Freshmen breaking out will always be some of the most exciting aspects of college football. The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award highlights the top freshmen in the game and has been around since 2018. This year, the Maxwell Football Club announced 14 semifinalists for the award, led by five from the Big Ten and SEC.
No Big Ten players have won in the short history of the award. However, one, Caleb Downs, won while at Alabama and has since transferred to Ohio State. Four of the five past recipients of the award were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award is for first-year players and doesn’t necessarily need to go to true freshmen. Drake Maye won in 2022 as a redshirt freshman, for example. This year, five Big Ten players were named semifinalists from four different schools.
Five Big Ten Stars are Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalists
Kerry Brown, SAF, Minnesota
Minnesota is the only program in the country with multiple semifinalists and they are both safeties.
Kerry Brown has appeared in eight games for the Golden Gophers. He is second on the team with 43 tackles and has three tackles for loss and two interceptions. Brown has been able to step up for Minnesota thus far with crucial stops. Against Maryland, the Terapins went for it on fourth down on their opening drive. Brown came down from his safety position to make the stop and Minnesota went on to win, 48-23. In the win over nationally-ranked Illinois, the freshman made back-to-back plays to preserve the win. With about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Illini faced third and two. Brown recorded a two-yard tackle for loss. Then, on fourth and four, he broke up the potential first-down-converting pass, nearly locking up the win.
Anthony Donkoh, OL, Penn State
The Penn State run game has been one of the best in the Big Ten and Anthony Donkoh has been a crucial piece. The redshirt freshman has logged seven starts thus far this year and has appeared in five others dating back to last year. In the run game, Donkoh has earned a PFF grade of 78.8, good for the fifth-best in the Big Ten. As a pass blocker, Donkoh has yet to allow a sack on 178 snaps.
Behind Donkoh and the offensive line, the Nittany Lions have rushed for more than 100 yards seven times. In four games, they’ve run for more than 200, including one 300-yard performance.
Koi Perich, SAF, Minnesota
The second of two Freshman of the Year semifinalists from Minnesota is true freshman, Koi Perich. The Golden Gophers’ biggest recruiting win of the cycle is already starting to pay dividends; Ohio State was trying to poach the Minnesota native late in the process.
Perich has a nose for the football. In his first season at the college level, Perich is second in college football and leads the Big Ten with an impressive five interceptions. He’s not just racking up random interceptions. Perich has the clutch gene. In the wins over USC and UCLA, he hauled in game-ending interceptions. Against Maryland, his 45-yard interception return resulted in a field goal to extend the lead.
In addition to those five interceptions, Perich has logged 16 tackles and forced one fumble. He’s also a return man. On punt returns, he’s averaging 14.2 yards and on kick returns, he’s averaging 18.1.
Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska
The Dylan Raiola story was beginning from the beginning. His recruitment was a story in and of itself. First, the five-star quarterback was headed to Ohio State. Then, Georgia. Then, he surprised most with a flip to Nebraska. Now, he’s taken hold of the reigns for the Cornhuskers and has shown flashes of a very high ceiling.
Raiola has been the starter from the jump and has made starts in all nine games. In those nine games, he has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,921 yards and 10 touchdowns. In five games, he has thrown for 200 yards, including a young career-best of 297 in the overtime loss to Illinois.
He does make freshman mistakes, evident by his eight interceptions and his missed throws in the loss to Ohio State.
Raiola has a bright future in this game. He may or may not win the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award but watch out for him to break out next year.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
This year’s freshman wide receiver crop is ridiculous. Jeremiah Smith is one of two receivers who made the semifinalist list and has already shown that he is the top receiver at Ohio State. And that’s saying something.
Smith has started all eight games for the Buckeyes this year and has recorded 678 yards and eight touchdowns. He owns the program record for receiving yards for a freshman, breaking Cris Carter‘s 1984 mark. He’s tied with Carter’s eight touchdowns for the record after scoring in each of his first seven games which is also a record.
Smith came to Ohio State polished and well worth the top-overall recruit honor. In a short time, he has shown his precise route-running, massive catch radius, big-play ability, and surprising strength. He was added to the Biletnikoff Award watchlist and it would not be surprising if he makes that semifinalist list.
The Rest of the Semifinalists
- Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
- Jordan Seaton, OL, Colorado
- KJ Bolden, SAF, Georgia
- Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
- Eli Holstein, QB, Pittsburgh
- Dylan Stewart, Edge, South Carolina
- Nico Iamaleava, QB, Tennessee
- Colin Simmons, Edge, Texas
- Josiah Trotter, LB, West Virginia
