By Mark Pszonak
Now that the college football season has begun, everyone can stop projecting and start actually seeing who the top true freshmen in the country will be. Here are some of the true freshmen who excelled during Week 4 :
RB Darius Taylor – Minnesota
Taylor continued to roll despite an improbable overtime loss at Northwestern. He led the offense with 198 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, while adding three receptions for 18 yards during the loss.
RB Jai’Den Thomas – UNLV
Thomas had a memorable performance on Saturday night during a 45-28 victory over UTEP. On 13 carries he had 100 yards and four rushing touchdowns, which tied the Rebels’ single-game record.
RB Parker Jenkins – Houston
It hasn’t been the greatest start for the Cougars this season, but on Saturday during a 38-7 victory over Sam Houston they found something to get excited about. Jenkins rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries during the win.
ATH Zachariah Branch – USC
Branch continued to do a little bit of everything for the Trojans with four receptions for 68 yards, one rushing attempt for 17 yards and three kickoff returns for 46 yards during a victory at Arizona State.
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QB Anthony Colandrea – Virginia
While he experienced some ups and downs during the game, Colandrea still showcased his potential while completing 18 of 30 passes for 271 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions during the 24-21 loss to NC State. He also rushed for a team-high 43 yards.
QB Jaylen Raynor – Arkansas State
After seeing some limited playing time last weekend, Raynor impressed on Saturday as a first-time starter. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 233 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries during a 44-37 victory over Southern Miss.
QB McCae Hillstead – Utah State
It wasn’t all positive for Hillstead, but he still showed plenty of upside during a 45-38 loss to James Madison. He completed 25 of 47 passes for 399 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions during the loss. His play has brought some excitement and optimism back into the Aggies’ offense this season.
TE Luke Hasz – Arkansas
Hasz had already been a pleasant surprise through the first three games of the season, but not many people expected his six reception, 121-yard, two touchdown performance during a 34-31 loss to LSU on Saturday night.
WR Tyler Brown – Clemson
Brown had his second impressive performance in a row on Saturday with a team-leading five receptions for 84 yards during a 31-24 overtime loss to Florida State. With holes at the position, he has made the most of the opportunity.
WR Kevin Concepcion – NC State
Concepion once again was NC State’s leading receiver during a 24-21 victory over Virginia. Enjoying his most productive day of the season, he totaled six receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns during the win.
WR Baylin Brooks – San Diego State
After totaling six receptions for 73 yards through the first four games of the season, Brooks had five receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown during a 34-31 loss to Boise State. With some lingering question marks at the wide receiver position, increased playing time is up for grabs for Brooks in San Diego.
WR Amare Thomas – UAB
Coming off his best collegiate game, when he had three receptions for 53 yards against Louisiana, Thomas surprised many by his performance against top-ranked Georgia. Finishing with nine receptions for 60 yards and his first collegiate touchdown, the Blazers have found themselves an offensive weapon.
LB Anthony Hill Jr. – Texas
At this point, impressive play is expected from Hill who continued to perform like a veteran on Saturday against Baylor with six more tackles.
LB Taurean York – Texas A&M
York showed some flashed during the first three games, including seven tackles at Miami-Florida, but showed his full potential on Saturday during a win against Auburn. Finishing with a team-high 11 tackles and two tackles for a loss, he has quickly become a valuable part of the defensive unit.
LB Kamren Robinson – Virginia
After finishing with five tackles through the first three games, Robinson blew up with a team-leading 11 tackles during a 24-21 loss to NC State. With the Cavs at 0-4, expect to see more of a youth movement with players like Robinson getting increased playing time through the remainder of the season.
LB Suntarine Perkins – Ole Miss
Perkins continued to be a playmaker during a 24-10 loss to Alabama with five tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks.
LB Whit Weeks – LSU
Weeks followed up his breakout game last weekend with nine tackles, .5 tackles for a loss and .5 sacks during a 34-31 victory over Arkansas.
