2018 Top Impact Freshman Linebackers

Our breakdown of the top impact freshmen of 2018 continues, and it's time to look at the linebackers.

A deep and talented position, the linebacker haul was particularly good for teams during the last recruiting cycle. There are a lot of plug and play talents, and a few guys who could really make their presence felt sooner rather than later. There may even be a Roquan Smith or two in this bunch.

This is not a list of the top 10 linebacker recruits, but rather the 10 freshmen with the best chance to make an immediate impact. Positional rankings are included.

Penn State's Micah Parsons (PennLive.com)

2018 TOP 10 IMPACT LINEBACKERS
1. Micah Parsons/Penn State (DE3) -- Parsons was so impressive during the spring that he has already ascended up the depth chart, though not at defensive end, the position for which he was most touted. PSU is very thin in its linebacking corps, so the athletic, fast Parsons was moved to an outside spot. He will still be counted on to rush the passer, and is also solid in coverage. 
2. Ayodele Adeoye/Texas (LB13) -- The Longhorns defense was already trending upward, and the addition of Adeoye will only help. A rangy, quick, hard hitter, Adeoye should be able to find his way onto the field thanks to his combination of talents. Texas has a chance to be the best defense in the Big 12, and the talent is building up quickly. 
3. JJ Peterson/Tennessee (LB5) -- Just about every spot is up for grabs under new coach Jeremy Pruett, and the Vols were 126th in the country against the run so certainly need to get tougher in the front seven. Peterson is a mammoth talent who should get into the rotation, and may even take a starting spot since one side is rife with inexperience.
4. Palaie Gaoteote/USC (LB1) -- The top prize among linebackers for 2018, the Las Vegas product chose the Trojans and ascended to Cam Smith's backup in the middle thanks to an excellent spring. USC was middle of the Pac against the run, and Gaoteote brings toughness and a nose for the football that hasn't always been present the last few seasons in Troy.
5. Robert Hicks/Louisville (LB29) -- The Cardinals were somehow able to pry one of the best talents in the Sunshine State from the Big Three Florida schools, and they'll be glad they were. Hicks is already on the depth chart and has excellent instincts and quickness. He should help Louisville recover from a lot of personnel losses on the stop side.
6. Teradja Mitchell/Ohio State (LB4) -- The Buckeyes continue to cast a wide national net, and were able to nab Mitchell out of Virginia. A bone-jarring tackler, Mitchell has great sideline to sideline speed and excellent football instincts. Linebacker is the lone weakness for the OSU D, so don't be shocked if Mitchell makes his presence felt early.
7. Merlin Robertson/Arizona State (LB14) -- Robertson has the speed and size (6-3, 231) to make an immediate impact for a defense that needs all kinds of help. The Sun Devils were 109th in defense in 2017, and 78th against the run, so having a gritty, physical run-stopper can only improve things. At least that's what first year coach Herm Edwards hopes. Robertson could vie for Pac-12 newcomer honors as he should be on the field from the beginning of the season.
8. Alston Orji/Vanderbilt (LB30) -- The Commodores had an excellent defensive recruiting class, and nabbed two top 50 linebackers in the process. There is precious little experience in Vandy's linebacking group, so Orji could be used sooner rather than later.
9. Dax Hollifield/Virginia Tech (LB16) -- The Hokies have always prided themselves in big, physical linebackers who can run, and Hollifield is the latest to fit that mold. One of the top players in North Carolina, Hollifield spurned his home state schools for a chance to play in Bud Foster's aggressive defense.
10. Bumper Pool/Arkansas (LB40) -- Besides having one of the best names in the 2018 recruiting class, Pool also has quite a bit of talent. One of the better players in talent-rich Texas, Pool likely won't get the starting nod behind incumbent De'Jon Harris, but could get onto the field in situational packages.

Just Missed: Cameron McGrone/Michigan (LB12); Payton Wilson/NC State (LB6); Caleb Tannor/Nebraska (NR); Rosendo Louis/South Carolina (LB41); Ale Kaho/Washington (NR); Matthew Flint/North Carolina (NR); Dallas Gant/Ohio State (LB18); Adrian Jackson/Oregon (LB19); Shayne Simon/Notre Dame (LB9); Xavier Peters/Florida State (LB20)

2018 Top Impact Freshman Running Backs

Even as college football evolves into a spread-em-out, matchup driven sport, there is still a need for a good attack. Teams that can run the ball often kill the will of their opponent, making it easier to close out games.

