National Signing Day 2014: Where college football impact freshmen ranked when they finished high school

Jameis Winston recently proved that a freshman can lead a team to a national championship. He also joined last year's winner Johnny Manziel as the only freshmen to win the Heisman Trophy.

However both Winston and Manziel achieved their accomplishments as redshirt freshmen, after sitting out their true freshman seasons.

As the landscape of college football continues to skew younger and younger, it's only a matter of time until a true freshman wins the award.

There's a good chance that some of the players signing with their schools of choice today will be household names just a year from now.

The list of true freshmen that made an impact at the college level this season is large, and some of the young athletes have clearly emerged as the best in the high school Class of 2013. While you might think all of these players were top recruits, some of these freshmen came from relative obscurity to make a mark in their rookie campaigns.

About 100 freshmen saw more than a handful of snaps this season, and the majority of them were not ranked in the top 200 players in the nation coming out of high school.

For others (players expected to produce immediately at big-time programs) the pressure has not been a factor.

Robert Nkemdiche wasted no time getting acquainted with the college game and was one of the top defensive players for Ole Miss this season. Just a season ago he was widely considered the top high school football player in the nation. It has been the same experience for the Rebels' Laremy Tunsil and Laquon Treadwell, both of whom saw significant snaps and earned postseason honors.

But for a guy like Cal's Jared Goff, the situation was completely different. Goff was not ranked among the best quarterbacks in the nation or even in the Top 200 players in the nation according to 247Sports — but he quickly jumped onto the national radar when he suited up for the Golden Bears and won the starting quarterback job as a true freshman.

Defense was a staple for a UCLA team that got off to one of its best starts in recent history. That defense was anchored by a couple of true freshmen. Defensive line workhorse Eddie Vanderdoes rose to the top of his class last season and ranked as the sixth-best player in the nation according to 247Sports. Myles Jack became the Bruins' best linebacker this season and was named the Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year - and he fell out of the Top 200 in high school.

The rise to greatness continues at the collegiate level, and these young men are well on their way.

Let's look at where they were ranked just a year ago, at the close of their high school careers.

SEC

Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss, SEC All-Freshman Team
Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 1

Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
Crete-Monee (Crete, Ill.)
Composite Ranking: 14

Evan Engram, Ole Miss
Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 886

Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
Columbia (Lake City, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 4

Tony Conner, Ole Miss, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
Composite Ranking: 32

Austin Golson, Ole Miss
Prattville (Ala.)
Composite Ranking: 94

Tray Matthews, Georgia
Newnan (Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 79

Leonard Floyd, Georgia, SEC All-Freshman Team
Dodge County (Eastman, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 144

Brendan Langley, Georgia
Kell (Marietta, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 193

Quincy Mauger, Georgia
Kell (Marietta, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 795

Reggie Carter, Georgia
South Gwinnett (Snellville, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 289

Reggie Davis, Georgia
Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 388

Alex Collins, Arkansas, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
South Plantation (Plantation, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 41

Hunter Henry, Arkansas, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)
Composite Ranking: 81

Denver Kirkland, Arkansas, SEC All-Freshman Team
Washington (Miami)
Composite Ranking: 145

Dan Skipper, Arkansas
Ralston Valley (Arvada, Colo.)
Composite Ranking: 582

D.J. Dean, Arkansas
Newton (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 1239

Marquez North, Tennessee, SEC All-Freshman Team
Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)
Composite Ranking: 90

Cameron Sutton, Tennessee, SEC All-Freshman Team
Jonesboro (Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 575

Josh Smith, Tennessee
Christian Academy of Knoxville (Tenn.)
Composite Ranking: 1332

Malik Foreman, Tennessee
Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.)
Composite Ranking: 1155

Devaun Swafford, Tennessee
Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.)
Composite Ranking: 1925

Tre'Davious White, LSU, SEC All-Freshman Team
Green Oaks (Shreveport, La.)
Composite Ranking: 54

Kendell Beckwith, LSU
East Feliciana (Clinton, La.)
Composite Ranking: 74

Christian LaCouture, LSU
Lincoln Southwest (Neb.)
Composite Ranking: 277

Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
Wharton (Tampa, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 3

Kelvin Taylor, Florida, SEC All-Freshman Team
Glades Day (Belle Glade, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 22

Eddie Jackson, Alabama
Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 349

A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama, SEC All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
Arlington Heights (Fort Worth, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 33

Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, SEC All-Freshman Team
Havelock (N.C.)
Composite Ranking: 446

Skai Moore, South Carolina, SEC All-Freshman Team
University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 382

Chris Jones, Mississippi State, SEC All-Freshman Team
Houston (Miss.)
Composite Ranking: 18

Darian Claiborne, Texas A&M, SEC All-Freshman Team
Port Allen (La.)
Composite Ranking: 346

BIG TEN

Christian Hackenberg, Penn State, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, Va.)
Composite Ranking: 13

Adam Breneman, Penn State, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Cedar Cliff (Camp Hill, Pa.)
Composite Ranking: 44

Richy Anderson, Penn State
Governor Thomas Johnson (Frederick, Md.)
Composite Ranking: 1066

Von Walker, Penn State
Central Mountain (Mill Hall, Pa.)
Composite Ranking: N/A

Brandon Bell, Penn State, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Oakcrest (Mays Landing, N.J.)
Composite Ranking: 709

Jordan Smith, Penn State
Woodson (Washington, D.C.)
Composite Ranking: 1152

Josh Banderas, Nebraska, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Lincoln Southwest (Lincoln, Neb.)
Composite Ranking: 251

