CJ Carr and Malachi Toney headline college football’s midseason All-Freshman team

It’s time to spotlight some of college football’s best young talents at midseason.

Our Freshman All-America team recognizes true freshmen and redshirt freshmen who have had the greatest impact on their teams in 2025. We have prioritized production and consistency in the player selection process.

Believe it or not, even in the transfer portal era, first and second year players can make an impact. And that doesn’t just include blue-chip recruits. Among our 25 selections, 11 players were rated three stars or less in the 247Sports Composite.

Seven selections are from the ACC, four each from the Big Ten and SEC, three from the Big 12, two from Notre Dame and five from the Group of 5 schools.

Note: All pressure stats and yards before and after contact come from TruMedia.

QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame: The Michigan native ranks five spots lower than fellow redshirt freshman Julian Sayin in passing efficiency, but Carr has more passing yards and doesn’t have the luxury of throwing to a collection of All-Americans like Ohio State’s starting quarterback. The former top-100 recruit leads all first-year QBs with 41 explosive plays (16-yard passes or 12-yard runs) and has thrown 13 touchdown passes and just three interceptions.

RB Bo Jackson, Ohio State: Jackson leads the defending national champions with 407 rushing yards and has been a more explosive option than veterans CJ Donaldson and James Peoples. His 5.26 yards per carry after contact leads all freshmen, and Cleveland’s 6-foot, 217-pound freshman also contributed in the passing game with six catches for 57 yards and a score.

RB Nate Sheppard, Duke: No freshman player ran for more yards (447) than Louisiana’s 5-10, 195-pound four-star recruit. Sheppard, whose older brother Will played wide receiver at Vanderbilt and Colorado, has 11 explosive carries (12 yards or more) and ranks fourth among freshman backs with 14 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. He averages 3.52 yards per carry before contact (second best among freshmen) and 4.46 yards per carry after contact (fourth best).

WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee: The redshirt freshman and four-star recruit from South Carolina has been a big contributor to a passing attack that ranks seventh nationally with 317.8 yards per game. Staley (6-0, 190) leads all freshmen with 31 catches and 431 receiving yards. He’s been targeted 49 times this season‚ 13 more than any other freshman receiver in the country.

WR Malachi Toney, Miami: Toney (5-11, 188) leads the second-ranked Hurricanes in catches (29) and receiving yards (375) and has scored three times. The true freshman and four-star recruit from American Heritage School in Plantation (Fla.) has produced 211 yards after the catch – the second most among freshmen – and has 18 receptions for first downs.

TE Blessed, Kaildu, visit the Boro. The son of former Cleveland Browns coach and longtime NFL assistant Rob Chudzinski leads all first-year tight ends in catches (10) and receiving yards (127). A three-star recruit ranked 101st at his position in the 247Sports Composite, Chudzinski has five catches for first downs – the most for his position among freshmen.

OT Jesse Perry, Tennessee: Five-star offensive tackle recruit David Sanders was the big signing in December, but it was Perry who was the team’s young star on the offensive line. The 6-6, 320-pound redshirt freshman and three-star recruit from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, allowed just three pressures (and no sacks) on 179 pass-blocking snaps as the starting right tackle.

OT Jacob Ponton, Texas Tech: The 6-8, 305-pound redshirt freshman and four-star in-state recruit started all six games at right tackle for the undefeated Red Raiders. He allowed just eight pressures and two sacks on 201 pass-blocking snaps.

JO John Mills, Washington: Mills, a 6-6, 325-pound four-star recruit from San Francisco, started the first five games of the season at left guard before suffering a lower leg injury in the comeback win at Maryland. The injury is not expected to last long term. Mills did not allow a sack on 127 pass-blocking snaps.

AND Ezomo Oratokhai, North-West: Oratokhai, a Texan native, started all six games for the Wildcats this season at left guard after making two starts in 2024 and earning a redshirt. He allowed just one sack and five pressures on 192 pass-blocking snaps.

