By Jason Hickman
MaxPreps.com
Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones and Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers burst on the college football scene last fall as two of the best true freshmen in the country.
Jones, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound blue chip prospect out of Foley, Ala., surprised no one by hauling in 58 passes for 924 yards and four touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.
Rodgers, an undersized yet record-breaking running back at Lamar Consolidated in Rosenberg, Texas, proved skeptics and evaluators wrong by rushing for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns and nearly leading the Beavers to the Rose Bowl.
So who are the Julio Jones- and Jacquizz Rodgers-types in the 2009 class?
The following is not a list of the top 10 high school football players in America. Based on the needs of the college they are headed to and each player’s talent and production on the field, this is our best guess at identifying 10 true freshmen that may become household names for college football fans next fall.
Keep in mind that highly-rated quarterbacks like Matt Barkley of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and MaxPreps National Player of the Year Garrett Gilbert of Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) will likely redshirt in 2009 and may not have a major impact at the next level for two or three years. Also, offensive and defensive linemen generally need a year or two in a college strength and conditioning program before heading into the trenches.
10 Impact True Freshmen For 2009
James Boyd, 6-4, 215, ATH, Jordan (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Headed to: USC
It’s becoming more and more evident that Boyd is one of the better high school athletes in the country no matter what sport or position he is playing. After leading the state of California in passing with 4,266 yards and 44 touchdowns, he has shifted his focus to basketball where he is averaging 21.9 points and 19.1 rebounds per game – unofficially the highest rebounding average in the nation. He posted a season-high 41 points and 27 rebounds in a recent win. Expect Boyd to make a splash at whatever position Pete Carroll puts him for the Trojans.
Marlon Brown, 6-5, 210, WR, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.)
Headed to: Undecided
Brown may be the closest thing to Julio Jones or Georgia’s A.J. Green among true freshmen in 2009. Although still deciding between a host of SEC schools and Ohio State, Brown is the type of athlete that will make an immediate impact no matter where he ends up. The Memphis standout earned MaxPreps All-American honors as a senior after totaling over 1,800 offensive yards and 15 touchdowns.
William Campbell, 6-5, 315, DT, Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)
Headed to: Michigan
Michigan loses both interior defensive linemen to graduation (Will Johnson and Terrance Taylor), so Rich Rodriguez is looking for immediate help up front. Campbell is already attending classes in Ann Arbor, a huge bonus in terms of easing the transition between high school and the Big Ten. Campbell will need to keep his weight down if he wants to remain on the defensive side of the ball.
Orson Charles, 6-3, 230, WR/TE, Plant (Tampa, Fla.)
Headed to: Undecided
Don’t worry about classifying this Tampa standout as a wide receiver or tight end – he is a pass catcher. Even with Georgia-bound quarterback Aaron Murray sidelined with an injury for much of the season, Charles made the Plant offense go by grabbing 75 passes for 1,421 yards and 21 touchdowns. Florida – where a similar athlete in Cornelius Ingram excelled in 2007 – would seem like a good fit, but Charles has had a long look at the Gators without pulling the trigger.
D.J. Fluker, 6-7, 330, OT, Foley (Ala.)
Headed to: Alabama
With all the talent that Nick Saban has stockpiled in Tuscaloosa over the past two years, the days of the Crimson Tide relying heavily on true freshmen may be coming to an end. But that doesn’t apply if you are a 6-7, 330-pound potential franchise left tackle like D.J. Fluker. If he enters camp in shape and at a manageable weight, he could be occupying the spot vacated by NFL early entry Andre Smith.
Ryne Giddens, 6-4, 235, DE, Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)
Headed to: South Florida
If South Florida gets Giddens’ signature on Wednesday, it will be a statement-making moment for the program’s recruiting efforts. Giddens is an elite recruit from one of the Tampa Bay area’s top programs and could help turn some of the attention away from two-time All-American George Selvie
Kendrick Hardy, 6-0, 210, RB, Lawrence County (Monticello, Miss.)
Headed to: Southern Mississippi
A year ago Southern Mississippi head coach Larry Fedora pulled a stunner by landing blue chip wide receiver DeAndre Brown, who racked up 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman. Barring a last-minute charge by Tennessee, the Golden Eagles will pull another coup by landing Hardy, a 1,700-yard rusher as a senior. Hardy could combine with Damion Fletcher to give Southern Mississippi a “Smash and Dash” feel in the backfield.
Ricky Marvray, 5-11, 185, WR/DB, Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Headed to: UCLA
UCLA – a program starved for playmakers – welcomes Marvray with open arms. Playing both ways for a team that finished No. 6 in the MaxPreps National Rankings, Marvray posted big numbers at wide receiver with 67 catches for 1,212 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Bruins’ leading receiver in 2008 was unheralded true freshman Taylor Embree, who finished with 531 yards but didn’t reach the end zone.
Donte Moss, 6-4, 235, DE, Northside (Jacksonville, N.C.)
Headed to: North Carolina
North Carolina’s pass rush was tamed in 2008, generating just 22 sacks in 13 games (80th out of 119 teams). Moss could be the elite athlete the Tar Heels need coming off the edge. After playing all over the field at the high school level (earned all-league honors at running back), he may have to ease into the rotation as a pass-rush specialist, but once he gets adjusted he could be special.
Conor O’Neill, 6-1, 195, LB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Headed to: Wisconsin
An undersized linebacker and honor roll student, O’Neill could figure into Wisconsin’s plans right away with the loss of DeAndre Levy and Jonathan Casillas to graduation. An underrated component of St. Thomas Aquinas’ national championship team last fall, O’Neill made big plays in big games all season. In the 5A state championship game against Lakeland, he returned an interception for a touchdown and forced a fumble in the opening quarter to help the Raiders build a 28-0 lead.
Click here for complete Signing Day coverage
