Freshman Five: Week 1, 2022

True freshmen are looking for the opportunity to shine early in their career. Here’s a look at five who took advantage of their chances in week 1:

CJ Donaldson – West Virginia

CJ Donaldson was recruited as a tight end, but made his mark as a running back this week. He only got seven carries (which was far too few) in the 38 – 31 loss to Pittsburgh, but he made all of his touches count. Donaldson was decisive, seeing the hole and showing good burst getting downhill. He ran with power and finished runs with authority. Everytime Donaldson got the ball he made a big play for the Mountaineers. He finished the game with 7 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown. West Virginia will be well served by getting him the ball more moving forward this year.

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DE – Dasan McCullough – Indiana

Indiana pulled out a dramatic come from behind win over Illinois 23 -20 to open the season. Landing McCullough was a big recruiting win for Indiana, and the freshman wasted little time making an impact. He was a key member of an Indiana defense that kept the Hoosiers in the game, while the offense struggled for the majority of the game. He was involved on several stops against star Illinois running back, Chase Brown and helped slow down the Illinois running game in the second half. McCullough finished the game with 6 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. It was an active first game for the freshman and could be the beginning of a great career in Bloomington.

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DB – Malaki Starks – Georgia

Malaki Starks started his Georgia career off with a bang. In the Bulldogs 49 – 3 dismantling of Oregon, Starks fit right in on the Georgia defense. With his team up 7 – 0, Starks showed of his immense talent on a deep pass from Bo Nix. He tracked the ball beautifully, getting excellent position and leaping for an incredible interception that helped to set the tone for the defense. In addition to the excellent interception, Starks made 8 tackles during the game and helped Georgia’s defense dominate the Oregon offense. This was an excellent debut for the talented freshman and could be a sign of bigger things to come.

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RB – Raleek Brown – USC

USC made quick work of Rice in a 66 – 14 win on Saturday. Raleek Brown earned playing time early in the game and was productive with his opportunities. He showed off his his speed, getting outside the defense and scoring the first touchdown of his career. He also showed of his versatility with a solid day catching the ball. Brown finished the game with 6 carries for 36 yards and a touchdown to go with 2 catches for 40 yards in the passing game. He showed his play-making ability and should continue to get more touches in the coming weeks.

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WR – Kobe Prentice – Alabama

Alabama outclassed Utah State in a 55 – 0 win on Saturday. Kobe Prentice got plenty of snaps at wide receiver and proved to be a reliable weapon in the passing game. He was able to get yards in the screen game and also found windows to settle into in the intermediate passing game. Prentice was effective in space, making defenders miss with his quickness. He also showed how advanced he is as a true freshman, find openings in the defense with easy. Prentice made 5 catches for 60 yards in a game that was practically over at halftime. He showed the chemistry with his quarterback that will make him a key part of the offense this year.

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