Around the country, college football practice is in full swing with the opening games less than a month away. That means storylines abound, and one of the biggest ones is always which newcomers could make a quick impact.

As everybody knows, that isn't easy for first-year players. But there are elite true freshman everywhere who are geared toward doing big things right away.

Truly, the list is too massive to include everybody, so Bleacher Report looked for those on Power 5 teams who were already making noise and where the depth chart is clearing up nicely.

Sometimes, those dudes are good enough to drive a road-grader to the top of the starting lineup.

From surprising quarterbacks needing to inject some life into dormant programs to defenders looking to make a splash, plenty of true freshmen are primed for key roles when the bands strike up the fight songs for real here soon.

Marcellus Barnes Jr., Syracuse Cornerback

It's been a long time since you associated the Syracuse Orange with plucking star talent good enough to play in high school all-star showcases. But that's exactly what they did this past year.

All-American Bowl participant Marcellus Barnes Jr., a 5'11", 165-pound playmaker from Chattanooga, Tennessee chose the Orange and new head coach Fran Brown, who left his job as an assistant with Georgia to head North.

Teaming up with defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who is a childhood buddy of Brown's from New Jersey, could be a big deal on the recruiting trail. Both have lured top-tier players to elite programs.

Barnes may be a trailblazer in Syracuse.

The 247Sports composite 4-star was a coup, and what better way than to put your recruiting pitch out to star prospects than to get him on the field right away? Barnes is in a battle with returning players Jordan Bellamy and Greg Delaine, and transfers Clarence Lewis and Devin Grant for starting roles.

Regardless, he will be firmly in the rotation and carve out a major role right away. Look for him to start before the season is over.

Elijah Brown, Stanford Quarterback

The toughest positions to start in college football as a true freshman have to be the offensive line and especially quarterback.

For the latter, having the skill set, intangibles and grasp of the offensive scheme are just normally too difficult for first-year players to manage. In some cases, though, it's necessary.

That may be the case for the Stanford Cardinal, who head into coach Troy Taylor's second year in Palo Alto and the program's first season in the ACC needing a large leap forward.

A season ago, Ashton Daniels threw for 2,247 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions while running for 296 more yards. If he can take a step, it will make sense for him to hold down the starting job.

But Taylor went out and got Mater Dei High School quarterback Elijah Brown, a four-year starter at one of the nation's top programs. He has the leadership ability and playmaking ability you look for in your field general. You can't ignore a kid who won two state titles and amassed a 42-2 record.

Taylor told All-ACC (via SI.com) prior to spring drills that Brown "absolutely" will battle for a starting job, but Justin Lamson is in the mix, too.

Still, it's hard to envision Stanford being a force in the ACC this season as Taylor continues his rebuild. If things hit the skids, looking to the future isn't a bad idea, and Brown is the team's future at the most important position.

Zabien Brown, Alabama Cornerback

With Nick Saban off to the ESPN analysis booth, there hasn't been a bigger story in sport than Kalen DeBoer leaving national runner-up Washington to try to keep the Crimson juggernaut in Tuscaloosa barreling down the middle of the college football highway.

The way he's recruiting, the answer may be a resounding "absolutely" DeBoer can. Now, it's just a matter of which recruiting wins will be playmakers for the Tide this year.

While everybody wants to talk about true freshman phenom receiver Ryan Williams (who certainly will play), the bigger impact position for first-year guys will come on the other side of the ball at cornerback.

Alabama lost two starters at the position, and while it's bolstered the unit with transfers Domani Jackson (USC) and DaShawn Jones (Wake Forest), Zabien Brown and Jaylen Mbakwe will find themselves in the mix.

Brown, especially, has gotten off to a torrid collegiate start. He ran out during the spring game with the first team alongside Jackson, and the former 5-star Mater Dei (California) High School teammate of Elijah Brown looks like he's going to be special.

