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College football freshmen who could make an instant impact this fall

The 2019 class has already made its presence known at colleges around the country with a number of spring practice standouts. With more players graduating high school in December and enrolling in college in January, the number of impact true freshmen continues to rise.

There are five-star talents, such as Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who enroll in January and immediately become a factor and favorite to win the competition at their position. And then there are the more difficult projections, like Purdue receiver Rondale Moore, who outplayed his ranking as a true freshman last fall despite not enrolling until June.

Let’s take a look at some predictions for instant-impact freshman in 2019.

QB Bo Nix, Auburn

What started out as a four-man competition at the beginning of spring football has become a two-man race between true freshman Nix and redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood. This should come as no surprise if you are an Auburn fan. Nix, the son of coach and former Auburn QB Patrick Nix, comes in well equipped and well prepared to take over the reins. Bo Nix was impressive in the A-Day game, going 11-for-17 for 155 yards with two touchdowns. He’s mature and poised and a better runner than Jarrett Stidham. Expect the race to go well into August, as Gatewood is a dynamic athlete and thrower and was equally impressive this spring. He has really grown up since arriving on the plains a year ago. We believe both QBs will play and have an impact on Auburn’s success this fall, with Nix expected to win the competition over time.

WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

Yes, Ohio State loses Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon, but also returns the likes of Chris Olave and Binjimen Victor, as well as other proven playmakers. None may be the caliber of Wilson, who capped off the spring game with four catches for 44 yards and one touchdown. He has a penchant for making the acrobatic grab look easy and is a speedster who can give Justin Fields a true vertical weapon. Wilson’s emergence will ease the loss of Campbell, and Wilson is more of a natural pass-catcher. With Fields being the runner he is and defenses having to load the box, expect Wilson to see some one-on-one opportunities downfield.

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EltasZone Sportswriters, Sports Analysts, Opinion columnists, editorials and op-eds. Analysis from The Zone Team
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