The last few years I have put out daily blogs that listed all the True Freshmen at each position and given you an idea of how many actually played in their first year on campus. I will go thru each position and show you how many have played the last six years, so you know what to expect out of this year’s true frosh class.
Here is a look at the top 50 Offensive Linemen that were signed in 2020. Now 2020 was an odd year as with no spring practice, the true frosh OL’s could not benefit from being in early for the spring. With some conferences cancelling their seasons and then starting them up again that put them even further behind. Now in 2020 technically every OL redshirted as 2020 did not count against their eligibility so coaches were more likely to play them.
Here is a look at the Top 50 rated True Frosh OL from 2020 and how many played. There were other freshmen that played on the OL in 2020 but I am just going thru the top 50 OL and how many played as these were the freshmen that were most likely to play.
My original thought was that Offensive Line would be the toughest position for a true freshman to start as they are 18 or 19 years old and trying to learn blocking schemes while taking on much older defensive linemen who are stronger and more developed. Defenses can be very confusing, and you must keep your QB healthy. I have noticed that some true frosh have come in and started in year one, but I was not sure of how many or what percentage. In 2020 many teams did not play a full schedule, so Peter Skoronski led with 9 starts but Northwestern only played 9 games so that was a full season. No other Top 50 OL started all his team’s games. Only 8 of the top 50 OL started a game but 33 of the top 50 OL did get into at least one game.
Now let’s look at the 2021 True Freshmen. I know that technically all of 2020’s true frosh were still true frosh, but I will just look at the ones that were in their first year on campus. We will just look at the 2021 signing class of OL’s and how much they played.
With everyone back from Covid and unlike in 2020 if a player played more than 4 games the player would lose a year of eligibility you would think that less true frosh OL’s would play. One advantage the 2021 true frosh had was being able to be on campus for spring if they enrolled early. The uninterrupted summer probably helped the OL’s gain strength in the weight room and be more capable of playing.
Here is a look at the Top 50 True Frosh OL’s from 2021 and how many played.
Two true frosh started on the O-line for basically the entire season for Texas A&M in Bryce Foster (12 starts) and Reuben Fatheree (9 starts). This time nine of the top 50 true frosh OL earned starts. There was 15 OL that played more than 4 games and burned their redshirt so 70% of the top 50 True Frosh OL redshirted in 2021. Five started eight or more games including Marcus Tate who was the first true frosh to start at Clemson since 1980 and he logged 627 snaps.
In 2022 I projected PS#1 Zach Rice as the starter for North Carolina. I went thru all 131 teams and the other true frosh OL that I have projected as starters this year in the magazine are PS#7 Will Campbell and LSU, PS#52 Cole Hutson of Texas, PS#134 Jonah Savaiinaea of Arizona and PS#308 Brady Wayburn of Connecticut. In this era of the transfer portal a coach is more likely to fill a hole on the offensive line with a transfer than a true freshman, but I thought the numbers would be similar to 2021 for the overall participation. Naturally other freshmen will work their way into the lineup as the season progresses due to development, injuries and production. Here is how many of the 2022 true frosh Top 50 OL played.
The numbers stayed about the same. In 2022 Four true Frosh OL were full season starters in PS#7 Will Campbell who started 13 for LSU, PS#3 Kelvin Banks started 13 for Texas, PS#18 Emery Jones started 12 for LSU and PS#28 Blake Miller started 14 for Clemson. Seven different OL earned a start.
In 2023 I projected PS#1 Kadyn Proctor of Alabama, Chase Bisontis (PS#7) of Texas A&M, Francis Mauigoa (PS#2) of Miami Florida and Raymond Pulido (PS#72) of Arizona were 4 true frosh OL that I have projected as starters. Here is the chart of how many of the top 50 true frosh OL actually played. Pulido is not listed as he was “just” PS#72 and this is just PS#50 or higher.
In 2024 I had less true frosh projected to start and said that after the number of starts had climbed for three years that I expected a decrease. PS#1 Jordan Seaton started all 13 games for Colorado and Josiah Thompson started all 12 for South Carolina. Thos two accounted for 25 of the years very low 26 combined starts by Top 50 True Frosh OL. Here is the chart for 2024.
In 2025 I expected an increase in the starts by true frosh and the numbers did return to the same area they were in 2021-23. Dontrell Glover of Georgia led with 12 starts and Michael Fasusi of Oklahoma also had 10 starts. 10 different OL drew starts and the top 50 OL combined for 64 starts and participated in 211 games.
