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TreVeyon Henderson, Will Shipley and 10 college football freshmen that will be instant stars

By Cody Williams

Clemson running back Will Shipley(1) runs during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Friday, March 5, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice
Clemson running back Will Shipley(1) runs during football practice in Clemson, S.C. Friday, March 5, 2021.Clemson Spring Football Practice /
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College football fans and analysts are always going to value experience. There’s a reason we’re looking at the 2021 season with extremely high hopes for a team like Iowa State that has enjoyed success recently but is also bringing virtually every key contributor back into the fold. You simply can’t discount players who have been on the field and done it before at this level.

At the same time, talent also can’t be ignored, no matter how many college football snaps that player has seen before. That’s why there are freshmen every single season who join a program and immediately become one of the standouts for that team. Sometimes, there are players who have the god-given gifts combined with the right opportunity that makes them an instant star.

So who are the players that fit that bill as we enter the 2021 college football season? While there are numerous players who will play key roles, these 10 guys listed in no particular order will all be immediate big-time contributors for their teams. (Note: For the sake of diversity, no team is included more than once on this list.)

10. Deion Smith, WR, LSU

The excitement in Baton Rouge surrounding wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is immense. After he played his way into a starting role for LSU last season and capped off the year with three straight 100-yard games, including a 308-yard, three-touchdown game against Ole Miss, it’s hard for that not to be the case. What that doesn’t take into account, however, is the lack of depth at wide receiver outside of Boutte.

Ed Orgeron’s program brought in a sneaky deep class of players at the position in the 2021 recruiting class but Deion Smith has the chance to be the quickest contributor of the bunch. Not only did he enroll early at LSU to help give him a leg up on learning the offense but his skill set is undeniable.

Checking in at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds, Smith already has a frame conducive to success against the physical play of many SEC defensive backs. But on top of that, the incoming freshman also has a little bit of juice in his athletic ability to go with an elite sense for making plays on the football in contested situations.

While freshman defensive back Sage Ryan could be the next player to help solidify the Tigers program as DBU, Smith is the player coming into the biggest opportunity with LSU. If he stays healthy after getting a tad nicked up in spring ball, he could be a huge part of the offense getting back in the relative ballpark of the 2019 team.