And while many of these real freshmen will be watching most of their team’s season from the sidelines, some might have the chance to sneak into the field.
Especially when looking at the latest batch of quarterback prospects rising through the ranks. Who has a chance to score some meaningful shots this season?
Conor Wegman
where is he playing: Texas A&M
Recruiter rating: 5 stars
College Football HQ preview: Jimbo Fisher signed what 247Sports called the highest recruiting class in modern history in 2022, and while most attention has been properly directed to her defensive prospects, Weigman is an elite pick in his own right. Ranked as the No. 5 player in Texas, Weigman had his best season at Bridgeland as a high school rookie in 2020, passing for 3,803 yards and 42 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.
He’ll be competing with two other decent options this pre-season, including Haynes King and LSU transfer Zack Johnson, and while a real freshman is unlikely to outperform both at first, he could find himself on the court if the Aggies struggle unequally in the Position at any time in the season, or in the event of injury.
Howard Walker
where is he playing: LSU
Recruiter rating: 4 stars
College Football HQ preview: Brian Kelly has four options to choose from in his first season at LSU, a group led by vet Myles Brennan and Arizona State transition Jayden Daniels, and includes sophomore Garrett Nosmeyer, who had limited activity a year ago. Kelly said the race was wide open after spring football, but he praised Howard’s strong arm after throwing a 55-yard touchdown at the fair.
Brennan is a qualified option initially, but he has a history of injury, and while Daniels brings sports and movement, his ASU numbers don’t jump off the page. That could theoretically open up a place for Howard to get some shots. Former Louisiana No. 6 player Howard St. Thomas led Moore to the state title in 2020 after overtaking for more than 3,000 yards with 35 TDs and just four picks.
Drew Lar
where is he playing: Pennsylvania state
Recruiter rating: 5 stars
College Football HQ preview: You’d think that if any team was assigned the middle, it would be Penn State, with seniors Sean Clifford making a comeback. But he’s also dealt with some injury issues – most notably during last season’s game in Iowa – which could open a path for Allar to intervene.
Ranked as the No. 4 in the 2022 class and No. 3 player from Ohio State, Allar accumulated 4,444 yards to hit 48 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in Medina, outside of Cleveland. He rushed for another 382 yards and nine touchdowns to the ground.
Kid Clubnik
where is he playing: Clemson
Recruiter rating: 5 stars
College Football HQ preview: Dabo Sweeney isn’t averse to starting rookies in the games if the situation calls for it, as he did with Deshaun Watson in 2014 and Trevor Lawrence in 2018, and could be in a position to make that decision again this year.
Clemson already boasts 5-star quarterback pedigree with DJ Uiagalelei entering his second full season as a rookie, but he struggled a year ago, making nine TDs and 10 picks for the ACC’s second least productive second attack at 26.3 points per game. Hunter Johnson, who moved from Clemson to Northwestern and back to Clemson, is another former 5-star pledge.
Klopnik was the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in 2022 and scored 7,426 yards, 86 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in his career, which included three Texas State Championships.
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