C Brock Riker, Texas State: A three-star recruit in the 2024 cycle out of Texas, Riker started all six games and allowed no pressures or sacks on 196 pass-blocking snaps. Texas State ranks seventh nationally with 250.2 rushing yards per game.

DL Mandrell Desir, Florida State: Desir, a 6-4, 262-pound true freshman and three-star recruit from Miami, leads all interior freshman defensive linemen with 11 quarterback pressures on 83 snaps. He had 12 tackles, including three TFLs and two sacks, on 135 defensive snaps – all off the bench for the Seminoles.

DL Tristan Johnson, TCU: The redshirt freshman has played 157 defensive snaps – fifth among all freshman interior linemen – and has nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Johnson had a sack and a forced fumble in TCU’s win over Colorado.

Edge Wendell Gregory, Oklahoma State: Gregory leads all freshmen with 11 devastating plays (tackle for loss, forced fumble, interception, pass breakup or sack). The South Carolina transfer and 2024 four-star recruit from Georgia has totaled 19 tackles, 8.5 TFL, three sacks and a forced fumble, and his 23 pressures are the most among freshmen.

Edge Zahir Mathis, Maryland: Mathis has been a terror to opposing quarterbacks alongside teammate and true freshman Sidney Stewart. The four-star recruit from Philadelphia produced 23 tackles, six TFLs and 4.5 sacks in six starts. His eight ravaging plays rank second and his 21 pressures rank third among borderline freshmen.

LB Antoine Deslauriers, Syracuse: Deslauriers started all six games and had 28 tackles, two TFLs and one sack. The Montreal native, a three-star recruit who played at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, forced two fumbles in an upset win at Clemson.

LB Luke Ferrelli, California: Ferrelli leads all freshmen nationally with 45 tackles, which ranks eighth in the ACC. The redshirt freshman and former three-star recruit started all six games for the Bears. He had a sack against Duke and an interception in a win at Boston College.

CB Nehemiah Chandler, South Alabama: Chandler, a Florida native who originally signed with Georgia Tech, has two interceptions and five assists while making six starts for the Jaguars. He allowed a 48.4 percent success rate on passes thrown his way.

CB Graceson Littleton, TX: Graceson started five games for the Longhorns, who rank 10th in passing efficiency on defense. The top-100 recruit from Tampa, Fla., is tied for the team lead with two interceptions, including one in Red River Rivalry’s win over Oklahoma. He produced 17 tackles, a TFL, two assists and a forced fumble.

CB Demeters Samuel Jr., Syracuse: The four-star recruit from Florida leads all true freshman cornerbacks in snaps played (377). He played well in coverage, completing just 20 of 40 passes thrown while recording eight assists. Samuel has 27 tackles and had an interception in a win over Colgate.

S Tae Johnson, Notre Dame: The redshirt freshman and four-star recruit from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has started the Irish’s last four games at safety and is tied for fourth on the team with 26 tackles. Johnson created three devastating plays (two pass breakups and an interception) in the win over Boise State.

S Jessiah McGrew, FIU: The three-star recruit from Tallahassee, Fla., is tied with Miami’s Bryce Fitzgerald for the lead among freshmen with three interceptions. He ranks fifth on the team in tackles (25) and has two assists. McGrew also blocked a field goal in the Penn State game.

K Patrick Durkin, Tulane: The redshirt freshman is a perfect 13 of 13 on field goal attempts, including three from 40 yards or more. He had a season-long 50-yard run in a win over South Alabama. He’s 16 of 17 on extra points, and his 31 touchbacks on 34 kickoffs are fifth among freshmen.

P Dylan Drennan, Buffalo: Drennan, a redshirt freshman from Dallas, has a net average of 43.2 yards, second-best among freshmen with double-digit punts. His season-high 76 yards (high among freshmen) and he has pinned opponents inside the 10-yard line seven times.

AP Vernell Brown, Florida: The five-star recruit from Orlando, Fla., ranks second behind Toney among true freshmen receivers with 27 catches for 368 yards. Brown also managed 16 special teams returns – second best among freshmen – and averaged 15.4 yards per punt return, second best among freshmen.