ESPN expands freshman football rankings to 40 players as season enters final stretch
Jesse Legree remains the top-ranked first-year player, while Javian Mallory and Jonaz Walton surge in the updated list.
By Fatima Saleh ·
ESPN has widened its college football freshman ranking list from 25 to 40 players, a move coinciding with the start of November. The updated chart places Oregon State receiver Jesse Legree at No. 1. The list reflects the current performance of first-year players who are becoming integral to College Football Playoff contenders.
Two running backs saw notable jumps in the new rankings. Javian Mallory of Miami and Jonaz Walton of Notre Dame moved up the board as the season progressed. Their production has been a key factor for their respective teams in recent weeks.
Legree, a three-star recruit from Baltimore, has led all college receivers in receiving yards with 1,110 and in touchdowns with 14. He has surpassed 100 receiving yards in all but one game. His biggest performance came against then-No. 13 Texas Tech, where he caught eight passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Oregon State coach JaMarcus Shephard recruited Legree while working in Alabama, recognizing his vertical speed and ability to find open space.
Other top performers include Deuce Geralds of LSU, who has recorded five sacks and six tackles in a win over Mississippi State. Zykie Helton of Georgia has started every game without allowing a sack, helping anchor a running game that averages 5.9 yards per carry. Mallory leads Miami in rushing with 495 yards, while Walton ranks as Notre Dame's second-leading rusher with 477 yards and a 6.9 yards-per-carry average.
The list also features wide receivers Legend Glasker of BYU and Kenny Darby of Kentucky. Glasker has 585 yards and 32 receptions, while Darby holds a program freshman record with 12 catches in a single game. Defensively, Luke Wafle of USC leads all true freshmen in pressures, and JJ Dunnigan of Miami has tied his season high with nine tackles in a recent game.
The ranking process now includes 40 athletes as the calendar enters the final month of the season. The list serves as a real-time assessment of first-year player impact on the field.
ESPN will continue to update these standings as the regular season concludes. The current top 40 list provides a snapshot of the most productive freshmen in college football this year.
