Stepping onto the high school varsity sports scene as a freshman is no small feat; achieving success is an entirely different story.
In the 2024 season, these 26 freshman high school football players made a noticeable impact, earning spots on the All-Freshman Team.
Top Freshman High School Football Players of 2024
Quarterback: Creed Barrett, Washington (Oklahoma)
With options aplenty at the quarterback position, Barrett emerged as a standout, guiding his varsity team to a state championship. He achieved this by completing 174 out of 260 passes for a whopping 3,315 yards, compiling 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Barrett will also be showcasing his skills at the Navy National Combine in San Antonio, Texas, next month.
Running back: Tay Starks, Munford (Tennessee)
The Cougars wrapped up their regular season with a strong 9-2 record, significantly aided by Starks’ impressive performance on the field. He concluded the 2024 season with 1,483 rushing yards from 266 carries, scoring 23 touchdowns and completing four passes for 95 yards with two touchdowns.
Running back: Douglas Wansley, South Pike (Mississippi)
Wansley made a significant impact every week for South Pike, averaging nearly a first down with each carry. He accumulated 1,508 rushing yards on 156 attempts, scoring a total of 14 touchdowns.
Wide receiver: Damarion Mays, Life Oak Cliff (Texas)
Mays has caught the attention of college scouts across the nation, and his on-field performance in Texas has certainly backed it up. He recorded 68 receptions for 1,640 yards and found the end zone 14 times.
Wide receiver: Eric McFarland, IMG Academy (Florida)
At IMG Academy, one of the nation’s premier football programs, McFarland’s inclusion on this list is well-deserved. He caught 36 passes for 574 yards and eight touchdowns. The talented freshman has already received Power 4 offers from top programs like Florida State, Georgia, and Missouri.
Wide receiver: Jett Harrison, St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania)
Stepping in as a starter for Pennsylvania’s top program, Harrison made a significant impact, and his last name may ring a bell as he is the son of former NFL star Marvin Harrison.
Offensive lineman: Fenway Cochrane, West Orange (Florida)
Cochrane showcased his versatility by playing both guard and tackle, starting every game at tackle for one of Central Florida’s top football programs. He allowed just 1.5 sacks and tallied 19 pancake blocks during the 2024 season.
Offensive lineman: Hunter Hill, Peach County (Georgia)
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive guard demonstrated his potential to eventually transition to tackle, leading the way for the Trojans’ successful 11-2 season.
Offensive lineman: Connor Blevins, Pulaski County (Kentucky)
Blevins affirmed his status as one of Kentucky’s premier freshmen while playing for one of the state’s strongest football programs. At 6-foot-2 and 285 pounds, he demonstrated the ability to excel at multiple positions on the offensive line.
Offensive lineman: Trimarcus Mays, Niceville (Florida)
Mays is not your average offensive lineman, standing at 6 feet and weighing 314 pounds. He played on both sides of the ball for the Class 5A state semifinalist Eagles, contributing to an offense that amassed over 5,400 yards.
Offensive lineman: Ty McCurry, Atlas DFW (Texas)
At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, McCurry made his mark at left tackle for the Rattlers, helping the team achieve over 4,100 yards of offense and score 39 touchdowns.
Athlete: Tristan Shelton, Denton Guyer (Texas)
Making a name for himself with the two-time state champions, Shelton started strong this season as a receiver. Known as ‘Sonic’, he caught 48 passes for 860 yards, scoring 10 touchdowns and amassing 925 all-purpose yards while also securing a pick on defense.
Place kicker: Daniel Rivera, North Cobb (Georgia)
Rivera made an impressive debut as a freshman, becoming a dependable option for North Cobb Christian. He successfully converted 46 out of 50 extra points and hit 10 of his 12 field goal attempts.
Defensive lineman: Aden Johnson, South Broward (Florida)
Emerging from the talent-rich landscape of South Florida, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Johnson showcased remarkable skill as a freshman. He terrorized opposing offenses with 93 tackles—29 for loss and 13 sacks—while also contributing nearly 400 receiving yards on offense.
Defensive lineman: Aaron Rapp, Indian Lake (Ohio)
The impactful defensive tackle emerged as one of the top freshman difference makers within Ohio’s front sevens, with Rapp achieving a total of 112 tackles, six of which were for a loss, and 8.5 sacks.
Defensive lineman: Maa’imoa Havili, Granger (Utah)
At 6-foot-2 and weighing 270 pounds, Havili, who played at defensive tackle, made a significant impact as a freshman. The lineman for Granger accumulated 19 tackles, eight for a loss, and secured six sacks during the season.
Defensive lineman: Jackson Vaughn, Bergen Catholic (New Jersey)
Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 220 pounds, Vaughn was the leading sack producer for New Jersey’s top team. He concluded the season with 16 tackles, including 10.5 for a loss and eight sacks.
Linebacker: Jack Farhat, Brock (Texas)
Farhat’s performance as a freshman on Texas’ 4A Division II state semifinalist team was remarkable. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound outside linebacker wrapped up the 2024 season with 131 tackles, 31 for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions.
Linebacker: Weston Reis, Palos Verdes (California)
Reis had an impressive season in California’s CIF Southern Section, concluding with 128 tackles, 12.5 for a loss, and 5.5 sacks. His contributions throughout the year have been hard to dispute.
Linebacker: Jordan Olds, Sebring (Florida)
Measuring in at 6-foot and weighing 200 pounds, Olds was a standout linebacker from Florida’s 2028 class. He wrapped up the season with 35 tackles, 11 for loss, and five sacks.
Defensive back: Franklin Pack, Old Mills (Maryland)
Not many freshmen matched Pack’s ability to effectively cover wide receivers in 2024. The cornerback made 31 tackles, intercepted eight passes, and broke up another 16. A standout season for this Old Mills defender.
Defensive back: Dycen Tapscott, Kettle Run (Virginia)
As the lone freshman or sophomore named to an all-state team in Virginia, Tapscott truly showcased his defensive skills from the safety position. He amassed nine interceptions along with 43 tackles.
Defensive back: Ace Leutele, Mater Dei (California)
Playing for one of the premier high school football teams nationally, Leutele was an essential part of the defense. His season included 22 tackles and three interceptions for the Monarchs.
Defensive back: Demetre Pryor, Jones (Florida)
As a starter on the Class 4A state finalist Tigers, Pryor played a significant role in the secondary, accumulating 57 tackles, seven for a loss, nine interceptions, with three returned for touchdowns. Quite an impressive achievement for a freshman.
Athlete: Jharee Moore-Stewart, Bloomsburg (Pennyslvania)
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound defensive back also excelled offensively for Bloomsburg this past season. On defense, Moore-Stewart registered 43 tackles, broke up three passes, and recorded six interceptions. Offensively, he amassed over 1,000 all-purpose yards and scored 20 touchdowns.
Punter: Saxton Sinatra, Silver Creek (California)
Recognized as a second-team player from the Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL), Sinatra emerged as the leading freshman punter in the state. He averaged 33.3 yards over 27 punts, with a long of 54 and 10 of those kicks landing inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