At 6'0", 182 pounds, he has the size and speed to be the full package at the position, and he is well-seasoned having played at the powerhouse program. It wouldn't be a shock to at least see Brown in the two-deep right away.

Boo Carter, Tennessee Nickel Back

Electrifying incoming freshman defensive back Boo Carter already was going to play a lot for the Tennessee Volunteers after showing out this spring.

But starting? That was a tougher hill to climb until the Vols' expected starter at the position—Jourdan Thomas—went down in the first week of fall camp with a season-ending knee injury, per GoVols247's Ryan Callahan.

Now, Carter could step in and shine. The 5'11", 195-pound Chattanooga, Tennessee native will have to battle walk-on Will Brooks, as well as Christian Harrison (the son of NFL great Rodney Harrison) and Christian Charles. But Carter is too talented not to play.

The expectation here is he will start sooner rather than later.

During his high school career, Carter was a human highlight reel, making plays on both sides of the ball and in special teams every time he grabbed the pigskin. Everybody knows it doesn't always translate so quickly on the field, but he is an impressive prospect.

He could factor in as Tennessee's starting punt returner, and he now becomes a much bigger piece of the puzzle in a revamped secondary on Rocky Top.

Cam Coleman, Auburn Wide Receiver

If Auburn can keep tapping into the Phenix City, Alabama, pipeline that has been so good to Clemson the past few years, coach Hugh Freeze is going to be able to lure the backbone of a strong program to the Plains.

He got the bell cow of the bunch in the 2024 cycle when elite pass-catcher Cam Coleman elected to play for the Tigers.

The 6'3", 188-pound phenom was the nation's No. 3-ranked player overall, and he has done nothing but live up to that billing so far in practice. With Auburn's need for impact offensive players across the board, he has the potential to be one of the league's top newcomers.

He has first-round ability, and he is a flashy player with the ball in his hands who should not be able to move so fluidly at his size and strength. He looks like an NFL player right now, and he is far too talented to keep off the field.

Coleman is already showing everybody what he can do with his physicality.

The freshman star will be a shiny new weapon for quarterback Payton Thorne right away alongside former California quarterback-turned-receiver Sam Jackson V.

Dontae Carter, Vanderbilt Safety

It's been a rough few years for the Vanderbilt Commodores, who are trying to recapture some of the uptick in competitiveness they experienced during the James Franklin era.

Neither Derek Mason nor current coach Clark Lea has been able to replicate it in the rugged SEC. Part of the reason is the 'Dores simply can't lure top-tier talent with such rigid academic standards.

But wins in living rooms like 4-star top-200 prospect Dontae Carter certainly will help.

The 6'1", 185-pound Cibolo, Texas, native was a huge coup for Vandy, and he should step right in and help fortify the back end of Lea's defense. That's big news for the former Notre Dame defensive coordinator who is trying to rebuild the Nashville school.

"Playmaker," Vanderbilt safety Marlen Sewell told VandySports' Joey Dwyer at the start of fall camp. "Wherever the ball at he gonna be at."

While an old-school coach like Lea isn't just going to hand over a starting job, Carter has the type of talent there just isn't much of on the Commodores' depleted roster. It would be a shocker if he didn't start right away.

But even if he doesn't, at his height, athleticism and with his knack for being around the ball, Carter will work his way into some key situations in big games. He's a near-lock to be a high-impact guy and one of the nation's top first-year players.

Rhys Dakin, Iowa Punter

Hey, we know it's never sexy talking about kickers and punters in articles like this. But those guys need loving too, right?

When you consider how important they are in the scheme of things, the answer is "yes," and when you think about how vital the punter is in Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz's three-and-out, field-position, field goal-oriented yawn-fest of an approach to winning a football game, Rhys Dakin belongs on this list.

The former Australian Rules football player will follow another Melbourne native, Tory Taylor, at the all-important punter position for the Hawkeyes. The guess here is he may just be one of the most visible players on the team.

