By Chris Marler
The past month of the college football season—or technically, the offseason—has been a whirlwind, to say the least. Between conference championship games, awards week, early signing day, the opening and closing of the transfer portal, and, oh, actual postseason bowl games to prepare for, it’s more than most Google calendars can handle.
With all the chaos of college football during the Christmas season, several things are easy to overlook—namely, early enrollees. While most of the attention has been on current players deciding whether to stay, leave, or flirting with both options, the next next guy up has often been overlooked.
Here are my way-too-early impact freshman early enrollees from the SEC.
1. Keelon Russell – QB, Alabama
I’m not going to name names, but some people scoffed at the idea of Keelon Russell committing to Alabama last summer. Russell started 2024 as a four-star recruit ranked No. 123 overall in the country before committing to SMU. After competing at camps across the country during the spring and summer, he won the Elite 11 and earned a fifth star. Shortly after, he flipped his commitment to Alabama and finished as the No. 2 player in the nation, right behind Bryce Underwood.
Russell will be given every opportunity to win the starting quarterback job in his first year under Kalen DeBoer. A scenario similar to 2020 could play out, when future No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young sat behind Mac Jones, a fourth-year player. While that situation may be ideal, keeping a talent like Russell off the field will be difficult, especially with Alabama’s quarterback room thin after losing Jalen Milroe to the draft and a backup to the portal.
With the seat being moderately warm following a 9-4 season and multiple inexplicable losses, expect DeBoer to hitch his wagon to the most talented quarterback—one who’s also the least likely to haunt the program if he enters the portal. That’s Russell.
2. DJ Pickett – CB, LSU
This may sound dramatic, but I don’t care—I am dramatic.
LSU’s road back to being known as “DBU” begins with DJ Pickett. He has everything you’d want in a cornerback in today’s game: a long defensive back with great athleticism, and the ability to compete immediately in Baton Rouge.
A Tampa native, Pickett could have gone anywhere in the country. He was a consensus top-20 player across all major recruiting services. While I wouldn’t compare anyone to Derek Stingley Jr. and his dominant freshman season, Pickett has the potential to make a similar impact. He could be a day-one starter who locks down half the field for three years. He’s that good.
3. Elyiss Williams – TE, Georgia
Williams wasn’t a five-star recruit and is only the fifth-highest-ranked prospect in Georgia’s class. However, he will be a matchup nightmare for defenses the moment he steps on the field. At 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, he has the frame to become an NFL-ready tight end early in his time at Athens. He’ll add weight and muscle during UGA’s offseason workouts, and by September, he should be physically prepared.
Think Darnell Washington from a few years ago, but as a natural pass catcher. Williams is a multisport athlete with possibly more upside than anyone on the roster—and at Georgia, that says a lot. I mean, that says a whole lot. He’ll join a tight end room that includes Oscar Delp and Lawson Luckie, but he’ll be coached by one of the best in the country, Todd Hartley.
The only concern with Williams in year one is how many opportunities he’ll get—and not because of depth. Georgia tight ends combined for only 62 receptions last season, the lowest total in four years. That was 37% fewer than in 2023 and nearly 60% fewer than in 2022. Regardless, at the very least, Williams should be a red-zone threat given his size, especially when lined up opposite new transfer portal signee Noah Thomas at wide receiver.
