<
>

Chris' top impact true freshmen

Now that the 2014 signing classes are complete, the next thing everybody wants to know is who’s going to make the most profound impact next season as true freshmen.

That’s always a tricky proposition. Sometimes, the can't-miss guys take a while to develop or have a veteran player in front of them, while some of the lower-ranked recruits end up being better than their rankings and get on the field sooner than the five-star guys.

I'm going to take my stab at the top five impact true freshmen in the SEC next season, and Edward will come back with his top five later today.

Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: No player in this class generated more buzz than Fournette, who was ranked No. 1 overall by ESPN. Very few freshmen come into the SEC looking physically like they’ve already been in the league for a couple of years, but the 6-foot-1, 226-pound Fournette fits that bill. He’s a physical runner with that extra gear to break the long ones and also has excellent hands. Moreover, the Tigers are losing Jeremy Hill early to the NFL draft along with Alfred Blue. It’s no secret that Les Miles loves to run the football, and Fournette will be toting it early and often in 2014.

Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: Anybody who can make a play on defense next season for the Aggies will get every chance to start, and the 6-5, 247-pound Garrett is that explosive pass-rusher Texas A&M so desperately lacked a season ago while finishing last in the SEC in both scoring and total defense. Garrett, ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 defensive end prospect, has that blend of speed and power and should help the Aggies improve on their 21 sacks from last season.

Wesley Green, CB, South Carolina: The Gamecocks had to fight hard down the stretch to hold off Georgia for Green, who's from Lithonia, Ga., and was one of the top 10 prospects in that state. He's a pure cover cornerback who plays with an edge and loves to challenge receivers. That's been one of the keys for the Gamecocks over the last few seasons on defense. Their cornerbacks have been able to play tight coverage on receivers, and that's right up Green's alley. With Victor Hampton leaving early for the NFL draft and senior Jimmy Legree also departing, Green should see the field early this fall.

Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee: Over the years, Tennessee has leaned on freshman running backs more than a few times. Jamal Lewis, James "Little Man" Stewart, Arian Foster and Reggie Cobb all come to mind. Hurd, an ESPN 300 player and one of the top running back prospects in this class, is already enrolled in school, giving him a big head start. He's 6-3, 227 pounds and can also run. It's worth noting that Hurd is coming off an injury during his senior year of high school, but with the Vols losing 1,124-yard rusher Rajion Neal, they're going to need a workhorse in that backfield.

Cameron Robinson, OT, Alabama: The Crimson Tide went into West Monroe, La., to get the 6-6, 325-pound Robinson, and it's not too far-fetched to think that he could emerge as Alabama's starting left tackle next season. Robinson, ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the country by ESPN, is already on campus as an early enrollee and will go through spring practice. He's evoked visions of Cyrus Kouandjio when Kouandjio was a true freshman, and Kouandjio played in eight games that season before suffering an injury. Robinson is made of the same stuff both physically and mentally.