TODD DROP IN 2025 CHART
In 2020 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 23 starts and 142 games played.
In 2021 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 58 starts and 192 games played.
In 2022 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 64 starts and 181 games played.
In 2023 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 75 starts and 182 games played.
In 2024 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 25 starts and 136 games played.
In 2025 the top 50 true frosh OL’s combined for 64 starts and 211 games played.
Here is a look at this years top 50 True Frosh OL
TODD DROP IN HERE
I project Jackson Cantwell as the starting LT for Miami Florida plus Kodi Greene as the starting LT for Washington. With the new five year rule I would expect more true frosh to earn jobs as the season goes along and I will call for an increase in the 64 start number.
This years magazine is 376 pages and the biggest and best ever. Here are the different ways you can order the magazine.
Option #1 – Pick one up at your local Barnes and Noble or Books-a-Million store. When you go into a Barnes and Noble you get two different cover choices in each store! The official on sale date is July 4th but it is hitting some stores sooner. It is also available at Books-a-Million which all have the national cover. These two distributors are our exclusive vendors of the magazine, and they are not available at Walmart’s, Walgreens, Grocery Stores, other bookstores or drug stores so save your gas. The only two brick and mortar store they are available are Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million.
Option #2 – Buy the Hard copy of the magazine at philsteele.com or call 1-866-918-7711. The total cost depends on where you live and which of the four types of shipping you choose. It will cost you in the ballpark of $10 for shipping and tax. The biggest advantage of buying online is that When you buy the Hard copy you GET the DIGITAL version of the magazine ($19.99) for FREE and it is updated thru September. Your digital access begins immediately when you purchase. You also get your choice of covers (National, SEC, Midwest, Southwest, West or East Coast) as these are generally mailed out the same or next business day as the order. Order Here!
Option #3 – Buy the digital magazine. The best thing about the digital magazine is that it is updated all the way thru the month of September. If a coach gets fired (that has happened the last couple of years) we update it. If a player is injured and out for the year we CIRCLE him in the magazine. If a player is added late (very rare) we put him in. Any changes to the team from the start of June thru the month of September is updated in the digital version. When you go to the philsteele.com store you will not see a picture there, you need to click on Digital Editions and order it there. It will be activated immediately giving you instant access. Order the Digital Here!
Option #4 – Order the VIP Bundle – The price of the VIP bundle is $44.95. With the VIP bundle you get the National Cover of the magazine. All VIP’s received EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to the digital version of the magazine for one week, but that bonus is gone as the digital is now available for everyone. You receive two magazines PLUS the Digital Magazine. You also receive FOUR Free issues of my Inside the Pressbox Newsletter ($20 per issue – $80 value) which gives you my Forecast and my computers forecast on EVERY FBS game each week. You also receive access to Phil Steele Plus ($25 per month) for the months of June, July, August and September! The VIP Bundle also includes SHIPPING so it is basically just $10 more than ordering the magazine by itself! Order the Reg VIP Bundle Here!!
Option #5 – THE BEST BUY – Order the Super VIP Bundle – The price of the SUPER VIP bundle is $74.95. With the Super VIP Bundle you receive
TWO magazines INCLUDING SHIPPING ($69 value!), EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to the digital version for one week (that happened already), order shipped next business day. Use the 2nd magazine when your first one gets dogeared or sell/give it to a friend.
Digital magazine ($19.95 value) FREE – The digital magazine is updated thru September (see option 3) and you get immediate access to the digital version upon purchase.
Four Issues of my Inside the Pressbox newsletter ($80 value) which gives you my forecast and my COMPUTERs forecast on EVERY FBS games each week (including FBS vs FCS) the same bonuses that the VIP’s get. You also receive…
FCS Digital Magazine ($25) FREE – Two full pages on Every FCS team laid out the same way the pages are for the FBS magazine. There are 128 FCS teams so over 250 pages!
NFL Digital Magazine ($15) FREE – Four full pages on Every NFL team and a Fantasy Football section!
Phil Steele Plus ($99 value) ENTIRE SEASON FREE – This is a tremendous addition. If you purchase the full year access to Phil Steele Plus it is $99 but you get it included in the Super VIP Bundle Purchase the Super VIP Bundle now and get the entire year of Phil Steele Plus FREE!! Here is a link to all the great info available on Phil Steele Plus including the schedule predictor! Order the Super VIP Bundle Here!!
