True freshmen standouts from Week Nine of college football
Week nine of college football saw an increased number of true freshmen make huge impacts in games played across the national landscape. It was a particularly strong week for true freshmen on the offensive side of the ball, with skill players in the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten turning in strong performances.
With that said, here’s five true freshmen skill players who popped in a big way over the weekend.
QB Conner Weigman, Texas A&M
Conner Weigman drew his first collegiate start on Saturday, as Texas A&M played host to No. 15 Ole Miss. The game featured several standout freshmen on both sides of the ball. Weigman acquitted himself very well, especially considering the circumstances. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder completed 28 of 44 passes for 338 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions in the 31-28 loss. The 338 passing yards are tied for the third-most for an Aggie quarterback against a Power 5 opponent in Jimbo Fisher’s tenure in College Station (Kellen Mond has the other three). Weigman looked comfortable and confident in delivering the ball downfield and provided a shot in the arm to a much maligned Texas A&M passing offense. The true freshman from Cypress (Texas) Bridgeland certainly looks like a bright spot early on.
Weigman ranked as a five-star and the No. 29 overall prospect in the 2022 On3 Consensus.
QB MJ Morris, NC State
MJ Morris led NC State on a big comeback win in the first extensive action of his collegiate career. The true freshman came in for Jack Chambers and helped NC State erase an 18-point second half deficit for a 22-21 win over Virginia Tech on Friday night. Morris completed 20 of 29 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions. The Carrollton (Ga.) product was accurate and decisive in operating the NC State offense, particularly for his lack of in-game experience. With Devin Leary out for the rest of the season, it will be interesting to see if Morris can keep it rolling with a few more big ACC games remaining.
Morris ranked as a three-star prospect and as the No. 28 quarterback in the 2022 cycle according to the On3 Consensus.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
We make an effort to cast a wide net in this piece every week, but it’s hard to deny Quinshon Judkins, even though the Ole Miss true freshman has been highlight several times throughout the season. Judkins had another huge game in a 31-28 road win over Texas A&M on Saturday night, which just happened to be his birthday. The Pike Road (Ala.) product rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries as Ole Miss gashed the Aggie defense for 390 yards on the ground. Judkins continued to show off his patented violent, aggressive running style, rushing for 142 yards after contact and forcing 13 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Judkins also broke the 1,000 rushing mark for the season on Saturday night. The true freshman has rushed for 1,034 yards – good for seventh nationally.
RB CJ Donaldson, West Virgina
CJ Donaldson has nearly made this piece a few different times earlier in the season. The former high school tight end prospect has emerged as a bright spot on the Mountaineer offense – as a running back. Donaldson missed some time earlier in the month with a concussion but looked to be back to his prior form on Saturday against TCU. The true freshman rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, helping the Mountaineers stay in the game against the No. 7 Horned Frogs, before ultimately falling 41-31. It was Donaldson’s fourth 100-yard game of the season. The Miami native is a bigger back at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and offers a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. His size and athleticism gave TCU’s defense issues early on in the game.
Donaldson ranked as a three-star tight end in the 2022 cycle according to the On3 Consensus.
WR Evan Stewart, Texas A&M
Evan Stewart entered the season with lofty expectations, being tabbed as a Preseason True Freshman All-American. The former Five-Star Plus+ prospect looks to be rounding in to former over the last few weeks and had his most complete game of the season on Saturday night against Ole Miss. Stewart teamed with fellow true freshman, quarterback Conner Weigman, to provide Aggie fans with a reason for hope in what has been a tough season to date. The Frisco, Texas native flashed his high-end athleticism and playmaking ability early on, coming down with an outstanding one-handed touchdown grab.
Stewart had another acrobatic catch later in the game. The true freshman pass cacher finished with six catches for 88 yards and the aforementioned score. He ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect and No. 2 wide receiver in the 2022 On3 Consensus.