2021 Freshman All-American Team: C.J. Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson headline college football’s future

It’s time to celebrate college football‘s youngest stars with the 2021 Freshman All-American Team. A mix of true and redshirt freshmen, this list is unique in the sense that it highlights only first-time impact players. The caveat here is that this list carefully removes those athletes that may be listed as freshmen on their team-specific roster pages but are not in their first year of impactful play because of the uniqueness of the 2020 COVID-19 year exemption.

Sure, Syracuse RB Sean Tucker has the eligibility of a freshman, but he also led Syracuse in rushing last year. Including guys who otherwise would have lettered a season ago destroys the spirit of an honor designed to recognize student-athletes getting their first serious college reps. So, by design, they have been left off.

2021 Freshman All-American Team | First-Team Offense

Here is the 2021 Freshman All-American Team, brought to you by Maxwell Football Club’s Vice President of College Awards Rich Cirminiello. First things first, let’s hand out our top offensive award.

Offensive Freshman of the Year: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud was a Heisman and Maxwell finalist for a reason. He projects to be in the race for all the prestigious awards next season. Stroud not only factored greatly into Ohio State’s success this past season, but he’s integral to their success next year and beyond.

Stroud shook off a slow start and an injury to become the next big thing at quarterback for the Buckeyes. He improved each week, delivering with poise and precision and emerging as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year after spearheading November routs of Purdue and Michigan State. Stroud leads the Big Ten with 38 touchdown passes and 3,862 passing yards. Additionally, he is the nation’s second-rated passer.

RB: Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Braelon Allen may only be 17 years old, but it was obvious early on that he was physically and mentally ready for this new challenge. After climbing the depth chart and making a splash in the October 9 Illinois game, his agility and balance in a 6’2″, 238-pound package was impossible to keep off the field.

Allen reeled off seven straight 100-yard games to join former Badgers Jonathan Taylor, Ron Dayne, and James White to rush for 1,000 yards as true freshmen.

RB: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

Expectations were enormous when TreVeyon Henderson arrived in Columbus. He’s gone out and exceeded them this fall. A burner, with the cuts and the quickness to make defenders whiff in space, Henderson has rushed for 1,172 yards and 15 TDs on only 167 carries. He’s also caught 23 passes for 285 yards and 4 more scores to break Maurice Clarett’s school mark for touchdowns by a freshman.

WR: Konata Mumpfield, Akron

In Konata Mumpfield, the Zips plucked a steal out of the state of Georgia. He started from the opener and went on to catch a team-high 63 passes for 751 yards and 8 touchdowns. One of the program’s hardest workers, Mumpfield will only improve with more reps and better stability at quarterback. Unfortunately for Akron, that development will happen elsewhere after Mumpfield entered the transfer portal.

WR: Xavier Worthy, Texas

No, things did not go as planned in Steve Sarkisian’s debut in Austin. But there is reason for optimism, especially on offense.

Xavier Worthy is a perfect big-play fit in Sark’s attack, from his sprinter speed to his penchant for making difficult grabs in traffic. The Fresno, California, native had 62 receptions for 981 yards and a league-best 12 TDs to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors.

TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia

Brock Bowers already looks like the NFL prototype at the position. And he’s less than a year removed from high school.

A tremendous all-around athlete at 6’4″ and 230 pounds, he won’t lose many footraces with opposing linebackers. Oh, and Bowers is an outstanding blocker as well. In a year that Georgia needed help in the receiving corps, Bowers stepped up with a team-high 47 catches for 791 yards and 11 TDs, tying the school’s single-season mark for touchdown receptions.

OL: Joe Alt, Notre Dame

From a 240-pound high school tight end to ND’s starting left tackle, Joe Alt has made quite a leap in less than a year. His transition has been almost seamless, setting the stage for an exciting future with the Irish.

Alt started the final seven regular-season games, allowing just 2 sacks and blocking like an upperclassman in his last two games against Georgia Tech and Stanford.

OL: Campbell Barrington, BYU

It only took six starts after RT Harris LaChance suffered an injury to see why Campbell Barrington will anchor the BYU front for years to come. The 6’6″, 285-pounder from Spokane didn’t skip a beat, excelling in pass protection and creating daylight for RB Tyler Allgeier. Barrington also had a dream come true by starting alongside his older brother, Clark, a rock at left guard.

OL: Connor Colby, Iowa

Connor Colby seized control of the right guard spot in September, no small achievement for a true freshman at a program with Iowa’s O-line reputation. He’s a 6’6″, 298-pounder from Cedar Rapids, with the long arms and improving technique to keep opposing linemen far from the pocket. Colby has allowed only 1 sack and committed just 2 penalties so far this season.

OL: Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M

After coming off the bench the first two weeks, Reuben Fatheree II took over at right tackle and hasn’t left the starting lineup since. He’s a key cog in a youth movement up front that includes sophomore guard Layden Robinson and center Bryce Foster. Fatheree is long and strong at 6’8″ and 320 pounds, with the bend and the punch to consistently seal the edge.

OL: DeVonte Gordon, Wake Forest

DeVonte Gordon has started the entire season at right tackle for a Demon Deacons offense that set a school record for points in a season. He’s been consistent at the point of attack, both in protecting QB Sam Hartman and creating holes in the running game. At 6’5″ and 303 pounds, Gordon is an athlete who’ll dish out punishment at the second level.

Second-Team Offensive Freshman All-Americans

QB: Caleb Williams, Oklahoma
RB: Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB: Alton McCaskill, Houston
WR: Jack Bech, LSU
WR: Mario Williams, Oklahoma
TE: Gavin Bartholomew, Pitt
OL: Bryce Foster, Texas A&M
OL: Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
OL: Kaden Moore, Virginia Tech
OL: Jack Nelson, Wisconsin
OL: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

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