How Dakin goes, the Hawkeyes may go. After all, Taylor set the Iowa single-season record for punting yards with 3,688 yards (80 punts, 46.1 average) in 2021, increased that record to 3,725 yards in 2022 (82 punts, 45.4 avg.), and broke that record again with 4,479 yards in 2023 (93 punts, 48.2 avg.) and has now moved on to the Chicago Bears.

Dakin knows the comparisons will be there, but he wants to forge his own Iowa career.

"The big thing for me is to just be myself and take it one day at a time," Dakin told the Daily Iowan's Brad Schultz. "I always have him [Taylor] as a resource, which says a lot about him as a person."

Sincere Edwards, Pittsburgh Defensive Lineman

Players at Pittsburgh don't always get a lot of preseason hype, but you can count on the Panthers always having a bevy of potential pro prospects along the defensive front.

In the Pat Narduzzi era, they tend to contribute right away, too.

There's a bit of an under-the-radar candidate to do so again this season, and that would be Sincere Edwards, whose game is as cool as his name.

The Apopka, Florida, native headed north after a recruitment that never quite took off for the former 3-star. But the Panthers believe they got a future star who can follow in the footsteps of some of the greats in the program.

At 6'1", 245 pounds, Edwards may seem a bit undersized, but he has a motor and routinely gets in the backfield. He already has Narduzzi's attention.

"If you guys stood in a line, he's going to run through you and not care," Narduzzi told reporters this past spring. "He's just going to get after you. That's what he's all about. He's reckless."

With vacancies along the entire defensive front, Edwards could slide in at any number of places, but he looks best coming off the edge right now. If you want an impact defensive end heading into the season, he should be on your radar.

He will be on opponents' soon enough.

Micah Hudson, Texas Tech Wide Receiver

The centerpiece for all of Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire's recruiting efforts the past three years will suit up for the Red Raiders very soon.

You won't have to wait long to see receiver Micah Hudson light up the scoreboard.

The Temple, Texas playmaker and former 5-star receiver is on a different plain talent-wise than a lot of the guys in Lubbock, and it's just a matter of time before he becomes a household name in the Big 12.

With track speed, elite quickness and terrific hands, Hudson is the full package. He is going to be a great player with Behren Morton throwing him the ball this year and should turn out to be one of the top freshmen in the nation.

Hudson's coach isn't stopping the praise, either. He gushed about the playmaker to local media, basically saying he's targeting somebody's job right now.

"If he was not so mature," McGuire said, "I might feed the expectations even more...I might feed it a little bit just because I have a lot of expectations of him and also know because of his maturity level, he can handle it."

If he's that mature, healthy and has that good of a work ethic to go along with ridiculous talent, watch out. He's going to become a guy everybody knows soon.

DJ Lagway, Florida Quarterback

There are a lot of things to like about the future of Florida's football talent. The biggest question, though, is whether coach Billy Napier is going to be a part of it.

The Gators have a difficult schedule, and even though there are some nice pieces of the puzzle that can be put together in Gainesville, will it be this year? If not, the answer needs to be looking ahead.

That's why the leash for starting quarterback Graham Mertz has to be short. The former Wisconsin signal-caller is a fine game manager, but if Florida wants to do some big things on offense, the elite talent on deck is DJ Lagway.

After an up-and-down spring, the former No. 7-ranked overall player in the 2024 class, who hails from Willis, Texas, is flashing right now and is too good to wait for. At the very least, Napier needs a package for Lagway in the early season.

At best, he should start at the first danger sign. The game is slowing down a bit for him, and he is learning to read defenses.

"I think he's improved fundamentally, too," Napier told reporters. "The ball's coming out more consistently. His feet have been polished up. He's getting better."

When those things click, Lagway's raw power will demand he contributes at some point very early, and he should get the growing pains out of the way now.

Nick Marsh, Michigan State Wide Receiver

The thing about new coach Jonathan Smith's offense is it's eventually going to work. But after coming over from Oregon State, it's probably not going to be a quick fix in East Lansing.