Nathan Gerry, Nebraska, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Washington (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Composite Ranking: 725

Dontre Wilson , Ohio State, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
DeSoto (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 70

Vonn Bell, Ohio State
Ridgeland (Rossville, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 27

Joey Bosa, Ohio State, Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Freshman All-American Team
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 37

Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Burroughs (St. Louis))
Composite Ranking: 69

T.J. Simmons, Indiana, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Lakeland (Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 1558

Darius Latham, Indiana, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
North Central (Indianapolis)
Composite Ranking: 223

Antonio Allen, Indiana, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Ben Davis (Indianapolis)
Composite Ranking: 292

Marcus Oliver, Indiana, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Hamilton (Ohio)
Composite Ranking: 1750

Clyde Newton, Indiana, Big Ten All-Freshman Honorable Mention
Charlotte (Punta Gorda, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 1399

Sojourn Shelton, Wisconsin, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Plantation (Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 511

Jakarrie Washington, Wisconsin
Everett (Mass.)
Composite Ranking: 1734

Corey Clement, Wisconsin, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Glassboro (N.J.)
Composite Ranking: 153

DeAngelo Yancey, Purdue, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Mays (Atlanta)
Composite Ranking: 1142

Desmond King, Iowa, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Crockett Tech (Detroit)
Composite Ranking: 1079

Matthew Harris, Northwestern, Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Lyons (LaGrange, Ill.)
Composite Ranking: 1199

PAC-12

Jared Goff, California, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention
Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 217

Khalfani Muhammad, California
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 403

Myles Jack, UCLA, Pac-12 Freshman Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman All-American Team
Bellevue (Wash.)
Composite Ranking: 210

Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, Freshman All-American Team
Placer (Auburn, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 6

Alex Redmond, UCLA, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, Freshman All-American Team
Cerritos (Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 294

Su’a Cravens, USC, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, Freshman All-American Team
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 5

Justin Davis, USC
Lincoln (Stockton, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 98

Daquawn Brown, Washington State
Dorsey (Los Angeles)
Composite Ranking: 796

River Cracraft, Washington State, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 1249

Addison Gillam, Colorado, Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention, Freshman All-American Team
Foothill (Palo Cedro, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 2604

Jimmie Gilbert, Colorado
A&M Consolidated (College Station, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 907

John Mundt, Oregon
Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 781

Thomas Tyner, Oregon
Aloha (Beaverton, Ore.)
Composite Ranking: 20

BIG 12

Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech, Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 985

Davis Webb, Texas Tech
Prosper (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 507

Dylan Cantrell, Texas Tech
Whitehouse (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 460

Malik Jenkins, Texas Tech
Ennis (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 1480

Carlos Thompson, Texas Tech
Manvel (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 1775

Keith Ford, Oklahoma
Cypress Ranch (Houston)
Composite Ranking: 24

Stanvon Taylor, Oklahoma
East Central (Tulsa, Okla.)
Composite Ranking: 133

Hatari Byrd, Oklahoma
Central (Fresno, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 160

Ahmad Thomas, Oklahoma
Central (Miami)
Composite Ranking: 513

L.J. Moore, Oklahoma
Central (Fresno, Calif.)
Composite Ranking: 259

Dakota Austin, Oklahoma
Lancaster (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 1090

Dominique Alexander, Oklahoma, Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year
Washington (Tulsa, Okla.)
Composite Ranking: 1030

Daikiel Shorts, West Virginia
Eastern Christian Academy (Elkton, Md.)
Composite Ranking: 1094

Wendell Smallwood, West Virginia
Eastern Christian Academy (Elkton, Md.)
Composite Ranking: 744

Daryl Worley, West Virginia
William Penn Charter (Philadelphia)
Composite Ranking: 817

Marcell Ateman, Oklahoma State
Wylie East (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 274

Ben Grogan, Oklahoma State
Martin (Arlington, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 1491

Jordan Sterns, Oklahoma State
Steele (Cibolo, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 532

Deric Robertson, Oklahoma State
Killeen (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 974

Robbie Rhodes, Baylor
Southwest (Fort Worth, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 28

Andrew Billings, Baylor
Waco (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 143

Kiante’ Griffin, Baylor
Hebron (Carrollton, Texas)
Composite Ranking: 449

Ty Slanina, TCU
East Bernard (Texas)
Composite Ranking: 441

Tevin Lawson, TCU
Denham Springs (La.)
Composite Ranking: 341

ACC

James Conner, Pittsburgh
McDowell (Erie, Pa.)
Composite Ranking: 1007

Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh, All-ACC Second Team, Freshman All-American Team
Clairton (Pa.)
Composite Ranking: 126

Scott Orndoff, Pittsburgh
Seton LaSalle (Pittsburgh)
Composite Ranking: 656

Brandon Facyson, Virginia Tech, All-ACC Third Team
Northgate (Newnan, Ga.)
Composite Ranking: 438

Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech, All-ACC Second Team, Freshman All-American Team
Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Composite Ranking: 17

Matt Dayes, NC State
Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 1056

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, NC State
Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 1524

Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.)
Composite Ranking: 15

DeMarcus Walker, Florida State
Sandalwood (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 36

Matthew Thomas, Florida State
Washington (Miami)
Composite Ranking: 8

Gus Edwards, Miami (FL)
Tottenville (Staten Island, N.Y.)
Composite Ranking: 673

Alex Figueroa, Miami (FL)
Brooke Point (Stafford, Va.)
Composite Ranking: 2738

Stacy Coley, Miami (FL), All-ACC Honorable Mention
Northeast (Oakland Park, Fla.)
Composite Ranking: 64