Having talent in college football only gets you in the door. From there all kinds of factors play into the kind of career and success you find. Injuries, depth chart, supporting cast, scheme and a host of other factors can limit or accelerate the rise and fall of stars on the college level.

As we head towards the close of fall camp, here are the ten true freshmen that have found themselves in the best position for long-term success.

10. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU – How would you like to let Leonard Fournette (230 lbs) and Darrel Williams (232 pounds) tenderize a defense behind a big offensive line before you (222 pounds yourself) come in with fresh legs to clean up. That's the scenario Derrius Guice is looking at as a freshman and LSU has proven that it will give a heavy workload to multiple talented backs. Under Frank Wilson, few programs are developing running backs better right now than the Tigers and Guice has already proven in pre-season practice that he will be special.

I think it's safe to say Guice will be fun to watch this year pic.twitter.com/8GaVktXdV5 — The LSU Logo (@LSU_Logo) August 23, 2015



9. Joseph Wicker, DL, Arizona State – While Arizona State is putting up big numbers on offense in the desert, Todd Graham remains a defensive guy and Joseph Wicker is emerging as a freshman favorite for him. Wicker has the versatility to play defensive end but long term he's likely an athletic defensive tackle. Already, he looks like he's got a great chance to start in the season opener and he's got a lot of young defensive talent around him for the future.

8. Rico McGraw, CB/S, Georgia – Jeremy Pruitt has put together a fierce group of quarterback killers in the front seven. He's stocked up the line of scrimmage with guys like Trent Thompson and has Lorenzo Carter and Leonard Floyd types on the edge. All he needs now is a cerebral, instinctive defensive back that can capitalize on the inevitable quarterback mistakes that will follow. Enter McGraw. He could start at Georgia's 'star' position which plays perfectly to his skill set as an in-the-box nickel.

7. Martez Ivey, OT, Florida – Florida needs offensive line help as much or more than any program in the country. Ivey was the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation in 2015. Seems like a perfect fit. Already Ivey is working with the 1s at left tackle and while there is sure to be some growing pains in his first season as a freshman, this sink or swim scenario should pay dividends long term for Ivey's development. Jim McElwain helped produce a 2nd round pick at Colorado State in left tackle Ty Sambrailo. Ivey has No. 1 potential.

6. Darrin Kirkland Jr., LB, Tennessee –Currently Kirkland looks like he has the inside track to start at inside linebacker for Tennessee. If that happens, we'll be looking at a 3 to 4 year starter who will have guys like Khalil McKenzie, Kyle Phillips and Shy Tuttle in front of him for the entirety of that tenure. With those fellow freshmen having impressive early campaigns themselves, Kirkland could become an incredibly productive player in Knoxville.

5. LJ Scott, RB, Michigan State – Though he won't be the starter, he'll be part of a talented running back rotation and we think he could emerge by midseason as a Nick Chubb-level backup for the Spartans. If that happens, he'll be running behind one of the nation's top offensive lines in an offense tailor-made for backs. Without the pressure to carry the load from day one, Scott will be able to develop at his own pace and the finished product will be one of the nation's top backs in the long term.

4. Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson – It's not always a good thing for an offensive tackle's development to be a day-one starter. We don't think that's the case with Hyatt. Clemson's starting left tackle was a starter in high school in one of the nation's toughest regions since his sophomore season and played for state championships in the process. He's an early enrollee that has absorbed the playbook and the training table with equal efficiency. He's playing in one of the most prolific offenses in the country with an elite young quarterback. It's a dream scenario for both Clemson and Hyatt.

3. Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame – Originally Tillery was recruited to play offensive tackle for Notre Dame. Then he started dominating the defensive line as a senior and the light bulb turned on. He enrolled early at Notre Dame and immediately became a factor on the defensive front in the spring. On a talented roster all over the field, defensive line was the one spot that needed some help, particularly with the injury to Jarron Jones. Tillery has provided that help in a big way and is set up for an outstanding career in South Bend.

2. Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas – If there's one thing about the Texas program that is an absolute certainty, it's that Charlie Strong knows defense. In Malik Jefferson he's got one of the most athletically gifted players in the country at any position and Jefferson has shown in short order that he grasps the mental side of the linebacker position enough to earn a starting job. With his athleticism, the talent that Texas is accumulating around him on defense and Charlie Strong's history of putting defensive players in the League, Jefferson will quickly become a national name for casual football fans.

You'll be seeing a lot this for the next few years- #46 Malik Jefferson making a play in the backfield #longhorns pic.twitter.com/MEdfhCGDcz — University Co-op (@universitycoop) April 18, 2015



1. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA – UCLA has a national championship level roster this year. That's not an exaggeration. With sound quarterback play the Bruins could be a playoff team. Rosen has probably the most pure ability of any passer in the 2015 class but he's still 18 years old. As an early enrollee, with a talented offensive line in front of him, the stars are aligned for a record-breaking career at UCLA. We saw the buzz that Brad Kaaya created last year at Miami. A more talented Rosen with a more talented roster around him can take that buzz to a new level in Westwood.



