Freshmen in college football nowadays are greeted with high expectations. Many of them are highly touted recruits expected to immediately do big things.
It doesn't happen for every freshman, but there are plenty who make a major on-field impact during their first full season.
Let's run through 2022's hottest freshmen from September, including those who statistically have stood out and made big plays when their teams needed them. Players who received recognition like a conference weekly award got a boost, too.
These slides are placed in alphabetical order.
Florida RB Trevor Etienne
Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of former Clemson Tigers and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, has seen lots of playing time as a true freshman. Through four games, he's rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns.
In the season opener against Utah, he averaged 12.8 yards per carry and finished with 64 yards. One of his best games came against Kentucky, during which he scored an 11-yard touchdown and caught the ensuing two-point conversion to take a 14-7 lead.
“I think Trevor’s a good young player,” Florida head coach Billy Napier told reporters following the Gators' 31-28 win over USF in Week 3. “I think Trevor’s got great vision, great instincts. I think he’s elusive, he can make people miss, he’s low to the ground. He catches the ball well. He’s out there playing as a rookie, but he’s got the intelligence and maturity to do that. He’s in the rotation."
Etienne is sharing reps with Montrell Johnson Jr. and Nay'Quan Wright. As the season progresses, it'll be interesting to see if Etienne gets more touches.
Maryland RB Roman Hemby
Roman Hemby appeared in four games last season before taking a redshirt for the 2021 season. In 2022, Hemby has been a big part of the Terrapins run game, accounting for 342 yards and three touchdowns through four weeks. He has added another 108 yards receiving on 10 receptions.
In Week 1, Hemby was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his performance against Buffalo. He finished with 114 yards and two touchdowns and averaged 16.3 yards per carry. One of his touchdowns was a 70-yarder in the third quarter.
During Maryland's 34-27 win over SMU, Hemby finished with 151 yards and a touchdown, including one run that went 50 yards. He averaged 15.5 yards receiving against the Mustangs secondary, as well. His one-yard touchdown helped tie the game up at 27, and the Terps added another score with 7:30 left to get the victory.