In today’s college football, we are seeing more and more young players make immediate impacts on their teams.
From running backs to linebackers to tight ends, there is no shortage of young rising stars at the collegiate level. It was no different in Baton Rouge when Harold Perkins Jr opted to sign with LSU over Florida and Texas A&M.
The SEC had plenty of talented freshmen taking the field for teams that were competing for the SEC title. After four months of college football action, I compiled a list of the 10 best true freshmen to take the field in 2022. Some names you may recognize with at least one that doesn’t get the headlines of the rest of the list.
We kick it off with a running back out of the state of Alabama.
1
Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Recruiting Ranking: No. 562 Overall
Judkins was ranked as the No. 46 running back per 247Sports composite rankings but that didn’t matter once he took the field. The freshman back led the SEC in rushing yards and touchdowns in his first season. Judkins finished as the No. 7 back in FBS for rushing yards and No. 10 in rushing touchdowns. Year two should be fun to watch for this running back from Pike Road, Alabama.
2
Harold Perkins Jr, LSU
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Recruiting Ranking: No. 8 Overall
Harold Perkins Jr was highly touted coming out of high school as the No. 8 overall player. 247Sports ranked him as the best linebacker and No. 5 overall prospect. His presence was felt immediately by the LSU defense. Perkins essentially won the Arkansas game by himself with three sacks, one pass defended, and two forced fumbles. The former five-star prospect finished the year leading LSU in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (7.5) while producing the third most tackles on the team (72). We have the makings of the next great pass rusher to hail from the Bayou.