Grading every SEC freshman class' performance during 2024 season: Hits, breakout candidates, early transfers
Signing classes are hyped every February as the future of each SEC program, but how many of those classes made an impact in Year 1?
Let's run through each SEC team's 2024 recruiting haul to see how each performed in their debut. There were some massive hits, a few underwhelming efforts and quite a few impact players who've already transferred.
Each school will also receive a grade for its freshman class so far, though don't expect many (if any) failing grades. These 2024 classes still have years to play out.
Grade: A+Hits: Cam Coleman (WR), Demarcus Riddick (Edge), Malcolm Simmons (WR), Kaleb Harris (S), Malik Blocton (DT), Jay Crawford (CB)Great Start: Amaris Williams (Edge), Kensley Louidor-Faustin (CB)Watch For In 2025: Perry Thompson (WR)Already Transferred: Walker White (QB), T.J. Lindsey (Edge)
No freshman class in the country produced better than Auburn's. Despite dealing with an injury and up-and-down quarterback play, Coleman looked every bit a five star with 37 catches for 598 yards. Simmons, merely a top-150 recruit, chipped in 40 catches for 451 yards. Harris and Crawford were both True Freshman All-American level players (Crawford was instantly one of the best corners in the SEC). Riddick and Blocton both played heavy and effective snaps in their debuts.
There were few, if any, misses for Auburn in the 2024 cycle. It's exactly the type of class Hugh Freeze needed.
Grade: AHits: DJ Lagway (QB), Jadan Baugh (RB)Great Start: LJ McCray (DL, Myles Graham (LB), Aaron Chiles (LB), Michai Boireau (DT), Tank Hawkins (WR), D'Antre Robinson (DT), Gregory Smith (S)Watch for in 2025: Jason Zandamela (OL), Roderick Kearney (OL)
Florida found its program future in Lagway, who finished with 1,915 yards passing and 12 touchdowns. He's the type of talent who can be the best overall player in college football.
Baugh ran for 673 yards and seven touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. He's a big back who forced 55 missed tackles on just 133 attempts.
The Gators seemed to hit across the board in the 2024 class. Either Graham or Chiles projects to start next season. Same with Robinson at DT and possibly McCray -- a former five-star recruit -- somewhere along the defensive line. If Florida manages to find a way back under Billy Napier, it'll be because of its 2024 class.
Grade: AHits: Ryan Williams (WR), Zabien Brown (CB)Great Start: Jaylen Mbakwe (CB), Zavier Mincey (S), Red Morgan (DB)Watch for in 2025: Jeremiah Beaman (DT)Already Transferred: Julian Sayin (QB)*, Caleb Odom (WR), Jayshawn Ross (Edge), Amari Jefferson (WR), Sterling Dixon (Edge)
*Transferred just after the 2024 early signing period following Nick Saban's retirement
Alabama's freshman class played a big role in 2024. Ryan Williams emerged as a 17-year-old superstar, reeling in a team high 865 yards and eight touchdowns. Alabama's secondary leaned on the 2024 class. Brown was a Day 1 starter for the Tide, finishing his debut with 18 tackles and a trio of interceptions. Mbakwe, Mincey and Morgan were all asked to play 100-plus snaps as true freshmen with Mbakwe flashing in particular.
The Tide suffered heavy losses in the portal, but when you land one of the best overall players in college football (Williams) and several other starting-caliber players, it's a successful class.
Grade: AHits: Dylan Stewart (Edge), Josiah Thompson (OT), Mazeo Bennett (WR)Great Start: Michael Smith (TE)Watch for in 2025: Fred Johnson (LB)Already Transferred: Debron Gatling (WR)
Stewart was instantly one of the best edge rushers in the country. He finished the 2024 season with 23 tackles, 11 TFLs and 6.5 sacks. But he wasn't the only Gamecock freshman to play a big role. Thompson started every game at left tackle. While it was an up-and-down season for the former top 40 prospect, he looks like a building block for South Carolina moving forward. You could say the same of Bennett, who finished his debut season with 30 catches to lead all receivers on the roster.
Smith is in position to potentially replace outgoing tight end starter Joshua Simon, who led the team in catches this past season. Johnson, for his part, played quite a bit as a true freshman. He looks like a potential starter with a lot of outgoing experience at linebacker.
Grade: AHits: Colin Simmons (Edge), Ryan Wingo (WR)Great Start: Kobe Black (CB), Ty'Anthony Smith (LB), Alex January (DL), Jerrick Gibson (RB)Watch For in 2025: Jordan Washington (TE), Brandon Baker (OT)
Simmons is already a star after posting nine sacks as a true freshman, the most by a Texas defender since 2018. Wingo, who totaled 572 yards on nearly 17 yards per touch, looks to be a future No. 1 wide receiver.
