Athlon honors the top freshmen of 2015.
Every college football season is a new opportunity for the freshmen players on 128 FBS teams to make a statement. While each year always produces a handful of freshmen standouts, it seems more first-year players are making an impact at a high level. 2015 is a good barometer for that statement, as three of the four College Football Playoff teams feature a freshman on the Athlon Sports first-team All-Freshman squad this season.
UCLA’s Josh Rosen headlines the first-team selections at quarterback, while running backs Mike Warren (Iowa State), Saquon Barkley (Penn State) and receivers Calvin Ridley (Alabama) and Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) round out some of the nation’s high-profile freshmen on offense. The defensive line and secondary positions are loaded with talent in the freshmen ranks, including Florida State safety Derwin James, Michigan defensive back Jabrill Peppers and Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson.
Compiling the all-freshman team at the end of the regular season is no easy task. Several worthy players missed the cut, as we tried to combine stats, competition level talent and playing time to piece together the all-freshman teams for 2015.
2015 Awards and All-Conference Teams
ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC | All-America | National
College Football's 2015 Postseason All-Freshman Team
|
First Team |
Second Team |
Third Team |
|
| QB |
Josh Rosen UCLA |
QB Brent Stockstill MTSU |
QB DeShone Kizer Notre Dame |
| RB |
Mike Warren Iowa State |
RB Myles Gaskin Washington |
RB Qadree Ollison Pittsburgh |
| RB |
Saquon Barkley Penn State |
RB Joe Mixon Oklahoma |
RB Ronald Jones III USC |
| WR |
Calvin Ridley Alabama |
WR Penny Hart Georgia State |
WR Deon Cain Clemson |
| WR |
Christian Kirk Texas A&M |
WR Tre'Quan Smith UCF |
WR Eddie Daugherty Eastern Michigan |
| WR |
Richie James MTSU |
WR Courtland Sutton SMU |
WR Antonio Callaway Florida |
| AP |
KaVontae Turpin TCU |
AP Britain Covey Utah |
AP Nyheim Hines NC State |
| TE |
Mark Andrews Oklahoma |
TE David Njoku Miami |
TE C.J. Conrad Kentucky |
| OL |
Mitch Hyatt Clemson |
OL Geron Christian Louisville |
OL Blake Hance Northwestern |
| OL |
Will Clapp LSU |
OL Dalton Risner Kansas State |
OL Patrick Vahe Texas |
| OL |
Connor Williams Texas |
OL Michael Dieter Wisconsin |
OL Will Noble Houston |
| OL |
Orlando Brown Oklahoma |
OL Martez Ivey Florida |
OL Trey Adams Washington |
| OL |
Ross Pierschbacher Alabama |
OL Maea Teuhema LSU |
OL Chance Hall Tennessee |
| DE |
Walter Brady Missouri |
DE Jaylon Ferguson Louisiana Tech |
DE Josh Sweat Florida State |
| DE |
Arden Key LSU |
DE Sam Hubbard Ohio State |
DE CeCe Jefferson Florida |
| DT |
Terry Beckner Missouri |
DT Daylon Mack Texas A&M |
DL JoJo Wicker Arizona State |
| DT |
Christian Wilkins Clemson |
DT Hercules Mata'afa Washington State |
DL Trenton Thompson Georgia |
| LB |
Malik Jefferson Texas |
LB T.J. Edwards Wisconsin |
LB Dedrick Young Nebraska |
| LB |
Dre Greenlaw Arkansas |
LB Dakota Allen Texas Tech |
LB Ty Summers TCU |
| LB |
Cameron Smith USC |
LB Darrin Kirkland Tennessee |
LB Troy Reeder Penn State |
| DB |
Derwin James Florida State |
DB Iman Marshall USC |
DB Carlton Davis Auburn |
| DB |
Jordan Whitehead Pittsburgh |
DB Kareem Orr Arizona State |
DB Adonis Alexander Virginia Tech |
| DB |
Jabrill Peppers Michigan |
DB Marlon Humphrey Alabama |
DB Chris Westry Kentucky |
| DB |
Minkah Fitzpatrick Alabama |
DB Kevin Toliver II LSU |
DB Darrien Molton Washington State |
| K |
Greg Huegel Clemson |
K Justin Yoon Notre Dame |
K Clayton Hatfield Texas Tech |
| P |
Austin Seibert Oklahoma |
P Corey Fatony Missouri |
P Jake Hartbarger Michigan State |
| KR |
Nyheim Hines NC State |
KR Michael Walker Boston College |
KR KaVontae Turpin TCU |
| PR |
Christian Kirk Texas A&M |
PR Antonio Callaway Florida |
PR Britain Covey Utah |
