Every year, true freshmen contribute in college football, but this year's group of playmakers have given us a truly spectacular display of incredible stars of the future showcased right now.

Alabama's Ryan Williams (did you know he's only 17??) has electrified the nation, and young Texas receiver Ryan Wingo may not get the clout as some others, but he's producing, too.

Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh, LSU running back Caden Durham, Louisville running back Issac Brown, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, North Carolina State quarterback CJ Bailey and Florida signal-caller DJ Lagway are some other playmakers.

But nobody has burst onto the scene quite like Ohio State first-year receiver Jeremiah Smith, who has 45 catches for 769 yards and nine touchdowns for the second-ranked Buckeyes. He's already perhaps the nation's top pass-catcher.

So, who potentially has that pizzazz from the '25 class? Who are some offensive skill-position players who could come in and shock the college football world with their instant-impact ability to transcend the sport and be one of the best players at their position, regardless of class.

Here are some candidates.

Harlem Berry, LSU Running Back

The emergence of freshman Caden Durham this year, a 5'9", 210-pound running back from Oklahoma City who is proving to be just what LSU desired to balance its offensive attack lessened the need for Harlem Berry to come in and show out next year.

But Berry certainly has the potential and will have the opportunity to do that, and he is the perfect complement to Durham.

The 5'11", 175-pound Metairie, Louisiana, product is staying home to play his college ball, and he is an explosive, all-purpose option coach Brian Kelly can move around, get in space and put the ball in his hands with the ability of hitting home runs.

Berry can catch the ball out of the backfield, hit the edge and turn upfield and while he probably needs to add some weight to be an every-down, between-the-tackles runner, Durham can provide that ability.

These days in college football, you must have more than one capable runner, and if Berry comes in and plays like the nation's top-ranked runner in the '24 class, he certainly will have a role.

LSU loves putting the ball in hands of explosive playmakers, and Berry fits the bill. He could have a massive first year in Baton Rouge.

Vernell Brown III, Florida Wide Receiver

Things aren't going as planned for the Florida Gators this year, but they're sticking with coach Billy Napier for the future, and quarterback DJ Lagway has the look of a potential centerpiece building block for the offense.

The Gators just need to surround him with guys who can be game-breakers.

That's where 5-star Vernell Brown III comes in. The Florida legacy is a major victory on the recruiting trail for Napier, as he is choosing to come to Gainesville despite the turmoil surrounding the program.

The name Percy Harvin used to get thrown around far too often when it came time for comparisons, but the former Florida playmaker from the Urban Meyer days certainly applies here.

Brown has elite change-of-direction and can be as shifty in the hole as any player in this class. He can put a move on a defender and make a house call.

Simply put, he's the type of player the Gators have missed for years on the offense, and he is going to have a major role right away. He should build a rapport with Lagway from the moment he steps on campus, and he could be a breakout star.

Gideon Davidson, Clemson Running Back

Gideon Davidson is the perfect example of opportunity meets ability.

Clemson Tigers' leading rusher Phil Mafah is off to the NFL after this season, leaving a gaping hole and a ton of carries that can be won with elite play. Yes, freshman Jay Haynes has a bunch of ability, and Keith Adams Jr. can provide depth.

But Davidson is a potentially special running back who, at 6'0", 193 pounds, provides the perfect mixture of size and speed. He is a potential big-play guy with the ball in his hands, and he already has a college-ready body.

The Lynchburg, Virginia, product was a major win on the recruiting trail for coach Dabo Swinney, and the coach has proven in the past that if a freshman is good enough to play, he will put him on the field.

Davidson is certainly good enough. He's one of the top three running backs in the nation on film, and he can team with Haynes to make the departure of Mafah not sting so much. The latter is a quality, steady running back, but he doesn't have a lot of game-breaker potential.

The incoming freshman is that guy, and the Tigers will have enough veteran presence on offense next year where they can put him in and let him shine. The spring will be very big for Davidson, but don't be surprised if he starts some games and makes some noise.

