These are not your typical freshman. They certainly aren’t the ones from “Dazed and Confused” getting paddled by seniors. In fact, they’ll be the ones doing the paddling on the playing field.
These are some of the most highly-touted recruits in the country who are making their debuts and could have the biggest impact on the college football odds this season.
Top impact freshmen for 2024
Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska
There is no true freshman in the country who will have a bigger impact on their team than Dylan Raiola at Nebraska.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have been looking for a quarterback to bring them back to the promised land for what feels like forever and with Raiola winning the starting job for Matt Rhule’s team, Nebraska’s odds of that happening look to be improving.
Raiola was one of the most highly-touted recruits coming out of high school and one of the highest-rated recruits to ever commit to Nebraska, who played three quarterbacks last year after several middling years with Adrian Martinez.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound signal caller threw for nearly 8,500 yards and 88 touchdowns in high school. Rhule is hoping Raiola can finally give the Cornhuskers some much-needed stability under center for the foreseeable future.
Nebraska enters this season as a +5,000 long shot to win the Big Ten, and Douglas Farmer believes Raiola makes them a legitimate contender, as he suggests in his 2024 Big Ten season preview. Raiola will take the field for the first time on Saturday as a 27.5-point home favorite against visiting UTEP.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Of course, the top wide receiver recruit went to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Jeremiah Smith is the latest in a long line of uber-talented Ohio State wide receivers that includes Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxson-Smith Njiba.
If Raiola isn’t the most impactful true frosh, then it’s Smith. Smith was the No. 1 overall recruit heading into this season according to several scouting sites, thanks to his 6-foot-3 frame and off-the-charts athleticism.
How impressive has Smith looked so far at practice? Well, he’ll be the first true freshman to start the season opener under head coach Ryan Day. With Smith on one side and senior Emeka Egbuka one the other, quarterback Will Howard could put up some big numbers.
It’s also part of the reason why the Buckeyes are the second favorite in the National Championship odds at +400. They open their season as 50-point favorites against in-state “rival” Akron.
Jordan Seaton, OT, Colorado
No matter what the end result, you can’t say Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes aren’t entertaining.
The “Prime Time” era in Boulder started with a bang at 3-1 but ended with a whimper, as the team finished the year 1-7. The offensive line was one of Colorado’s biggest weaknesses, and it became clear that Sheduer Sanders did not handle pressure well. He was pressured a lot, getting sacked 52 times.
So, credit to Deion, he went out and got arguably the top tackle recruit of the cycle in Jordan Seaton to protect his son’s blindside. Reports out of Buffs training camp is that the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Seaton looks in great shape and will immediately give Sanders more protection this year.
Public bettors still backing Colorado entering this season at @BetMGM.
— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) August 27, 2024
Buffs are:
-- No. 2 liability to win CFP
-- No. 1 liability to MAKE CFP
-- No. 1 liability to win Big 12
-- Most-bet season win total (5.5)
-- Most-bet Week 1 side is Colorado -9.5
Still, Colorado is a long shot to do much this season with a regular season win total of 5.5. That said, bettors can’t get enough of Deion and the Buffs, as they are the biggest liability for sportsbooks in several markets.
If Colorado can prove these bettors right, it means the offensive line has improved greatly. We'll get our first look at Seaton on Saturday when Colorado hosts FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
Cam Coleman, WR, Auburn
Cam Coleman is the No. 2 wide receiver recruit in the incoming class, and he immediately improves the Auburn Tigers wide-out room. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if he is the Tigers' top receiver this season.
Measuring at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Coleman is described as an explosive receiver and a real vertical threat in the passing game. And that is something the Auburn passing game could definitely use a shot of after putting up some terrible numbers last season.
The Tigers’ leading receiver last season was Rivaldo Fairweather. He had just 38 catches for 394 yards.
Auburn is a long way removed from the program that used to compete with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and LSU every year. The Tigers head into the season as a +11,000 longshot in the SEC Championship odds. But one way to turn things around is improving the passing game, and Coleman does just that.
We’ll see him in action for the first time on Saturday when Auburn opens the season against Alabama A&M, where the Tigers are massive 48-point favorites.
Bryant Wesco, WR, Clemson
You should be figuring out by now that the 2024 wide receiver class is a great one. The Clemson Tigers are coming off a down year (by their standards), winning just nine games and missing out on the ACC title game for just the second time in nine seasons.
If the Tigers want to reclaim their throne, the passing game led by quarterback Cade Klubnik needs to improve. One way to do that is by getting Klubnik some more dynamic weapons on the outside, and Bryant Wesco is just that.
Dabo Swinney has been an underrated coach when it comes to developing wide receivers. From Sammy Watkins to DeAndre Hopkins, and Mike Williams to Tee Higgins, Dabo has always had big-play guys at his disposal.
Westco should be a contributor on a Clemson team that is not only expected to return to the ACC Championship game but are the favorites to win it at +300 in the ACC Championship odds. However, they face one hell of a season-opening opponent in the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
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