Former coach Mel Tucker didn't exactly leave the pantry stocked, and the Spartans have some work to do to get Michigan State back on the college football map.

Getting Aidan Chiles to transfer from Corvallis to lead the way at quarterback for Smith's offense was a massive start. Now, it's all about surrounding him with weapons.

Enter Nick Marsh.

The former 4-star prospect was the jewel of the Spartans' first class out of River Rouge, Michigan, and the big-bodied pass-catcher is going to have every opportunity to make a major impact right away.

With Montorie Foster Jr. and Jaron Glover expected to get the bulk of the run for Michigan State this season, but you need more than a couple of receivers, right? Marsh is impressing his teammates right now with his ability, size and supreme athleticism.

Obviously, former Detroit Lions great Calvin Johnson made that nickname famous. Saddling Marsh with those type of expectations this early wouldn't be wise, but the Spartans know what type of prospect they have on their hands.

Look for Smith to find ways to use him.

Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Quarterback

For the longest time, 5-star quarterback Dylan Raiola seemed destined to be the next big-time quarterback commit for the Georgia Bulldogs. He even transferred to play his high school football in the Bulldogs' back yard at Buford High School.

But family ties kept pulling him back to the Midwest where his father, Dominic, played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Now, he could be the savior for the long-dormant powerhouse program that is trying to regain its footing under second-year head coach Matt Rhule.

While Heinrich Haarberg isn't just going to relinquish the starting gig without a fight, he doesn't have the star power, arm strength or ceiling Raiola does. The first-year player is simply better than anything on Nebraska's roster, and he has to get his shot.

Will Rhule have the guts to put him out there right away? That remains to be seen, but the Huskers' best chance at making a bowl game is putting their best playmakers out there. Raiola is the guy.

To Rhule's credit, there's no cloak-and-dagger to his comments; he's considering sending him out there against UTEP right away.

"If he goes out there in game one, he'll be ready," Rhule said.

That sounds like a coach ready to hand over the reins.

Jordan Seaton, Colorado Offensive Tackle

When Colorado and coach Deion Sanders seemingly came from nowhere a season ago in the Jordan Seaton sweepstakes and landed the commitment of the 5-star offensive tackle, it shocked a lot of people.

Seaton was rumored to be heading a lot of different places throughout his recruitment, but the Buffaloes really were on the periphery.

Now that he's in Boulder, though, the path to playing time is very clear. He could start at left tackle, protecting the multi-million dollar health of Shedeur Sanders.

At 6'5", 285 pounds, Seaton is a big talent who is making noise right now. Coach Prime brought in a bunch of transfers to fortify a unit that was dreadful a season ago, finishing 132nd out of 133 teams in sacks allowed a season ago.

After going through spring drills, it seems clear Seaton is the odds-on favorite to anchor the edge of the left side. But he believes the whole O-line is different.

"I feel like the O-line last year lacked passion," Seaton told reporters recently. "And right now we got a lot of dudes. We're just going at it. The same dude may have a bad day today and next day I want to get back at that guy. I feel like passion was with this offense and defense has the most integrity within this. That self-integrity."

If they can improve dramatically there and Seaton gets over his youngster hurdles quickly, Colorado may be more than just hype this year.

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Wide Receiver

It isn't easy to catch the college football world by storm before you play in a game, but Ohio State true freshman pass-catcher Jeremiah Smith has done just that.

The 6'3", 215-pound Opa Locka, Florida, receiver was the nation's top-ranked overall player, and he arrived in Columbus this past spring looking as college-ready as any player in a long time.

Is it possible for him to come in and slide right into Marvin Harrison Jr.'s vacated role as the Buckeyes' top target? Don't doubt him. As hard as it should be for him to live up to all the hullabaloo, Smith did this spring. He wowed everybody, and he's continuing to do so in preseason drills, too.

The best thing for coach Ryan Day, though, is Smith doesn't have to be WR1 right out of the gate. The Buckeyes return elite receiver Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate is back after breaking out during his first year.

