The freshmen who end up mattering most are often the ones nobody spends much time talking about in October. Not the headliners.
Not the names already tied to lottery buzz. The real surprise usually comes from the player who slides into the right role, finds minutes, and turns a quiet start into something much bigger.
That’s the idea here: 10 freshmen whose production could wind up outpacing the attention they’re getting right now.
At the top of the list is Nikola Kusturica, the 6-foot-9 UCLA freshman who has a chance to go from unfamiliar name to national storyline fast. The Serbian brings international experience, size and a polished skill set that stands out for a newcomer.
He can create mismatches without giving up much defensively because of his size. There will still be an adjustment period, as there is with almost every international freshman, but if he settles in quickly, UCLA may have landed one of the most impactful freshmen in the country.
By January, he might not be under the radar anymore.
Right behind him is Bruce Branch III at BYU, a player who has to follow AJ Dybantsa into a spotlight that is not especially fair. Branch doesn’t have to be Dybantsa, though.
He has his own mix of size, shooting and two-way ability, and BYU should have enough around him to let him grow without asking him to do everything. That setup could make him especially dangerous by March.
Abdou Toure at Arkansas has a different kind of path. He may end up being the freshman John Calipari simply can’t pull off the floor.
Toure is physically ready, athletic and capable of making his presence felt on defense. Arkansas doesn’t need him to become a featured scorer.
If he defends, runs the floor and attacks the rim, he’ll play. And if the jumper shows up earlier than expected, the ceiling changes completely.
Cameron Williams at Duke could get a little lost in the shuffle at first, simply because Duke has so many talented newcomers drawing attention. But that could actually help him. He has the size and versatility to help without needing a heavy shot load, and on a championship contender, that kind of freshman often becomes indispensable.
Colben Landrew at UConn also benefits from being part of a deep roster. He arrives with real expectations, but not the same national buzz as some other freshmen. Dan Hurley has the depth to ease him in, and Landrew’s strength and perimeter versatility give him a chance to grow into a hard-to-keep-off-the-floor kind of player.
The second half of the list starts with Anthony Thompson at Ohio State, a 6-foot-8 freshman who has too much talent to stay quiet for long. He has the size to shoot over smaller defenders and the skill to take bigger ones off the dribble. Ohio State doesn’t need him to become its top player right away, but by February he could be one of the team’s most important pieces.
Miles Sadler at West Virginia may have the clearest runway of the group. Freshmen need opportunity as much as anything, and West Virginia should give him some.
The Mountaineers need playmaking, and Sadler has the speed and scoring punch to provide it. Mistakes will come with the territory, but West Virginia can afford to let him work through them.
He has a chance to become one of the Big 12’s most productive freshmen.
Carlos Medlock Jr. at Michigan State has to earn every minute, because that’s how Tom Izzo does business. But Medlock has the talent to force the issue. He gives Michigan State another ballhandler and shot-maker in the backcourt, and if he proves reliable defensively, his role could grow quickly.
Austin Goosby at Texas enters a roster loaded with talent, which is usually a good place for a freshman with his skill set. The 6-foot-5 guard can operate with or without the ball, so he doesn’t need the offense built around him to help right away. That versatility could make him tough to keep off the floor.
Gavin Placide at Wake Forest rounds out the list, and he doesn’t need to be a 20-point scorer to make an immediate impact. His size, rebounding and physicality give Wake Forest something it can use right away. Those are the kinds of traits that travel without requiring the offense to be tailored around one player.
And then there’s the one name already getting plenty of attention: Caleb Holt is not on this list. These are the freshmen who could end up going beyond the buzz they’re bringing in with them.
In Other News...
Noah Fifita Faces A Bigger Test Than Arizona Fans Might Think
Arizonas trip to West Virginia brings a familiar face back into the picture for Rich Rodriguez, who once coached in Tucson and now gets a shot at his former program in a Big 12 matchup. It also comes at a time when the Mountaineers are trying to steady themselves after dropping their last two games, while Arizona arrives with some momentum thanks to a three-game winning streak.
The Wildcats have not exactly reached the open date in perfect shape, though, with injuries thinning their group of wide receivers and putting more of the burden on Noah Fifita. The quarterback is set to make his 40th consecutive start against a West Virginia defense that has had its own struggles this season, which turns this into more than just a road test for Arizona. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Hawkins Jr. Gets A Big Chance To Change The Narrative
Mike Hawkins Jr. has already given West Virginia a better version of its quarterback room than many expected, especially on the vertical throws that can change a game in a hurry. The dual-threat sophomore has completed 12 of 27 passes beyond 20 yards for 416 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions this season, and Rich Rodriguez has pointed to the growth in Hawkins passing and his overall versatility as reasons for the Mountaineers offense has become harder to defend.
The next test is a revealing one, because Arizona brings a defense built to heat up the pocket and make a quarterback win from the pocket under stress. For Hawkins, that means another chance to show the arm talent and decision-making that have already started to reshape the conversation around him, even if the most important part of the evaluation may come down to how he handles the pressure he is about to see. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Faces A Season Pressure Point Against Arizona
West Virginia heads into a noon ET matchup at Milan Puskar Stadium with a familiar kind of urgency, this time against Arizona in a Big 12 Conference game that already carries an early-season edge. The Mountaineers are still looking for their first league win after opening conference play with losses, and the setting only adds to the pressure as they try to steady things at home.
The challenge is clear enough: West Virginias defense has struggled nationally, while Arizona brings the conferences top passer into Morgantown. ESPNs Football Power Index gives the Mountaineers a 39.5% shot to win, which only underscores how much has to go right if they are going to flip the script on TNT and get their league season moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]