As for players you should keep an eye on come 2025, Black and Smith will be in the mix for starting roles. Washington and Baker will also fight for starting spots after playing sparingly as true freshmen.
It bodes well for Texas' 2024 class long term that so many players contributed during a run to the playoffs for an already deep roster.
Grade: AHits: KJ Bolden (S), Nate Frazier (RB)Great Start: Chris Cole (LB)Watch for in 2025: Daniel Calhoun (OT), Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (DL), Ellis Robinson (CB)
Bolden earned 247Sports True Freshman honors during a season in which he totaled 59 tackles and an INT as a pseudo starter. Frazier emerged as Georgia's top back in his debut, running for 671 yards on five yards per carry.
Cole, Calhoun, Robinson and Jonah-Ajonye should all be in the mix for starting roles in 2025. Robinson, the top cornerback in the 2024 class, enters his sophomore season with sizeable expectations.
Grade: B+Hits: Jayden Jackson (DL), Eli Bowen (CB)Great Start: Taylor Tatum (RB), Zion Kearney (WR), Ivan Carreon (WR), Zion Ragins (WR), Michael Hawkins (QB), Xavier Robinson (RB)Watch for in 2025: David Stone (DT)Already Transferred: Eugene Brooks (OL), Brendan Zurbrugg (QB),
The Sooners landed a pair of players on the 247Sports True Freshman All-American Team in Jackson and Bowen. Jackson earned a starting role from the jump, finishing with 28 tackles, three TFLs and two sacks. He played the fourth-most snaps of any true freshman DT this season. Bowen ended the year as Oklahoma's top cornerback, holding opposing passers to a 55.3 CMP%.
Oklahoma ended up playing a lot of freshmen on offense this season because of injuries at running back and wide receiver. Expect a lot of those 2024 contributors to see their roles decrease with better health, though players like Kearney, Tatum and Robinson project as key two-deep contributors.
Grade: B+Hits: Caden Durham (RB), Davhon Keys (LB), Ahmad Breaux (DT)Great Start: Dominick McKinley (DT), Trey'Dez Green (TE), Dashawn Spears (S), Gabriel Reliford (Edge), PJ Woodland (CB), Shone Washington (DT)Watch for in 2025: Weston Davis (OL)Already Transferred: Xavier Atkins (LB), Bernard Causey (CB)
LSU played a lot of freshmen in 2024, particularly on defense, where first-year coordinator Blake Baker mixed and matched to find a combination that worked. Keys (31 tackles, 2 TFLs) and Breaux (17 tackles, 2 TFLs) both played well in extended snaps. Expect both to be starters come 2025.
Durham was clearly LSU's best back. He ran for 753 yards and six touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry.
It's easy to envision five-plus members of LSU 2024 class starting come 2025. That group is the foundation of Brian Kelly's program moving forward.
Grade: (B)Great Start: William Echoles (DT), Kam Franklin (Edge)Watch for in 2025: TJ Banks (CB)Already Transferred: Noreel White (WR), Kavion Broussard (OT)
The Rebels returned more production than almost any team in the SEC. But that didn't stop their top two signees from cracking the D-line rotation. Echoles saw defensive snaps in eight games, finishing the year with a 76.4 PFF grade and 2 TFLs. He looks like a future star. Franklin created plenty of pressure in limited opportunities. He played just 109 snaps but finished the year with 5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
Ole Miss, like always, will be reliant on its transfer class. But Banks is a player from the 2024 class to watch in 2025 with Ole Miss losing both its starting cornerbacks from this past season.
Grade: BHits: Glenn Seabrooks (DT), Jaylin Lackey (CB)Great Start: Dontae Carter (S)Watch for in 2025: Boski Barrett (WR)Already Transferred: Alvin Williamson (CB), Callahan Blair (Edge)
Lackey ended up starting five games for Vanderbilt as a true freshman. While he had his up-and-down moments, he still projects as a starter heading into next season. Seabrooks had one of the best debuts of any true freshman DT, posting a 70 PFF grade in 263 snaps. Carter had starter hype heading into last season but settled into a rotational role. He's viewed as a likely starter heading into 2025.
