It's time to spotlight some of the best young talent in college football at the midway point of the season.

Our Freshman All-America team recognizes the true freshmen and redshirt freshmen who have made the biggest impact for their teams in 2025. We prioritized production and consistency in the process of selecting players.

Believe it or not -- even in the era of the transfer portal -- first- and second-year players can make an impact. And that doesn't just include blue-chip recruits. Among our 25 selections, 11 players were rated as three-stars or lower in the 247Sports Composite.

Seven selections come from the ACC, four each from the Big Ten and SEC, three from the Big 12, two from Notre Dame and five from Group of 5 schools.

Note: All pressure stats and yards before and after contact are from TruMedia.

QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame: The Michigan native ranks five spots lower than fellow redshirt freshman Julian Sayin in passing efficiency, but Carr has more passing yards and doesn't have the luxury of throwing to a collection of All-Americans like Ohio State's starting quarterback. The former top-100 recruit leads all freshman QBs with 41 explosive plays (16-yard passes or 12-yard runs) and has thrown 13 touchdown passes and only three interceptions.

RB Bo Jackson, Ohio State: Jackson leads the defending national champions with 407 rushing yards and has been a more explosive option than veterans CJ Donaldson and James Peoples. His 5.26 yards per carry after contact leads all freshmen, and the 6-foot, 217-pound first-year player from Cleveland has also contributed in the passing game with six catches for 57 yards and a score.

RB Nate Sheppard, Duke: No first-year player has run for more yards (447) than the 5-10, 195-pound four-star recruit from Louisiana. Sheppard, whose older brother Will played wide receiver at Vanderbilt and Colorado, has 11 explosive runs (12 or more yards) and ranks fourth among freshman backs with 14 catches for 102 yards and one touchdown. He's averaging 3.52 yards per rush before contact (second-best among freshmen) and 4.46 yards per carry after contact (fourth-best).

WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee: The redshirt freshman and four-star recruit from South Carolina has been a big contributor for a passing offense that ranks seventh nationally with 317.8 yards per game. Staley (6-0, 190) leads all freshmen with 31 catches and 431 receiving yards. He has been targeted 49 times this season' 13 more than any other freshman receiver in the country.

WR Malachi Toney, Miami: Toney (5-11, 188) leads the second-ranked Hurricanes in catches (29) and receiving yards (375) and has scored three times. The true freshman and four-star recruit from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage School has produced 211 yards after the catch -- second-most among freshmen -- and has 18 receptions for first downs.

TE Kaelan Chudzinski, Boston College: The son of former Cleveland Browns coach and longtime NFL assistant Rob Chudzinski leads all freshman tight ends in catches (10) and receiving yards (127). A three-star recruit who ranked 101st at his position in the 247Sports Composite, Chudzinski has five catches for first downs -- the most for his position among freshmen.

OT Jesse Perry, Tennessee: Five-star offensive tackle recruit David Sanders was the big signee in December, but it's been Perry who has been the team's young star on the offensive line. The 6-6, 320-pound redshirt freshman and three-star recruit from Murfreesboro, Tenn., has allowed only three pressures (and no sacks) on 179 pass-blocking snaps as the starting right tackle.

OT Jacob Ponton, Texas Tech: The 6-8, 305-pound redshirt freshman and in-state four-star recruit has started all six games at right tackle for the undefeated Red Raiders. He's allowed only eight pressures and two sacks on 201 pass-blocking snaps.

OG John Mills, Washington: Mills, a 6-6, 325-pound four-star recruit from San Francisco, started the first five games of the season at left guard before suffering a lower-leg injury in the comeback win at Maryland. The injury isn't expected to be long-term. Mills hasn't allowed a sack on 127 pass-blocking snaps.

OG Ezomo Oratokhai, Northwestern: Oratokhai, a native Texan, has started all six games for the Wildcats this season at left guard after making two starts in 2024 and earning a redshirt. He's allowed only one sack and five pressures on 192 pass-blocking snaps.

C Brock Riker, Texas State: A three-star recruit in the 2024 cycle from Texas, Riker has started all six games and hasn't allowed a pressure or sack on 196 pass-blocking snaps. Texas State ranks seventh nationally with 250.2 rushing yards per game.

