Farrell Freshman 15: Counting down nation's top freshmen
Every year in August, I roll out the Farrell Freshman 15, a look at the top true freshmen that will impact the college football landscape. For this exercise, we are leaving out the Big Ten for now but will revisit after the season when we look back at the most impactful newcomers.
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
FARRELL 15: Nos. 7-9 | 10-12 | 13-15
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
6. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
The skinny: Hyatt initially committed to Virginia Tech, but after four months with the Hokies he re-opened his process and eventually committed to Tennessee a few weeks later after also considering Miami, Oregon and Florida. While fellow freshman Malachi Wideman has also impressed, it has been Hyatt who has created even more excitement around Knoxville since his arrival on campus. He seems to have really connected with quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, which should help the freshman throughout the season.
Farrell’s take: The Vols need all the weapons they can get to help the quarterback situation and Hyatt is long and athletic enough to make some tough catches early. This was a great wide receiver class for the Vols and he could lead the way as a freshman.
5. Jalen Carter, Georgia
The skinny: Carter trimmed his list of top schools to Georgia, Alabama and Clemson before committing to the Bulldogs less than a day later. Having to replace five defensive linemen from last season’s team, the opportunity was always there for Carter to make an early impact.
He has made the most of this opportunity. It is not the norm for a true freshman defensive tackle to make an early impression in the SEC, but with his unique combination of size, athleticism and strength, the chances are high that he will make his mark in the conference this fall.
Farrell’s take: Carter is an athletic freak at the DT spot who has the quickness to shoot the gap early and will adjust to bigger linemen well. It could take a few games but he will impact in a big way.
4. Arik Gilbert, LSU
The skinny: Gilbert had focused most of his recruiting attention on LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Clemson and Texas A&M, but it truly came down to the Tigers, Bulldogs and Tide. Alabama was considered the leader for quite some time and he took an official visit to Georgia the weekend before his decision, but at the end LSU snuck in and grabbed the commitment.
Already possessing NFL size and speed, Gilbert has wow’d everyone around Baton Rouge since his arrival. Look for the Tigers to use him all over the field, as he will created defensive mismatches against every team.
Farrell’s take: Gilbert was a special talent out of high school and could have been recruited as a tight end or wide receiver and can play either in college. With losses at wide receiver and tight end, he should get a lot of targets and make some big plays.