Grade: C+Hits: Boo Carter (DB)Great Start: Mike Matthews (WR)Watch For In 2025: Peyton Lewis (RB), Braylon Staley (WR), Amari Jefferson (WR), Williams Satterwhite (OL), Jessee Perry (OT), Benett Warren (OT)
A much-hyped freshman throughout the 2024 offseason, Carter largely lived up to expectations as a part-time starter. He finished the year with 38 tackles, 3 TFLs and an interception. Matthews flirted with the transfer portal this offseason but opted to stay. That's big for the Vols as Matthews, who had seven catches for 90 yards this past season, is viewed as the future of the wide receiver room.
Given Tennessee's sweeping losses across its offensive line, wide receiver and running back rooms, several second-year players are expected to compete for starting spots in 2025.
Grade: CHits: Terry Bussey (WR)Watch for in 2025: Solomon Williams (Edge), Blake Ivy (OL), Ashton Funk (OL)
Texas A&M signed a small transition class under Mike Elko and few of the program's 2024 signees contributed. Bussey, however, was a big exception. The No. 1 athlete in the 2024 cycle, Bussey began his Aggie career as a wide receiver. He wasn't quite a starter by season's end, but he played 20-plus snaps in three of Texas A&M's final four games. Even with all of Texas A&M's transfer adds at wide receiver, Bussey looks like a 2025 starter and a potential star. He's someone the Aggies can build around.
Grade: CGreat Start: Braylen Russell (RB), Kobe Branham (OT)Watch for in 2025: CJ Brown (WR), Bradley Shaw (LB), Selman Bridges (CB), Charlie Collins (Edge)Already Transferred: Tevis Metcalf (S)
Arkansas had to fight to keep some of their top signees from the 2024 class with Russell at the top of that group. The Razorbacks' projected starter in 2025, he entered the portal twice but eventually opted to stay with Arkansas following a debut that saw him run for 354 yards and three touchdowns. Bridges, the Razorbacks' second-ranked recruit in the 2024 class, also entered the portal but decided to return.
Branham started in the Texas Bowl and is expected to compete for a starting role next season. Brown and Shaw should, at worst, be part of the Razorbacks' two deep after promising freshman campaigns.
As for a potential breakout who didn't do much his first year, look out for Collins. He was a top-100 recruit in the 2024 class, and Arkansas would love for him to emerge as a regular contributor next season.
Grade: CGreat Start: Terhyon Nichols (CB), Cutter Boley (QB), Willie Rodriguez (TE)Watch for in 2025: Jerod Smith (DE)Already Transferred: Hardley Gilmore (WR), Caleb Redd (Edge)
Few Wildcats played meaningful snaps as true freshmen, but Nichols performed well in 195 opportunities, including a start against Tennessee. Opposing quarterbacks completed just 52.9% of their passes against him. Boley played a bit more than Kentucky would have liked as a true freshman, but there's some optimism about his future within the program. Rodriguez will be in contention to start in 2024. The Wildcats hope Smith -- their top-rated signee from the 2024 class -- is ready to play in year two.
It's worth noting that perhaps the most promising member of Kentucky's 2024 class, Gilmore (153 yards, 1 TD), transferred to Nebraska. He was viewed as the future of the wide receiver room.
Grade: DGreat Start: Kai McClendon (DT)Watch for in 2025: Jimothy Lewis (OT)Already Transferred: Mario Craver (WR), JJ Harrell (WR), Michael Van Buren (QB)
The good news: Mississippi State had several notable hits from the 2024 class in Craver and Van Burren.
The bad news: Both of those players – Craver (Texas A&M), Van Burren (LSU) – now play for another team in the SEC.
McClendon was the one real bright spot from the 2024 class who remains on the roster. He even started a handful of games down the stretch, looking like a multi-year starter in the SEC.
It's hard to say many other 2024 players will contribute next season after the Bulldogs brought in a 20-player transfer class but Lewis is expected to at least factor into the two deep.
Grade: D-Great Start: Nicholas Rodriguez (LB)Watch for in 2025: James Madison (WR), Trajen Greco (S)Already Transferred: Williams Nwaneri (Edge), Courtney Crutchfield (WR), Jaren Sensabaugh (CB), Kewan Lacy (RB), Aidan Glover, Will Safris (P)
Missouri didn't have any true freshman emerge as starters in 2024, but Rodriguez played the most -- appearing in nine games. He'll have a chance to break into the two deep in 2024. Madison and Greco are in the same situation after playing sparingly in their debuts. The Tigers are replacing all three starting wide receivers, so there are plenty of snaps up for grabs. Greco, meanwhile, will be in the mix to break into Missouri's safety rotation.
Of note: Missouri lost its top two signees (Nwaneri and Crutchfield) along with five of its top 10 signees from the 2024 class to the transfer portal.
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