College Football

Drake Maye, Harold Perkins leading college football's top freshmen

Updated Nov. 18, 2022 7:43 a.m. ET

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is amid an outstanding freshman campaign, ranking first among all FBS signal-callers with 34 passing touchdowns and third in passing yards with 3,412.

According to FOX Bet, Maye currently has the fourth-highest Heisman odds at +600, trailing only Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud (+150), Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (+400) and Michigan RB Blake Corum (+550).

But is Maye the best freshman in college football this season?

FOX Sports college football analyst RJ Young touched on this topic in a recent episode of his podcast, "The Number One College Football Show."

Drake Maye & LSU's Harold Perkins lead best freshman in college football

FOX Sports’ RJ Young is joined by Producer Tyler discuss fan responses to RJ’s question, "Who is the best freshman in college football this season?"

When asked about Maye and where the UNC QB lands on his list, Young had the following to say.

"Drake Maye is a dude that we weren’t sure was even going to be the starter in August," Young said. "He has come on in such a fantastic way. If they end up winning the ACC Championship Game, I think it’s probably gonna end up being him because he will be the only freshman QB with a Power 5 championship underneath his belt."

Young went on to explain how Maye, a four-star prospect coming out of Charlotte, North Carolina, originally committed to Nick Saban and Alabama before changing his commitment to UNC.

"Drake Maye flipped from Alabama to UNC, so it’s not as if people did not know about him," Young said. "It’s about whether or not he was going to come through on his talent, and he has in a very real way."

But while Maye has been the clear-cut answer when it comes to the most impressive freshman quarterback in college football this season, there is a linebacker playing for Brian Kelly and the No. 6-ranked LSU Tigers that has been equally impressive.

Harold Perkins, who was a five-star prospect and the No. 1-ranked linebacker in the nation coming out of high school, per 247Sports.com, has enjoyed an incredible freshman season.

He had a historic performance in the Tigers’ 13-10 win over Arkansas last weekend, recording eight tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles.

What made the performance even more impressive was that Perkins did it all while being sick with the flu.

"I said after J.T. Tuimoloau had his outstanding game against Penn State that he put himself in the discussion for the Bednarik Award," Young said. "I think, frankly, Harold Perkins did the same thing on Saturday. It wasn’t LSU that beat Arkansas. If you watched the game, you know it was Harold Perkins that beat Arkansas."

While Maye and Perkins are certainly among the top-performing freshman in college football this season, they aren’t alone.

Here is a look at several other freshmen enjoying standout campaigns.

Penn State LB Abdul Carter: This talented freshman has the chance to be the next great linebacker to come through Penn State. He ranks second on the team in both tackles (44) and sacks (3.5). The former four-star recruit has also forced two fumbles for a defense that is only allowing 19 points per contest.

Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins: Judkins is among the top running backs throughout all of college football, regardless of class. He currently ranks 10th among all FBS players with 1,171 yards on the ground and is fifth in rushing touchdowns with 15. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Judkins has topped the 100-yard mark in seven of his 10 games, including a 205-yard, two-touchdown outing in a 31-28 win over Texas A&M.

Baylor RB Richard Reese: This freshman running back has a chance to be a well-known name nationally if he can lead Baylor to an upset win over No. 4 TCU this weekend. Through 10 games this season, Reese has totaled 852 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, which is tied for eighth among FBS players. The freshman’s top game came in Week 8 when he ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns in an impressive 35-23 win over Kansas.

Penn State RB Nick Singleton: A five-star recruit and the top-ranked running back prospect in the 2022 class, expectations were sky-high for Singleton when he arrived on campus at Penn State. Through 10 games this season, Singleton has certainly lived up to the hype. He has totaled 851 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns and is coming off arguably the best game of his young college career, a 122-yard, two-touchdown outing against Maryland. Singleton has the chance to be the next great running back to play at Penn State, joining a long list of stars that includes the likes of Saquon Barkley, Larry Johnson, Curtis Enis and former No. 1 overall draft pick Ki-Jana Carter.

Georgia DB Malaki Starks: When you play for arguably the top defense in college football and lead the team in both tackles and interceptions, you’re going to have a spot on this list. Starks wasted little time making an impact as he recorded an acrobatic interception and eight tackles in his first college appearance against Oregon. He’s been a standout on the Bulldogs defense ever since, totaling 44 tackles and two interceptions for a unit that is holding opposing offenses to just 11.6 points per game.

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