True freshmen standouts from Week 2 of college football
Week two of college football saw a several true freshmen make big impacts in games across the national landscape. Saturday saw a few of those included On3’s Preseason True Freshman All-America Team have breakout games. This week’s standouts includes one repeat name from last week.
With that said, let’s highlight some true freshmen who stood out on week two of college football.
RB Nick Singleton – Penn State
Back in February, I tabbed Penn State running back Nick Singleton as my pick for True Freshman of the Year. The former five-star back certainly looked the part on Saturday, rushing for 179 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries in Penn State’s 46-10 win over Ohio. Singleton had a few huge runs, including touchdowns of 70 and 44 yards.
The in-state product arrived in Happy Valley as one of the most decorated high school prospects in the 2022 recruiting cycle. He was named Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior after rushing for 2,049 yards (12.4 yards per carry) and 41 touchdowns in 2021. He paired that elite production with a highly projectable body type and athletic profile at the position. The 6-foot, 219-pounder has the burst, tackle-breaking ability and high-end athleticism to be one of college football’s best running backs by the time he leaves Penn State.
Singleton ranked as the No. 1 running back and No. 16 overall prospect in the 2022 On300. The Nittany Lions signed two more On3 Consensus five-stars in quarterback Drew Allar and EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton – both who had strong games on Saturday, as well.
RB Omarion Hampton – North Carolina
Omarion Hampton put the North Carolina offense on his back on Saturday. The true freshman entered halftime with just three yards on four carries, but exploded in the second half, scoring two huge touchdowns in the Tar Heels’ 35-28 win at Georgia State. Hampton finished 110 yards on 16 carries. His first touchdown came on a 58-yard run in the third quarter, tying the game at 28-28. Hampton punched in the go-ahead and game-winning score on a two-yard plunge early in the 4th quarter.
The 6-foot, 220-pounder enrolled at North Carolina as one of the more physically-developed and productive running back prospects in the 2022 cycle. He rushed for 1,948 yards and 41 touchdowns at 12.1 yards per carry as a senior at Clayton (N.C.) Cleveland High. He ranked as a four-star and No. 142 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus.
OT Kelvin Banks – Texas
Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks is the lone repeat standout from last week. Holding your own against Alabama and Will Anderson – one of the college football’s best pass rushers in recent memory – is certainly enough for recognition on consecutive weeks. Banks was a key part of a young Longhorn offensive front that held up quite well in the 20-19 loss to the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. On3’s top-ranked tackle in the 2022 cycle gave up just one pressure and zero sacks in 45 pass blocking attempts against the Crimson Tide front, per Pro Football Focus.
Banks was not the only true freshman offensive lineman to perform at a high level for Texas. Cole Hutson started his second game at right guard and also gave up just one pressure on the day. The season is very young, but Banks’ performance as an 18-year old true freshman left tackle is certainly fitting of his No. 6 overall ranking from On3.
WR Dane Key – Kentucky
Kentucky has several true freshmen making an early impact on a top ten-ranked team. Wide receiver Dane Key earned a starting job in the spring and made good on his early playing time by making a huge play in the Wildcats’ 26-16 win over Florida. The Wildcat legacy made a magnificent 55-yard touchdown catch, extending for the grab while boxing out Florida corner Jalen Kimber. Key finished as Kentucky’s leading receiver with 83 yards and the touchdown on three catches.
The Wildcats also saw true freshman defensive lineman Deone Walker make an impact over the course of the game. Both Key and Walker ranked as four-star prospects per the On3 Consensus and were two of several blue-chip prospects to sign in Kentucky’s 2022 class, which finished No. 18 in the On3 Consensus Team Rankings.
EDGE Dasan McCullough – Indiana
Dasan McCullough has been a standout on Indiana’s defense through two weeks. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder recorded two sacks, two hurries and a hit in just 11 pass rush attempts against Idaho on Saturday, according to Pro Football Focus. One of McCullough’s highlights came on a key sack on 2nd-and-goal in the second quarter. Though listed as a linebacker on the Indiana roster, McCullough has primarily lined up as a pass rusher to this point. The jumbo athlete initially began his career as a safety and was committed to Ohio State early on in his recruitment. He eventually committed and signed with Indiana where his father, Deland McCullough (now on staff at Notre Dame), was coaching. McCullough ranked as a top 100 prospect in the On3 Consensus and was the jewel of Indiana’s 2022 recruiting class.