Freshman-15: Week 3 (2024)
A weekly spotlight on 15 freshmen across the country who had standout performances. All stats are courtesy of PFF Premium Stats. (2024 season)
Marcel Reed
Snaps:
QB - 79
Stats:
Passing - 11/17, 64.7%, 178 yards, 10.5 YPA, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing - 13 carries, 83 yards, 6.4 YPA, 1 TD
Oh yeah, add "2 stolen ankles" to Reed's stats from the win against Florida. Highlight jukes aside, the redshirt freshman made his first career start for the Texas A&M Aggies and looked comfortable all game long. It is also worthy to note that Reed led the Aggies to their first road victory since they downed Missouri in Columbia on Oct. 16, 2021. The winless drought ended on a rainy day in Gainesville.
Reed may have surprised some with his performance, but to Kirk Herbstreit and many Aggies, his gameplay was to be expected. Reed took over after 1 snap in the Aggies' Texas Bowl loss to the ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys but played extremely well considering he was No. 4 on the depth chart entering the 2023 season. This summer, Reed earned the backup role behind Conner Weigman and got the start in Week 3 due to an injury to Weigman.
Reed put together a fantastic display in the air and on the ground and looked comfortable in OC Collin Klein's run-heavy scheme. With many highlight-reel runs paired with strikes delivered from outside the pocket, Reed has many members of the 12th Man demanding he remain the starter long-term. Only time will tell if the SEC Offensive Freshman of the Week holds on to the starting job in Aggieland.
Isaac Wilson
Snaps:
QB - 76
Wide Out - 1
Stats:
Passing - 20/33, 60.6%, 239 yards, 7.2 YPA, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing - 5 carries, 13 yards, 2.6 YPA
This past summer, former BYU QB Zach Wilson's younger brother, QB Isaac Wilson, signed for the Utah Utes. Talk about a sibling rivalry.
The younger Wilson logged his first career start in Week 3 against in-state rivals Utah State, as 7th-year senior QB Cam Rising is out for the foreseeable future with a hand injury. Despite not looking too sharp in limited snaps leading up to this week, Wilson was able to lead the Utes past an early 14-3 deficit and sealed a comeback victory for the playoff-hopefuls.
Wilson showed off a quick release and mobility in the pocket and delivered strikes in the redzone for most of his scores. He also had a shovel pass converted for a touchdown. Wilson struggled when pressured, however, and will need to improve that area of his game if he wants to guide this Ute team to the heights they seemed destined for in the preseason.
Wilson's next test comes this week against the top 15 Oklahoma State Cowboys, who also have playoff aspirations.
Arch Manning
Snaps:
QB - 29
Stats:
Passing - 9/1, 75.0%, 223 yards, 18.6 YPA, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing - 2 carries, 63 yards, 31.5 YPA, 1 TD
It was only a matter of time before Manning found his way on this list. After an abdominal strain took Heisman-hopeful Quinn Ewers out of the 'Horns home date with in-state UTSA, Manning entered the game. But it wasn't long before Manning put up points for the newly crowned number 1 team in the nation. Manning accounted for 2 touchdowns in his first 3 plays.
Manning looked sharp against the Roadrunners: he took a read option to the house, he faced pressure and delivered a strike downfield to take advantage of busted coverage and executed the Steve Sarkisian offense to a tee. Manning's accuracy was on full display when his throw to Johntay Cook II in the back of the endzone was perfectly placed. Any doubts about Manning's ability should have been put to rest, as few QBs have looked as sharp against similar competition this season.
In the end, Manning had the Longhorns up by so much that true freshman Trey Owens saw snaps to close the game. The youngest Manning put on a super-efficient performance deep in the heart of Texas and is also creating buzz around a possible QB controversy in Austin.
Ryan Williams
Snaps:
Slot - 7
Wide Out - 19
Stats:
Receiving - 4 targets, 4 catches, 78 yards, 19.5 YPC, 1 TD, 0 drops
The 17-year-old is back on the list after a solid outing on the road in Madison, Wisconsin. Alabama downed the Badgers and Williams had a big catch in the endzone to propel the Tide to victory. Alabama is yet to score fewer than 42 points in a game, thanks to Williams who has contributed at least one touchdown in each outing, showcasing his talent as he establishes himself as one of Alabama's best receivers.
