The True Freshmen Making the Biggest Impact

Three weeks into the season, almost 100 (87 if you're getting specific) true freshmen hold a starter or heavily involved formation sub spot on an FBS depth chart.

As the transfer portal looms larger each year, there's been greater emphasis on getting heavily heralded freshmen involved early and often, even if at the expense of a seasoned option. The guys listed below have made their early exposure an easy, and justified, decision.

Quarterbacks who took the job

Faizon Brandon, was the starter from the first snap of the year after winning one of the most hotly contested jobs in the country: relenting only 19 late-game snaps to George MacIntyre all season. He has 552 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 137 rushing yards and 3 more scores after a 42-9 win over Kennesaw State.

Jared Curtis, however, was surprisingly not a foregone conclusion as the first-stringer. His snaps have grown each week (18, 54 and 65) while Blaze Berlowitz trended down (46, 15 and 0). Curtis has 547 passing yards and 4 touchdowns against 2 interceptions, grabbing an improbable win over NC State in Week 3 with some absolutely eye-popping throws in an offensive game no matter how you define offensive.

Tait Reynolds, was listed second behind Christopher Vizzina, who carries a questionable tag due to a left elbow injury suffered against Georgia Southern, but he may not give the job back after leading the Tigers to a conference win over UNC. Still, while Week 3 was his first official designation, the snaps say the job moved two weeks ago: Reynolds 15, 68 and 72; Vizzina 33, 12 and 0.

Receivers

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is listed first, has played 41, 38 and 64 snaps, and has 18 catches for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns. And with Trent Mosley now OUT, the USC Trojans receiver room is his. Jesse Legree has the biggest receiving line of any true freshman: 17 catches for 476 yards and 4 touchdowns, 28 yards a catch, on 46, 58 and 39 snaps for a surprisingly lethal Oregon State passing attack. Carson Clark has 24 catches for 240 yards and 3 scores from the second seat. And Legend Glasker has 270 yards on 11 catches.

The line

Kevin Brown has played every worthwhile offensive snap for West Virginia, all 180 of them, on a line where the other four starters are transfers. Kodi Greene has played 68, 75 and 47 snaps, respectively, with the last only truncating due to a 48-16 win for the Washington Huskies that emptied the bench. Darius Gray, the Gamecocks starting Left Tackle, has seen his usage climb each and every week, despite an inauspicious start to SEC play for his team.

The secondary

JJ Dunnigan arrived earlier than expected and out-snapped junior Zechariah Poyser with 68 plays in Miami's win over Wake Forest last week, after combining for just 56 plays over the first two weeks. Jeron Jones is listed second at both corner and safety and has climbed 24, 48 and 74. Jayden Bradley is a first-team safety at 37, 77 and 85 snaps with 25 tackles. And Jay Timmons is a first-team corner with 2 pass breakups; his low 28 snaps in Week 3 came in a 59-3 game.

The seat going the other way is at Kentucky. Isaiah McMillian was listed first at safety but went 62, 38 and 17 while Florida transfer Aaron Gates went 41, 51 and 73.

Front seven and backfield

Luke Wafle is the first-team edge and has climbed 20, 30 and 50 with 15 tackles and 1.5 TFL. Jack Murray has played 57 snaps or more every week and has 23 tackles and a sack. Deuce Geralds is a heavy rotation tackle at 47 snaps in Week 3.

Jamal Rule has 329 yards and 5 touchdowns, and led the running back room in Week 3 snaps. Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell are both lighting it up as well, with Brown also returning kicks.