Deuce Knight, Auburn Quarterback

Quarterback play is the major culprit keeping the Auburn Tigers from turning a corner under second-year coach Hugh Freeze, who seems extremely reluctant to go portal-hunting for a plug-and-play guy who can stunt the growth of his prospects.

Freshmen Hank Brown and Walker White as well as sophomore Holden Geriner are on the roster, but wouldn't they be getting Payton Thorne's starting snaps if they were ready? That tells me there's opportunity on the Plains.

What if Deuce Knight blows that door right off its hinges?

The 5-star from Lucedale, Mississippi, may be the longest shot on this list, but he also has some of the top potential of any player on any list. He is left-handed, has dual-threat abilities and his ceiling is sky-high.

He needs some development and is a bit rough around the edges, but Knight didn't just spurn Notre Dame to watch from the sideline.

Knight flirted with Auburn for a long time before recently making the decision to play for the Tigers and flip his commitment. He has to know there is opportunity if somebody will just show elite potential and leadership.

Auburn has a long way to go as a program. If he gets the chance in '25, Knight will make the most of it.

Dakorien Moore, Oregon Wide Receiver

There is nobody on this list with more potential to mirror what Jeremiah Smith did than Dakorien Moore.

Much like Smith, he's the nation's top-ranked receiver in his class. Like Smith, he comes from an elite high school that already plays top-tier players week-in and week-out, and the Duncanville, Texas, native is heading to a program that will need him.

The Oregon Ducks could lose Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart and Traeshon Ferguson all to the NFL after this season, and while you know that there are reinforcements waiting in the wings the way Dan Lanning recruits and some portal guys will come calling, Moore is special.

The 5'11", 182-pound playmaker is a weapon that won't be denied.

He can stop and start on a dime, and his acceleration is some of the best in his class. With quarterback Keelon Russell slinging it to him in high school, he's unstoppable. Moore is just waiting on the opportunity to get to college.

Smith proved that it doesn't matter if you go to one of the top programs in the nation, if you're that talented, you'll play. Not only will the Ducks have vacated catches to go around next year, Lanning will be looking for some guys who can take the lid off a defense.

Moore has the unique ability to play like a veteran from the moment he steps on campus. He's a can't-miss superstar who will shine as a true freshman.

Jerome Myles, USC Wide Receiver

You may have a hard time believing it, but the USC Trojans are needing a facelift on both sides of the ball to keep up in the Big Ten, and coach Lincoln Riley is stockpiling reinforcements on both sides of the ball.

Everybody who has watched them play know they need to be tougher and more rugged on both lines of scrimmage, but the Trojans need some dynamic offensive stars to go along with Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon.

Those two former top-rated prospects have been up-and-down this year, and they need help. Jerome Myles is the kind of player who can step in, help and earn starting snaps right away.

If he gets them, he will showcase his immense talent.

At 6'2", 210 pounds, the Draper, Utah, native has a college-ready frame, but he supplements that with sprinter's speed. He won the state's 100- and 200-meter gold medals, according to his 247Sports profile.

Myles is an elite talent who has a combination of Lemon's toughness and Branch's speed, and he can earn meaningful snaps as a freshman and post big numbers. The Trojans certainly need him to, and Riley knows how to advertise for showcase freshmen with stats.

Keelon Russell, Alabama Quarterback

Maybe Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is finally realizing how to use quarterback Jalen Milroe this late in the season after the signal-caller torched LSU on the ground in last weekend's lopsided win, but the future of Crimson Tide quarterbacks may not be on campus yet.

Yes, Ty Simpson is a former top-rated recruit, and Austin Mack followed DeBoer from Washington, but the Tide have an elite thrower heading to Tuscaloosa next year in Keelon Russell.

His unique ability to break down defenses with his arm or leg and his seasoned leadership from playing against top competition in the nation at Duncanville (Texas) High School will go a long way in keeping him from having a deer-in-the-headlights look like most freshmen.

Russell will be ready, then talent may show up and show out.

The 6'3", 175-pound quarterback is undersized, but he is a 5-star prospect who is the third-ranked overall prospect in the nation according to the 247Sports composite rankings. We think he's better than that. He also may be the most ready quarterback, too.

