorbacks of Arkansas, missing open receivers downfield and having some misfires in the intermediate game as well. Generally completing half of your passes is not good enough to get you on the Freshman-15 list. But Reed was not only able to throw for a pair of scores, but he also ran one in and did not have any turnovers, as the one time he fumbled the ball Arkansas was not able to fall on it.
As the Aggies host Missouri this weekend, Reed could find himself as the starting quarterback for yet another game, but there is optimism that Weigman will be ready for the only top 25 matchup of the week.
Danny O’Neil
Snaps:
QB - 68
RB - 1
Stats:
Passing - 14/23, 60.9%, 246 yards, 10.7 YPA, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing - 5 carries, 30 yards, 6.0 YPA, 0 fumbles
The true freshman logged a career-high 246 yards against Central Michigan, a game which saw the Chippewas get away with a victory after the Aztecs missed a pair of field goals in the second half. O'Neil was able to get points on the board early, however, and had a career day despite the loss.
O'Neil was able to support big days from his receivers and helped the offense move the ball efficiently against Central Michigan. While the first half followed this script, O'Neil's running game sputtered in the second half, despite going 5/8 in the passing game including a 40-yard toss. The Aztec running game, led by Ball State transfer Marquez Cooper, gained less than 30 yards on 24 carries in the second half. This poor second half performance was not enough to sustain a balanced offense, and as a result, O'Neil failed to find the endzone in the first half.
O'Neil and the Aztecs will hope to rebound after a tough loss, but after throwing for a career high he has a lot of momentum going into the next week.
Jeremiah Smith
Snaps:
Slot - 7
Wide Out - 50
Punt Return - 2
Stats:
Receiving - 6 targets, 5 catches, 83 yards, 16.6 YPC, 1 TD
Rushing - 1 carry, 19 yards, 19.0 YPA, 1 TD
Another week, another true freshman wide out putting up big numbers and making big-time plays. Smith was on the initial Freshman-15 list but had yet to make a second appearance. After his big week against Michigan State, which included a BIG catch, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 cycle is back on the self-proclaimed prestigious list.
Smith had an incredible one-handed catch that he took to the endzone, and it was delivered by QB Devin Brown, the Buckeyes' backup signal caller, as starter QB Will Howard got the wind knocked out of him. Smith made a highlight catch that was overshadowed by another big catch by a fellow freshman receiver (Ryan Williams, looking at you). The other impressive aspect of Smith's game is the rushing touchdown he added against the Spartans. Smith really can do it all.
Smith continues to be a top wide out alongside returner Emeka Egbuka, and Smith will continue to get opportunities as the season goes on for the Buckeyes.
Malcolm Simmons
Snaps:
Slot - 4
Wide Out - 3
Kick Return - 6
Special Teams - 7
Stats:
Receiving - 4 targets, 4 catches, 61 yards, 15.3 YPC, 1 TD
Simmons may not have been the most highly touted wide receiver in Auburn's latest recruiting class, with Perry Thompson and Cam Coleman both rated higher than him, but Simmons had a big day against the Sooners.
Simmons' big moment came with the game tied at 7-a-piece. Simmons found himself facing man coverage and ran a post. To the surprise of some, QB Payton Thorne threw a good ball downfield, and Simmons broke off his route at the perfect time to head up-field and snag the ball and head into the endzone.
Simmons didn't have many chances on the field to make an impact, but he had a very high ratio of targets to snaps. Maybe after this good showing Simmons will earn more snaps. But do not expect Simmons to put up big numbers on a consistent basis.
Kelvin Hill
Snaps:
Corner - 35
SS - 17
Special Teams - 7
Stats:
Defense - 5 tackles, 0 missed tackles, 1 target, 0 catches allowed, 1 PBU, 0 penalties
What Hill has been doing at UAB on a consistent snap count has been very impressive. Over the course of the year, the freshman has only allowed 2 catches for 9 yards and only been flagged once. Hill has been extremely disciplined, a rarity for young corners.
Hill has allowed an NFL passer rating of 39.6 so far when targeted, good for 16th best in the nation, regardless of classification, among qualifying corners. Hill has been that good in coverage. Hill is continuing to lockdown his side of the field, and against the triple option offense of Navy, he played more as a safety in the box and in run support.
Hill is not only proving his quality as a cover corner, but the way he has been reliable as a tackler and his versatility both show the talent the young defensive back possesses.