Williams once again provided Heisman hopeful QB Jalen Milroe an option downfield, which plays to one of Milroe's strengths - his accuracy on throws downfield. Seeing how Williams is still Bama's leading receiver and joint leader in targets, it's safe to assume he will find his way back on this list in the future.
The Crimson Tide have a bye week this week, but after that take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa. Williams already proved himself against a very solid Wisconsin secondary, but he draws another tough matchup against Georgia.
Caden Durham
Snaps:
RB - 22
Slot - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 11 carries, 98 yards, 8.9 YPA, 2 TDs, forced 7 missed tackles
Receiving - 1 target, 1 catch, 1 yard, 1.0 YPC, 0 TDs, 0 drops
Logan Diggs? Gone. Jayden Daniels? Gone. Over 1700 rushing yards departed the LSU program after the 2023 campaign. RBs Josh Williams, Kaleb Jackson and John Emery Jr. were all given opportunities to carry the bulk of the load, but Emery went down for the season in the Tigers' loss to USC, and Williams and Jackson lacked explosion and efficiency.
Then LSU found themselves down in a hostile environment against South Carolina. With only 4 carries the week before, true freshman Caden Durham stepped in and stepped up, nearly topping the century mark in a comeback win with College Gameday in town. Durham also hit paydirt twice.
The speedy ball-carrier from Duncanville, Texas boasts a 100m dash time of 10.25 and showed great physicality and contact balance in Saturday's win. Those skills make Durham an explosive play waiting to happen behind an offensive line that is among one of the best in the country. He has proven to be the Tigers' best option out of the backfield and should become the starter in the coming weeks. Don't be surprised after a long run when you hear the announcers say "Caden Durham - gone."
Ryan Wingo
Snaps:
Slot - 4
Wide Out - 14
Stats:
Receiving - 3 targets, 3 catches, 127 yards, 42.3 YPC, 1 TD, 0 drops
This freshman class has already provided us with some amazing offensive talent, especially at WR, but Wingo may be the most impressive - not simply because he has hauled in every target, not simply because he averages over 30 yards per touch, but because he does all of those things and has an imposing blend of size, physicality and speed that is near impossible to come by as a freshman.
You could make the argument that Wingo is the best out of all the WRs in Austin. Bring up numbers all you want but watch him play. Yes, one of his big catches against UTSA came against busted coverage, but Wingo burns people and absorbs contact after catching the ball. And he does all of this as a freshman behind multiple other starters.
Obviously, at some point Wingo will not catch a ball that is intended for him, but it is still quite remarkable that he has made it this far without failing to haul in a target. It is important to note that for at least the Horn's matchup against ULM QB Quinn Ewers will be out of the lineup after an abdominal injury and QB Arch Manning will get the nod under center. Regardless of who the starter is down the stretch, Wingo should continue to shine.
Que'Sean Brown
Snaps:
RB - 1
Slot - 38
Wide Out - 3
Punt Return - 1
Stats:
Receiving - 11 targets, 11 catches, 87 yards, 7.9 YPC, 1 TD, 0 drops
It was a breakout performance against the UConn Huskies for Brown, who only had four receptions to his name going into Week 3. Brown nearly tripled that total on Saturday's win, and he did it in an atypical way - Brown was only targeted twice beyond the line of scrimmage.
Brown lined up primarily in the slot, and saw most of his work come from screens, shown in his ADOT (Average Depth of Target) being 1.3 yards. Brown found a lot of his success come from RPO's where Brown lined up in the slot, and came across the formation in an orbit motion, where QB Maalik Murphy would zip it to the shifty wide-out. Brown's lone touchdown came from a perfectly anticipated throw from Murphy on a corner route, where Brown made a fantastic catch with a defender draped all over him.
Que'Sean Brown may not be Murphy's top target moving forward, and he doesn't have to for the Blue Devils to find success, but he proved that he has a bright future, and he showed how dangerous he can be in the screen and RPO game.
