CBS Sports took a look back at the top 25 true freshmen over the first 25 seasons of the 21st century.
Former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence claimed the top spot on the list thanks to his historic 2018 true freshman campaign.
Lawrence is ranked ahead of Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (2024) at No. 2 and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson (2004) at No. 3. Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly (2009) and LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (2019) round out the top five.
Here’s what CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer wrote regarding Lawrence’s 2018 season, when he became the first true freshman quarterback to lead his team to a national title since 1985:
“One of only two true freshman starting quarterbacks to lead their team to a national championship — Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway being the other in 1985 — Lawrence immediately lived up to the recruiting hype. He threw for 3,280 yards and led the ACC with both 30 touchdowns (against just four interceptions) and 8.3 yards per attempt. Lawrence is the only FBS true freshman since 2000 to throw for 3,000-plus yards, 30-plus touchdowns and fewer than five interceptions in his debut season.
“Did I mention how Lawrence finished his freshman season? He threw for a combined 674 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions in CFP wins over Notre Dame and Alabama.”
Lawrence was a consensus freshman All-America honoree who earned a bevy of nation-wide and conference-wide honors, including being named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year.
A former five-star and No. 1 overall recruit nationally, Lawrence set school freshman records in passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins as a starting quarterback. He finished the season having thrown 169 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, breaking Cullen Harper’s single-season school record of 143 in 2007.
Lawrence became the first quarterback in 40 years to beat two Top-5 opponents by 25 or more points in a single season, according to ESPN, accomplishing the feat in two Playoff contests against Notre Dame and Alabama.
Starting the final 11 games in 2018, Lawrence helped the Tigers become the first major college football team in the modern era to go 15-0.