DL Mandrell Desir, Florida State: Desir, a 6-4, 262-pound true freshman and three-star recruit from Miami, leads all interior freshman defensive linemen with 11 quarterback pressures on 83 snaps. He's produced 12 tackles, including three TFLs and two sacks, on 135 defensive snaps -- all off the bench for the Seminoles.

DL Tristan Johnson, TCU: The redshirt freshman has played 157 defensive snaps -- fifth-most among all freshman interior linemen -- and has nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Johnson had one sack and one forced fumble in TCU's win over Colorado.

Edge Wendell Gregory, Oklahoma State: Gregory leads all freshmen with 11 havoc plays (tackle for loss, forced fumble, interception, pass breakup or sack). The South Carolina transfer and 2024 four-star recruit from Georgia has totaled 19 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, three sacks and one forced fumble, and his 23 pressures are the most among freshmen.

Edge Zahir Mathis, Maryland: Mathis has been a terror for opposing quarterbacks alongside teammate and fellow true freshman Sidney Stewart. The four-star recruit from Philadelphia has produced 23 tackles, six TFLs and 4.5 sacks over six starts. His eight havoc plays rank second, and his 21 pressures rank third among freshmen on the edge.

LB Antoine Deslauriers, Syracuse: Deslauriers has started all six games and has produced 28 tackles, two TFLs and one sack. The Montreal native, a three-star recruit who played at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, forced two fumbles in an upset win at Clemson.

LB Luke Ferrelli, California: Ferrelli leads all freshmen nationally with 45 tackles, which ranks eighth in the ACC. The redshirt freshman and former three-star recruit has started all six games for the Bears. He had a sack against Duke and an interception in a win at Boston College.

CB Nehemiah Chandler, South Alabama: Chandler, a Florida native who originally signed with Georgia Tech, has two interceptions and five pass breakups while making six starts for the Jaguars. He has allowed a 48.4 percent completion rate on passes thrown his way.

CB Graceson Littleton, Texas: Graceson has started five games for the Longhorns, who rank 10th in passing efficiency defense. The top-100 recruit from Tampa, Fla., is tied for the team lead with two interceptions -- including one in the Red River Rivalry win over Oklahoma. He's produced 17 tackles, one TFL, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.

CB Demetres Samuel Jr., Syracuse: The four-star recruit from Florida leads all true freshman cornerbacks in snaps played (377). He's played well in coverage, allowing completions on only 20 of the 40 passes thrown his way while recording eight pass breakups. Samuel has 27 tackles and had an interception in a win over Colgate.

S Tae Johnson, Notre Dame: The redshirt freshman and four-star recruit from Fort Wayne, Ind., has started the last four games for the Irish at safety and is tied for fourth on the team with 26 tackles. Johnson created three havoc plays (two pass breakups and one interception) in the win over Boise State.

S Jessiah McGrew, FIU: The three-star recruit from Tallahassee, Fla., is tied with Miami's Bryce Fitzgerald for the lead among freshmen with three interceptions. He ranks fifth on the team in tackles (25) and has two pass breakups. McGrew also blocked a field goal in the game at Penn State.

K Patrick Durkin, Tulane: The redshirt freshman is a perfect 13-for-13 on field goal attempts, including three from 40 yards or more. He made a season-long 50-yarder in a win over South Alabama. He's 16 of 17 on extra points, and his 31 touchbacks on 34 kickoffs are the fifth-most among freshmen.

P Dylan Drennan, Buffalo: Drennan, a redshirt freshman from Dallas, has a net average of 43.2 yards, second-best among freshmen with double-digit punts. His season-long is 76 yards (tops among freshmen), and he has pinned opponents inside the 10-yard line seven times.

AP Vernell Brown, Florida: The five-star recruit from Orlando, Fla., ranks second to Toney among true freshman receivers with 27 catches for 368 yards. Brown has also handled 16 returns on special teams -- second-most among freshmen -- and has averaged 15.4 yards per return on punts, second-best among freshmen.

CJ Carr, Malachi Toney headline college football midseason All-Freshman team