Let’s take a look at which first-year players will have the biggest impact this fall for their teams.
1. WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Yes, he’s joining the deepest receiver room in the country, but Tate is a special player who will absolutely see snaps as a freshman. He showed out in the Buckeyes’ spring game and is already earning the trust of the quarterbacks in Columbus.
2. WR Malachi Coleman, Nebraska
Coleman is already a physical mismatch against pretty much every defensive back he’ll go up against. He was a massive get for Matt Rhule, and he’ll be put to work early in a revamped Cornhuskers offense.
3. DB Jonas Duclona, Wisconsin
A big, physical corner, Duclona made some highlight plays through spring ball for the Badgers. New defensive coordinator Mike Tressel will bring a lot more five- and six-DB looks, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities to contribute off the bat in a completely remade cornerback room in Madison.
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4. WR Kenric Lanier II, Minnesota
Outside of Chris Autman-Bell, the Gophers lack depth in the receiver room, and Lanier was a revelation in spring ball. A rare recruiting win out of Georgia, Lanier II appears to already be in the mix as one of Athan Kaliakmanis‘ top targets.
5. DB Lamont Payne Jr., Penn State
Penn State has turned into one of the top defensive back rooms on a yearly basis, and there’s a good chance that Payne Jr. is a future star in Happy Valley. He’s very long and fluid, especially in his hips, and showed off good ball skills this spring.
3⭐️CB Lamont Payne has officially signed with Penn State.
Payne committed just one day after the White Out in 2021, and helped recruit several players to Happy Valley
"You were probably the No. 1 driving force in this class," Terry Smith said. pic.twitter.com/a8qWAUpRn6
— Alex Rocco (@AlexRocco13_) December 21, 2022
