Freshman 15: First-year players who will make an immediate impact

Alabama seems to rotate in great defensive linemen after great defensive linemen. With Quinnen Williams and Isaiah Buggs now playing in the NFL, Alfano will need to step in as a true freshman to keep Nick Saban's defense stout. He has a knack for disrupting offenses and making quarterbacks nervous. He is fast for an 285-pound rush end and physical enough to deal with blockers — most likely the next big Crimson Tide defensive lineman.

Boise State quarterbacks have not only produced huge passing seasons, but they've also been able to do so right out of the box. Bachmeier will take the place of Brett Rypien, who started as a freshman and was the four-year starter for the Broncos. He is an NFL talent and one of the top-ranked prospects to ever play in Boise. There is a good possibility that he is the starter when the Broncos head to Jacksonville to take on Florida State in the season opener. 

Corral played sparingly last season, throwing only 22 passes over four games. It was a shrewd move by Rebels head coach Matt Luke, who took advantage of a rule that allows a player to play four games and still be able to redshirt. Corral got some early-season snaps in 2018 and then was inactive the rest of the year. Now the pro-style quarterback takes over for Jordan Ta'amu and will play under quarterback-friendly Rich Rodriguez. Sure, the SEC West is a daunting grind, but Ole Miss quarterbacks have done well over the years. Corral should have a big season. 

The Aggies have had a nice history of tight ends come through College Station. Jace Sternberger was the last one, and he will be playing for the Packers this fall. Cupp is the present and future at A&M — a hulking guy with receiver skills that will be a big weapon in Jimbo Fisher's offense. His best attribute is that he is always improving. He got better and better in high school and got better and better in spring practices. 

LSU lost Nick Brossette, so Emery should be able to come right in and be the featured back in a Tigers offense that loves to run the ball. Emery came from out of nowhere to become a top-five back in the nation. He is lethal in open space and understands the importance of blocking for a running back. (Coaches love that.) He'll certainly get the opportunity this year. 

J.K. Dobbins will be the starting running back; there's no reason to debate that. But Ohio State likes to use other backs in a variety of ways. Gill is a do-everything kind of back who not only can run between the tackles but also is great as a receiver, and he is lethal in open space. New quarterback Justin Fields came from an offense in Georgia that used a quick back in D'Andre Swift, so having a release valve like Gill could help him get more comfortable in Columbus.

Oklahoma lost Marquise Brown to the NFL, so Haselwood will need to fill the role opposite CeeDee Lamb in the Sooners receiving corps. Oklahoma has had one of the greatest offenses in the country recently (consecutive Heisman Trophy winners prove that), and Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts looks to continue that trend. Hurts is known for his legs, but he can sling it too, and Haselwood will get a lot of looks with defenses focused on Lamb and cautious of Hurts' ability to run.

After two national championships in three seasons, Clemson's vaunted defensive line will be playing in the NFL this fall. While replacing that kind of talent is tough, the Tigers just reload. Henry, who was a top-10 recruit coming into last season, played sparingly and redshirted in 2018, meaning he'll be a freshman again for 2019. Guys like Justin Foster and Xavier Thomas will step into bigger roles this year, so Henry should be able to take advantage of offenses focusing elsewhere. 

Mertz was one of top passing prospects in the country, and it's a bit of a coup that Wisconsin nabbed him. The Badgers have had solid quarterbacks in the past but not one who can walk in as a freshman and do what Mertz can do. With the last two national championships won on the arm of a freshman quarterback, the stigma of needing an experienced signal-caller to win at a high level is gone. The Big Ten West division is up for grabs, and Mertz could be a big reason why Wisconsin gets back to the conference championship game. 

McCoy has had one of the weirdest offseasons in recent memory...and he hasn't even played one college down yet. McCoy committed to USC during the All-America Bowl but changed his mind after Trojans offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left for the NFL's Cardinals. Bru McCoy (c'mon, that's a Texas name if I ever heard one) decided to transfer to Texas, only to change his mind again and put his name back in the transfer portal and enroll at...USC. Again. There is some doubt as to whether McCoy will get to play this season (the NCAA needs to grant a waiver for him to do so), so while he is on this list, there is the possibility that he may not get to play as a true freshman. He is a big receiver who makes tough catches down the field and in traffic. He is a huge recruit for USC, and if he does get his waiver he could create problems for the rest of the Pac-12.

Jarrett Stidham left a big hole at quarterback for Auburn, and there is no obvious successor to the starting job. Nix, a freshman from Pinson, Alabama, very well could be the guy. Nix fits Gus Malzahn's system of having a dual-threat quarterback...but so does sophomore Joey Gatewood who has a bit more size. Nix is the son of former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix. 

Smith is one of the top-ranked incoming freshmen, and while the Bulldogs have plenty of defensive talent, he will still see the field enough to make an impact on games and the season. Not only does he have the physical tools to be a fine pass rusher, but he's also smart and uses great technique

LSU is known for producing some fantastic defensive backs. Stingley is cut from the same mold: He is a playmaker who can be a major factor in games from the first second he steps on the field. He was the top-rated defensive back out of high school. His father, Derek Sr., was a former professional football and baseball player and his grandfather, Darryl Stingley, was the former Patriots receiver who was paralyzed by a hit from Raiders safety Jack Tatum in a preseason game in 1978.

Thibodeaux is scary — a 6-foot-5 defensive end who can run like a deer. And he fills an immediate need for a Ducks team that fancies itself as back on the rise. He is a defensive difference maker who should strike fear in Pac-12 quarterbacks for years to come. 

Turner actually saw action at Michigan last year, playing in three games with 10 carries and 55 yards in the Wolverines' 41-15 loss to Florida in the Peach Bowl. He was eligible to redshirt last year, so he enters the 2019 season officially as a freshman. With Karan Higdon moving on, Turner will be relied on to shoulder the running load for an offense that should be a lot more in tune this year.