Week 1 of the college football season is only days away so today we release the Rivals Freshman All-America defensive team focused on only 2024 prospects.
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CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
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DL COLIN SIMMONS
There is some veteran leadership ahead of Simmons but the five-star edge rusher is too explosive and productive to stay off the field for long. Like linebacker Anthony Hill came to Texas in the 2023 class and immediately contributed, Simmons could be on a similar path.
Simmons was at one time was the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 Rivals250 but finished No. 10 overall. LSU tried hard until the end but he stuck with the Longhorns and he brings a rare explosiveness off the edge.
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DL JAYDEN JACKSON
Ohio State, Texas, Florida and Miami battled for the four-star defensive tackle from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy but Oklahoma won out in the summer before his senior season and the pledge stuck to signing day.
Sooners coach Brent Venables raved about Jackson and in part called him a “coach’s dream.” Jackson was one of those players who impressed every time we saw him but maybe wasn’t moved up high enough. He finished as a respectable four-star and inside the Rivals250, but he was No. 10 at defensive tackle.
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DL JUSTIN SCOTT
Rueben Bain is already a superstar in the making and Scott has a real chance to see significant time. He’s too big, athletic and physical to keep off the field for long and at 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds, he has the speed and size to be elite.
Many believed Scott could end up as an even better offensive lineman but that speaks to just how versatile and talented he can be. A flip from Ohio State to Miami was huge for the Hurricanes as Scott should contribute early.
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DL WILLIAM ECHOLES
Ole Miss went to the transfer portal for former five-star Walter Nolen and other major help on all three levels of its defense but all the chatter out of Oxford this preseason is that Echoles is going to contribute for the Rebels.
Even midway through his senior season at Houston, Miss., which just so happens to be the same small hometown of Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones, there was talk whether Echoles would play on the offensive or defensive line in college.
Echoles has experience playing both and it should only help him early in his career along Ole Miss’ defense.
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LB KYNGSTONN VILIAMU-ASA
Ahead of Notre Dame’s season opener against Texas A&M, Viliamu-Asa was listed on the depth chart at both weakside and middle linebacker. The five-star is listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds and with his instincts, size, power and seek-and-destroy mentality, Viliamu-Asa is too talented and productive to stay on the sidelines for too long.
Getting thrown into the fire in College Station is something that doesn’t feel too big for how mature Viliamu-Asa is on the field.
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LB AARON CHILES
The defensive staff was completely overhauled, some important pieces were brought in through the transfer portal and are returning from injury, and some other freshmen on the defensive side – mainly LJ McCray – could make huge impacts early.
Five-star linebacker Myles Graham could also be an early contributor but there’s chatter out of Gainesville that Chiles, who picked the Gators over Maryland and Michigan, could be too good to keep off the field this season.
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DB ZABIEN BROWN
So much change is coming to Alabama. Defensive backs Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry are off to the NFL. Former coach Nick Saban, who coached the defensive backs, has retired. The transfer portal could impact the cornerback starters with Domani Jackson (USC) and others competing for spots. But Brown is 100 percent in the fold.
The five-star from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei has been excellent ever since getting to Tuscaloosa and with his smarts, length and competitiveness, Brown shouldn’t be on the sidelines for long.
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DB BOO CARTER
When Jourdan Thomas went down in early August with a season-ending knee injury, Carter stepped up in the nickel role and is listed as a co-starter for Tennessee’s season opener this weekend. The more Carter is around the program and getting used to how the Volunteers operate, the more he should see the field.
Ranked No. 39 overall in the 2024 Rivals250 and just outside five-star status, there is still a debate whether Carter is best at receiver or in the secondary and he should be used on special teams as well. Adoree’ Jackson 2.0?
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DB KJ BOLDEN
Three starters need to be replaced in the secondary and Bolden could be one of the guys who might not start Game 1 but will see a lot of action – and then the coaching staff might not be able to get him off the field after that.
Malaki Starks is the steady one back there and Bolden, a five-star who flipped to the Bulldogs from Florida State, has all the ball skills, length and intelligence to take the other safety spot.
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DB PJ WOODLAND
A four-star cornerback outside the Rivals250 who flipped from Mississippi State to LSU, Woodland has more than held his own through spring practice and now fall camp and could see significant time in LSU’s defense.
Cornerback Javien Toviano has been reinstated, but has some legal issues to work through, so Woodland could have plenty of opportunities. He was solid in the spring and has really pushed forward through the fall so the four-star outside the Rivals250 is really playing better than his ranking.
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ATH TERRY BUSSEY
The five-star from Timpson, Texas, is the definition of the athlete category since he starred at quarterback mainly in high school. He also played wide receiver and then flipped to cornerback on defense and was great there as well. Bussey moved to receiver only recently in fall camp and is the only true freshman on the two-deep for Texas A&M heading into the season opener against Notre Dame.
He’s expected to get significant time against the Irish as he’s a threat any time he’s on the field. There have been comparisons with Travis Hunter and while he’s not as dynamic, he’s pretty close.
Oklahoma, LSU, Texas and Alabama also heavily pursued the five-star athlete last recruiting cycle.