Taylor Tatum
Snaps:
RB - 22
Slot - 4
Wide Out - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 9 carries, 27 yards, 3.0 YPA, 1 TD
Receiving - 1 target, 1 catch, 9 yards, 9.0 YPC, 1 TD
Passing - 1/1, 100%, -2 yards, -2 YPA, 0 TDs
Yet another true freshman RB hailing from the state of Texas. Tatum had nearly made the initial Freshman 15 list after leading the Sooners in rushing, but limited snaps and other performances kept him off the list. But after a 2 TD performance that kept a dangerous Tulane at bay, Tatum has made his debut as a member of the Freshman 15.
Tatum may not have been efficient, as seen by his rushing average, and his passing numbers are, well, something, but Tatum put points on the board on two occasions. A majority of his yards came after contact, and I believe this can be explained by the Sooners' mediocre offensive line play. They have lacked physicality and have not provided many running lanes for Tatum.
When Tatum arrived in Norman, Gavin Sawchuk was the starter, but the Valor Christian High School product has not only averaged a measly 2.2 YPA but is also yet to find the endzone. With Sawchuk's struggles, Tatum has a pathway to playing time and production, even as a true freshman at an SEC program. If Sawchuk continues to struggle, expect Tatum to see an increased workload as the season progresses.
CJ Bailey
Snaps:
QB - 44
Stats:
Passing - 13/20, 65.0%, 156 yards, 7.8 YPA, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing - 7 carries, 24 yards, 3.4 YPA, 1 TD
To be blunt, Bailey's stats are underwhelming - especially given that the stat-line was put up against Louisiana Tech. But Bailey's numbers alone aren't what gets him on this list in Week 3. Bailey led a comeback victory after starting QB Grayson McCall went down with an injury in the first half.
Bailey played a scrappy game, he did just enough to lift the Wolf Pack to victory over LA Tech, and got it done with both his arm and his legs. The dual-threat QB threw an interception in the win, but overall, Bailey played a good game. These kinds of situations are not easy to get out of, especially for a true freshman.
Bailey has already been announced as the starter this weekend when the Wolfpack take on ranked conference-foe Clemson. The Tiger defense will prove to be a great hurdle for Bailey, but it is another chance for the freshman signal caller to test his mettle and give NC State fans something to look forward to in the future - that is, if he doesn't pull an MJ Morris.
Fluff Bothwell
Snaps:
RB - 9
QB - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 7 carries, 143 yards, 20.4 YPA, 2 TDs, 36 yards after contact
Don't be fooled by the snap count for Fluff (which is one heck of a name). South Alabama dropped 87 points on Northwestern State going into the 4th quarter and both coaches agreed to a shortened final period. Fluff's snap count was so low because the Jaguars were that dominant.
Bothwell is the team's leading rusher as a true freshman with 243 yards, and has also seen the most carries, an encouraging sign that his production is not a fluke. Bothwell was ranked as the No. 2165 player in the nation and No. 155 RB according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings. Bothwell is very quick with good burst out of his cuts, and sheds arm tackles with ease.
Bothwell has a favorable matchup against a weak App State run defense, and if Bothwell continues to produce, South Alabama will have a star in the making.
DeSean Bishop
Snaps:
RB - 14
Kick Return - 2
Stats:
Rushing - 7 carries, 120 yards, 17.1 YPA, 2 TDs, 75 yards after contact
While QB Nico Iamaleava gets the hype and attention, the Tennessee running game has carried the Volunteers to victory the first three games of the season. Last year the Vols had a speedy and effective one-two punch at RB with Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson. Wright was drafted by the Dolphins and Sampson is now the lead back, but the role of Robin to Sampson's Batman has been filled by redshirt freshman RB DeSean Bishop.
Bishop has been efficient all season on limited carries, but against Kent State Bishop was full of explosive play after explosive play. Bishop had 2 TD runs of 40 yards or more, and on both he displayed tremendous vision and open field moves, while also showing off some breakaway speed. Bishop's 75 yards after contact ranked him at 20th in the country during Week 3, while also having less carries than everyone ranked above him.
As Tennessee heads into conference play, Bishop will play a crucial role in keeping the offense humming. The Vols rely on multiple backs in their veer and shoot system, and with more talented and physical teams remaining on the schedule, Bishop will be asked to step in and produce while Sampson catches his breath. If Bishop can remain efficient and explosive, expect the Vols to make a run at a playoff spot this year.