Ahmad Hardy
Snaps:
RB - 39
Stats:
Rushing - 28 carries, 107 yards, 3.8 YPA, 1 TD, 0 fumbles, forced 12 missed tackles
Hardy had a big first couple of weeks but struggled in Austin against the Longhorns. Following that beating, Hardy got back on track with a big, but inefficient, day against Troy.
The Warhawks' offensive line didn't do Hardy many favors, as 98 of his 107 yards came after contact, and Hardy had to make a lot of guys miss to get the yardage he did. Making 12 guys miss is very impressive in one game, especially since Hardy had forced 18 missed tackles in the three games leading up to Week 5. Hardy continues to see a heavy workload as a freshman, and that should continue as the season does.
Micah Ford
Snaps:
RB - 39
Slot - 3
Wide Out - 3
Stats:
Rushing - 15 carries, 122 yards, 8.1 YPA, 0 TDs
Receiving - 2 targets, 1 catch, 2 yards, 0 TDs
While Ford may not have hit paydirt, he did put in work against a Clemson defense that has performed very well as of late. Stanford got clobbered, but Ford was a bright spot in the Cardinal's loss, along with Stanford's matte finished helmets. They're absolutely beautiful.
Ford showed good vision and found open grass all night long. What really impressed me, though, was the speed Ford ran at. He accelerated quickly after getting the ball and ran full-speed one every single rep. That effort and consistency led to Ford consistently picking up big yardage when he touched the football.
His 15 carries were by far the most Ford had logged in a game this season, so Ford's outlook is quite good moving forward.
Colin Simmons
Snaps:
EDGE - 35
Slot - 6
Stats:
Defense - 2 pressures, 2 sacks, 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble
After weeks of constantly pressuring opposing quarterbacks, the young Simmons did it once again, this time against an SEC foe. This performance was different though, as it was also Simmons' most productive performance of the year so far.
Simmons logged a brace of sacks and forced a fumble as the Longhorns faced a Mississippi State team who was forced to start true freshman Michael Van Buren, as Blake Shapen was lost for the year to an injury. Simmons continues to show off burst and bend off the edge that have proven very difficult to stop, as no one has been able to figure out how to stop the freshman pass rusher.
Simmons carries a lot of momentum into the Longhorns' bye week, and if he carries that into their Oct. 12 date with their rival Oklahoma, Simmons will have a field day against that offensive line and another freshman quarterback in Michael Hawkins Jr.
Sam Feeney
Snaps:
EDGE - 20
Slot - 3
Special Teams - 15
Stats:
Defense - 2 pressures, 2 sacks
The stat line may seem a little bland, but Feeney got the job done. What was the most impressive thing to me was that Feeney logged both sacks on only eight pass rush snaps. That clip, while unsustainable, is incredible.
I haven't been able to find the film or highlights of Feeney's game, but regardless I found his performance and efficiency worthy of the Freshman-15.
Elijah Green
Snaps:
Corner - 49
Slot - 2
EDGE - 1
Special Teams - 6
Stats:
Defense - 7 tackles, 7 targets, 3 catches allowed, 31 yards allowed, 1 PBU, 0 penalties
Green had a solid day at corner for the Golden Hurricanes, who drew a tough matchup against the pass-heavy North Texas. Green held his own though and had a pass breakup to go along with it.
Green also allowed a 56.3 NFL passer rating when targeted, a good clip against a potent passing attack. Green also recorded a career-high in tackles with seven against the Mean Green, which more than doubled what he had previously logged. Green has also only missed a single tackle in his young career.
Green has earned more and more playing time as the season has progressed, and the freshman should see consistent snaps as the season goes forward, especially with the way he played in Week 5.
Michael Hawkins Jr.
Snaps:
QB - 54
Stats:
Passing - 10/15, 66.7%, 161 yards, 10.7 YPA, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing - 11 carries, 76 yards, 6.9 YPA, 1 TD
Last week's appearance for Hawkins was more of a moral victory for him and the Sooners, but Hawkins' Week 5 comeback victory against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium is a much more than a moral victory.
Hawkins got it done once again with his arm and his legs, and while the Tigers defense was stout all game long, Hawkins got it done when it mattered most, along with some help from his defense and opposing QB Payton Thorne. Hawkins is now 1-1 as the starting quarterback for Oklahoma and has shown that he is able to make up for some of the deficiencies of the offensive line.
Hawkins' next matchup comes against the No. 2 Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. It will be a true test for the Sooners, but especially for Hawkins, as the game itself is a grand stage and the Longhorns defense stacks up with the best in the country.