DeBoer's system needs a certain type of quarterback, and Russell may have the athleticism to run it. But the thing that separates him from others is elite accuracy. He can drop it in a phone booth, and Tide fans should be excited about him, maybe as soon as next year.

Michael Terry III, Uncommitted Athlete

The most important question right now for college teams like Texas and Nebraska: At what position do you put Michael Terry III?

Perhaps the obvious follow-up, though, is "What does it matter?"

Just get the superstar prospect on campus, and let the rest take care of itself. That's exactly what the Texas Longhorns and Nebraska Cornhuskers (likely Terry's two finalists) are trying to do, and it would be a stunner if the San Antonio playmaker didn't pick the 'Horns.

If he does, he may have to battle running backs like CJ Baxter, Jerrick Gibson, Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue if he plays perhaps his most natural position, but at 6'3", 217 pounds, Terry is big and versatile enough to line up at receiver, too.

Coach Steve Sarkisian basically wants him as an "offensive weapon," and with several receivers heading to the NFL after this year, the Longhorns will need some weapons to go along with Ryan Wingo and incoming freshman Jamie Ffrench.

Terry could play receiver some and move to running back some, as he is built like Wingo, who is a thick, athletic pass-catcher whose dad was an Arkansas running back, and he'd be great at that position, too.

Terry is a dynamic force, and if he works his way into the rotation, even at a place with deep talent pools like Texas, he will thrive.

Bryce Underwood, LSU Quarterback

Last year's No. 1-ranked overall player in the 2024 recruiting class was Jeremiah Smith, and everybody has seen what he's doing at Ohio State. This year's top-ranked prospect?

Bryce Underwood.

The Michigan native is a special talent at quarterback, and is heading all the way south to play for the LSU Tigers next year. He made an early commitment to the Bayou Bengals and never wavered.

That's huge news for a program that could lose Garrett Nussmeier after one season as the starting signal-caller. Obviously, Underwood is on this list because we think that's going to happen. If Nussmeier sticks around another year, Underwood will have to wait his turn.

Given Nussmeier's propensity to make mistakes in key moments, maybe he needs more seasoning. But if he heads to the pros based on potential, Underwood's talent and massive skill set may be too tough to keep off the field, even with a veteran backup like AJ Swann and a talented underclassman like Colin Hurley.

At 6'3.5", 205 pounds, Underwood is big, physical and can pack a punch in the running game. He has a very live, strong arm and can make all the throws. While he wasn't big on the camp circuit, Underwood has all the tools.

He is exactly the type of guy who gets on campus and sheer talent wins out. Extremely young, he won't turn 20 until his third year of college. But talent knows no age, so watch out.

Dallas Wilson, Oregon Wide Receiver

It may seem like an embarrassment of riches that Dan Lanning has two wide receivers on this list who have Jeremiah Smith-like potential, and you're right. It is.

But that's exactly what the revamped Ducks receiving corps could look like in 2025.

We already talked about Dakorien Moore's elite playmaking ability, and the top-ranked pass-catcher in the Sunshine State of Florida, Dallas Wilson, is heading to Eugene to play his college ball, too.

Last year's top-ranked receiver from Florida? Yes, it was Smith.

Wilson is a 6'3", 195-pound target from Tampa Bay Tech who is a bouncy athlete with terrific hands and speed. He can high-point catches and make big plays stretching the field, and that's where the Ducks will need him in 2025.

Once Dillon Gabriel heads to the NFL, either Dante Moore or Austin Novosad will take over under center for the Ducks (unless Lanning goes to the portal yet again), and a new signal-caller is going to need some versatile weapons to help bring him along.

Florida and Miami are trying to keep Wilson closer to home, and he's at least making visits.

"It's going to be tough to flip the Tampa product from Oregon," On3's Steve Wiltfong wrote back in September. "He'll be back in Eugene soon. But Miami, Florida and other programs will continue to try and chip away at the coveted pass catcher."

No matter where Wilson goes, he's a threat to put up big numbers right away.

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.