Cameron Calhoun
Snaps:
Slot - 3
Corner - 36
Stats:
Defense - 3 tackles, 0 missed tackles, 3 targets, 1 catch allowed, 3 yards allowed, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 2.8 NFL passer rating allowed when targeted
Utah seems to spawn elite defensive players out of nowhere. DC Morgan Scalley and HC Kyle Whittingham have done an excellent job of identifying defensive talent, recruiting them to Salt Lake City, and developing them once on campus. Calhoun has a slightly different path, however. Calhoun was a 3-star prospect out of Ohio and in 2023 signed with Michigan, where he appeared in 2 games. After the season Calhoun transferred to Utah, and while he is not yet among elite Ute defenders, the redshirt freshman has already shown flashes of brilliance.
Calhoun was the definition of a lockdown corner, as he only allowed 1 catch for a grand total of 3 yards. He did not miss any tackles and broke up a pass against former Utah QB Bryson Barnes. Calhoun also picked off Barnes f.
Calhoun's ball production shouldn't come as a surprise. He set his high school's record for interceptions and before that played WR at the high school level. Calhoun's showing against Utah State could be the beginning of a successful career for the young corner, but time will tell if he continues to log snaps as the Utes begin conference play in Stillwater this week.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
Snaps:
LB - 23
Special Teams - 12
Stats:
Defense - 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pressure, 1 INT, 0 missed tackles
Notre Dame's defense has been lights out this year - especially the linebackers - despite the Week 2 loss to NIU. True freshman Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has been a reliable contributor all season and had his best game of the season in the loss against Northern Illinois. But in the Irish's blowout of the Purdue Boilermakers, Viliamu-Asa was doing it all, logging a sack in the pass rush, stuffing the run and nabbing an interception in coverage.
Viliamu-Asa leads all freshmen linebackers in tackles thus far and is one of two to log a sack this season. He is also second in snaps among freshmen 'backers. Lining up next to players like Jack Kizer, Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed means that Viliamu-Asa gets to learn from and grow along with some of the best 'backers in the country. He may not see the most playing time given the other players he is competing with, but Viliamu-Asa has logged 70 snaps through 3 games, and there is no indication that number is going to drop off any time soon.
Tah'j Butler
Snaps:
LB - 35
Special Teams - 1
Stats:
Defense - 7 tackles, 1 pressure, 1 hurry, 2 targets, 2 receptions allowed, 0 yards allowed
It was Georgia Tech LB Kyle Efford that went viral for both his performance and his style. The run stuffer garnered social media attention for his traditional look which included a neck roll. This week against VMI, another Georgia Tech LB made waves, but it wasn't for style points.
Butler had an excellent day in both coverage and run support, as the Yellow Jackets took down VMI. It was by far the most snaps Butler had logged in a game all season, and the former 3-star recruit made a statement about the future in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech has been sound on defense all year, and Butler's performance against VMI showed that the discipline and quality of the starters is also present in the future of this program.
Colin Simmons
Snaps:
EDGE - 27
Slot - 3
Stats:
Defense - 5 tackles, 3 pressures, 2 hurries, 1 sack
The freshman phenom from Duncanville makes his second appearance on the Freshman 15 list in as many weeks. Simmons once again looked great against UTSA and has established himself as one of Texas's best edge rushers in just his first year in Austin. Say what you want about the level of competition so far, but few freshman pass rushers see this kind of success this early in their careers.
Simmons has been so dominant thus far, that he is in the top 5 of all SEC pass rushers in pass-rush win rate. You don't do that purely by accident as a freshman. PFF also credited Simmons with 3 defensive stops against the Roadrunners.
Among all freshman defenders who have rushed the passer at least 23 times this season, Simmons has been the most effective. Simmons has recorded a 16.7 pass rushing productivity score, metric used by PFF that accounts for the pressures, hurries and sacks for a player given how many times they have rushed the passer.
Simmons has one more game before entering SEC play, where the real challenge lies. If Simmons can maintain his production during conference play, he will make a case for being one of the best freshmen in the entire country.