There are a host of freakishly talented runners entering college football this year, and while they may not open 2018 as starters, they will definitely showcase their abilities and make coaches think long and hard about keeping them on the bench. Most college teams are mimicking their NFL counterparts and using a multi-pronged rushing attack, and that's where a lot of these freshmen will make their bones.

What follows is a ranking of the top 10 Impact Freshman running backs for 2018. These aren't necessarily the top 10 backs inked in the recruiting season, but the 10 with the best mix of talent and opportunity, with a chance to get on the field early. Positional ranking is included.

Miami's Lorenzo Lingard (Palm Beach Post)

2018 TOP 10 IMPACT FRESHMAN RUNNING BACKS
1. Lorenzo Lingard/Miami Fla. (RB2) -- The Hurricanes have a deep running stable, but none of the choices are as electrifying as Lingard, who could have a Cam Akers effect on the ground game. The five-star back is a mix of power and speed, and has the wiggle to make defenders miss. Whether or not he opens the year as a starter, he will be in the mix -- and could very well be the top dog by the end of the season. 
2. Ricky Person Jr/North Carolina State (RB4) -- Person was in for spring ball and has already worked his way up to second on the depth chart, behind Reggie Gallaspy II, who was productive behind Nyheim Hines last season. A four-star talent, Person is a good bet to steal carries from Gallaspy, and his burly frame could make him an enticing goal line option, too. 
3. Zamir White/Georgia (RB1) -- A five-star speedster with a huge upside, White would vie for major playing time had he not torn his ACL in his final high school campaign. He is expected to be healthy by the beginning of the season, and the coaching staff will likely ease him into things. But once he gets going, they may have no choice but to feed the beast. He and D'Andre Swift could form another Chubb-Michel powerhouse for the Bulldogs ground game. 
4. Keaontay Ingram/Texas (RB6) --The Longhorns put together one of the best recruiting classes in the nation, and Ingram was one of the spotlight players. A four-star 6-1, 190-pounder, Ingram is good catching passes and has the quickness to get outside the tackles, which means he's the every-down back Texas has lacked the past few seasons. Ingram has great initial explosion and lateral quickness, and loves making defenders miss. If Texas' offense takes that next step, it will be in large part due to Ingram.
5. Fabian Franklin/TCU (RB13) -- A former Mississippi State commit, Franklin flipped late and gives the Horned Frogs a shifty, elusive back who should vie for early playing time. Darius Anderson is the incumbent, but there isn't much experience behind him, leaving the four-star Franklin in line for a pretty big role.
6. Brock Sturges/Arizona State (RB29) -- A dearth of backfield experience in Tempe -- QB Manny Wilkins is the team's leading returning rusher -- means work is there for the taking. Eno Benjamin was part of last year's class, but the three-star Sturges, who reminds some of former ASU star runner Demario Richard, was up to second team and could make the starting position a tough decision for the coaches. 
7. Christopher Brown Jr/Cal (RB23) -- It's unlikely that anyone usurps starter Patrick Laird as the Bears primary ballcarrier, but offseason attrition means that the backup spot is up for grabs, and Brown has the size and quickness to get a good amount of work on an experienced offensive unit that has a real chance for improvement in 2018. 
8. Ricky Slade/Penn State (RB3) -- Miles Sanders is the starter and ready for a breakout, but he'll need a rest, and when he gets one it could very well be Slade getting the reps. Built low to the ground, the five-star back has home run speed and could steal more and more carries as the season progresses. 
9. Jeremy Banks/Tennessee (RB16) -- There will be open auditions for just about every job as first year coach Jeremy Pruitt attempts to assess his squad. Banks, a 6-2, 215-pound bruiser, is a four-star talent who loves playing physical and picking up yards after contact. His blue collar style should endear him to Vols Nation rather quickly.
10. Anthony "Pooka" Williams/Kansas (RB20) -- One of Louisiana's best, the four-star Williams could be the best runner the Jayhawks have had since Tony Sands ran wild in Lawrence. Williams, who had offers from LSU and Nebraska, is lightning fast and a good target out of the backfield, and should be able to get into the Kansas backfield rotation sooner rather than later.

Just Missed: Max Borghi/Washington State (RB41); Master Teague/Ohio State (RB11); Isaiah Woullard/Ole Miss (RB131); Kelan Walker/Houston (RB39); Nolan Edmonds/Minnesota (RB28); Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State (RB41)