National-Best 4 Tigers Named to FWAA Freshman All-America Team
By: Robert MacRae January 17, 2025

A national-best four Clemson Tigers were named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America Team, announced by the organization Tuesday.

Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown leads the four Tigers on the team. Brown logged eight or more tackles in seven games this season and is the first Clemson rookie to post 50 or more tackles and 10.0 or more tackles for loss in a season since Dexter Lawrence in 2016. He was named the 2024 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The three fellow Tigers joining Brown on the FWAA Freshman All-America Team are wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr., cornerback Ashton Hampton and kicker Nolan Hauser, who will go down in Clemson lore after kicking a 56-yard field goal as time expired to win the ACC Championship Game over SMU, 34-31.

Hauser is one of three finalists for Special Teams Freshman of the Year, along with Iowa punter Rhys Dakin and UAB punt returner Kam Shanks.

Clemson led the Freshman All-America Team with four players represented, followed by three at South Carolina. All others had one each among the 27 total programs from all 10 FBS conferences and one independent program. The Southeastern Conference led the way with nine players, with the Atlantic Coast Conference just behind with eight.

The FWAA Freshman All-America Team, named since 2001, is an annual postseason list of the top players competing in their first seasons with their programs as true freshmen or redshirt freshmen.

Following is the complete 2024 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:

OFFENSE (14)
QB DJ Lagway, Florida (6-3, 239, Fr., Willis, Texas)
QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (6-3, 242, R-Fr., Florence, S.C.)
RB Ahmad Hardy, ULM (5-10, 205, Fr., Monticello, Miss.)
RB Bryson Washington, Baylor (6-0, 203, R-Fr., Franklin, Texas)
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (6-3, 215, Fr., Miami Gardens, Fla.)
WR Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (6-2, 180, Fr., Midlothian, Texas)
WR Ryan Williams, Alabama (6-0, 175, Fr., Mobile, Ala.)
TE Mason Williams, Ohio (6-5, 257, R-Fr., Mogadore, Ohio)
OL Aidan Banfield, North Carolina (6-3, 300, Fr., Buford, Ga.)
OL Tyler Mercer, North Texas (6-4, 290, Fr., Prosper, Texas)
OL Elijah Paige, USC (6-7, 320, R-Fr., Phoenix, Ariz.)
OL Tyson Ruffins, Nevada (6-2, 291, R-Fr., Carson, Calif.)
OL Jordan Seaton, Colorado (6-5, 285, Fr., Washington, D.C.)
OL Josiah Thompson, South Carolina (6-7, 300, Fr., Dillon, S.C.)

DEFENSE (13)
DL Jamarioius Brown, Ole Miss (6-1, 315, R-Fr., Moss Point, Miss.)
DL Jayden Jackson, Oklahoma (6-2, 312, Fr., Indianapolis, Ind.)
DL Colin Simmons, Texas (6-3, 245, Fr., Duncanville, Texas)
DL Dylan Stewart, South Carolina (6-6, 248, Fr., Washington, D.C.)
LB Sammy Brown, Clemson (6-2, 235, Fr., Commerce, Ga.)
LB Isaiah Chisom, Oregon State (6-0, 218, R-Fr., Santa Clarita, Calif.)
LB Josiah Trotter, West Virginia (6-2, 242, R-Fr., Philadelphia, Pa.)
CB OJ Frederique Jr., Miami (6-0, 180, Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
CB Ashton Hampton, Clemson (6-2, 200, Fr., Tallahassee, Fla.)
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame (6-2, 191, Fr., Round Rock, Texas)
S KJ Bolden, Georgia (6-0, 185, Fr., Buford, Ga.)
S Koi Perich, Minnesota (6-1, 200, Fr., Esko, Minn.)
S Zechariah Poyser, Jax State (6-2, 190, R-Fr., Wildwood, Fla.)

SPECIALISTS (5)
K Nolan Hauser, Clemson (6-1, 190, Fr., Cornelius, N.C.)
P Rhys Dakin, Iowa (6-0, 222, Fr., Melbourne, Australia)
KR Samuel Singleton Jr., Florida State (5-11, 195, R-Fr., Charleston, S.C.)
PR Kam Shanks, UAB (5-8, 180, R-Fr., Prattville, Ala.)
AP Isaac Brown, Louisville (5-9, 190, Fr., Homestead, Fla.)

By conference: SEC 9, ACC 8, Big Ten 4, Big 12 3, American Athletic 2, Conference USA 1, Independents 1, Mid-American 1, Mountain West 1, Pac-12 1, Sun Belt 1.