Smith would probably start when the Buckeyes go with three receivers, and if he continues to develop, his size, strength and agility are going to be a terror for Big Ten cornerbacks everywhere.

He's as close to a "can't-miss" and a guarantee to be a star right away as they come, as long as he remains healthy.

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame Linebacker

Like a lot of guys on this list, Viliamu-Asa played his high school ball for a powerhouse program, St. John Bosco in California. That seasoning against elite competition (the picture above has him trying to tackle another guy on this list, former Mater Dei High School and current Stanford QB Elijah Brown) will serve him well.

At 6'3", 236 pounds, he is a load who should fill in at one of the Fighting Irish's inside linebacker positions. They don't have a ton of experience behind Jack Kiser, so Viliamu-Asa has a golden opportunity to make an impact for the golden-domers.

He's making the most of it, turning heads.

"Kyngstonn came up, we had two guys block him, and he spun out both of them, with the back being one of them," Notre Dame associate head coach/running backs coach Deland McCullough told the South Bend Tribune's Mike Berardino. "I just watched the tape, and I said, 'Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?!! … How's that happen?"

That type of athleticism with 240 pounds behind it should be exciting for Irish fans. Coach Marcus Freeman has done a tremendous job recruiting in his short time as Notre Dame's head coach, and Viliamu-Asa could be one of his best pulls yet.

If he isn't in the starting lineup, he will at least get meaningful reps very soon and probably right away. He's too talented to watch.

Deshawn Warner, Kansas Edge

Kansas football has not just been an afterthought for so long; it's been a laughingstock.

With Lance Leipold at the helm, though, those days are gone.

He is making the type of impact in Lawrence that nobody could have expected, and though the Gridiron Jayhawks aren't playing up to the level as their hardwood compatriots, they are on everybody's radar. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them battle for the top of the new-look Big 12.

Now, Leipold's on-field results are paying dividends in recruiting, as well.

The Jayhawks signed 4-star defensive end Deshawn "DJ" Warner of Arizona in this past class, and he is the highest-rated player to ever play football at KU. The 6'3", 217-pound edge-rusher was the No. 124-ranked overall player, and he was even higher on 247Sports.

Even though a bunch of programs came after him, Warner chose Kansas.

He certainly looked the part this spring, and he is lined up to potentially start right away for a defense needing playmakers. Even when Leipold tells Phog's Michael Swain of Warner, "He is a sponge. He wants to really learn and understand. He came here to help Kansas Football. We're gonna need someone off the edge, but I do not want to put too much on him because freshmen can't handle all the new changes," don't listen.

Leipold always downplays youngsters to avoid heaping expectations on them. But Warner is explosive off the edge, and while he needs to add some weight, there will be packages for him to get after quarterbacks now.

Bryant Wesco, Clemson Wide Receiver

If the Clemson Tigers are ever going to get back to the juggernaut they were during the Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence days, coach Dabo Swinney is going to have to bring in much better talent on the offensive side of the ball.

That's why he plucked offensive coordinator Garrett Riley from TCU before last season, and while that hire didn't pay quick dividends, he got a couple of exceptional puzzle pieces in the 2024 recruiting class.

TJ Moore was the Tigers' top-rated receiver commit, and he has a ton of ability, but it's Midlothian, Texas pass-catcher Bryant Wesco who may make the quickest impact.

The 6'2", 182-pound receiver could wind up being one of Cade Klubnik's top deep threats.

"Those are just two incredible young players," Clemson senior RJ Mickens said of Wesco and Moore. "They have came in and they are the best freshmen receivers I've seen. They have explosiveness, that deep vertical threat."

Mickens went on to say that Wesco can "do it all," and reports are saying he is doing a bit of everything thus far in camp.

You don't hear this type of buzz without them making noise on Saturdays. Wesco is going to catch a lot of passes this year. The Tigers simply need players who can change games on offense, and he can.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.