2018 Top Impact Freshman Wide Receivers

Few things make the crowd explode like a beautifully floated deep pass. A receiver breaking free, using his speed to create space and reaching over his shoulder to snag the football on his way to the end zone. It never gets old, and it's becoming more and more a part of the college game.

Coaches are looking for difference makers outside, guys who can get on top of a defense as well as take a slant or a bubble screen to the house. There is no shortage of playmakers entering college football this season, and we have found the 10 that we like the best. These guys are the good hands team, the players who have a chance to make instant impacts for their squads.

These are not the top 10 receiver recruits, but rather the 10 receivers we feel have the best opportunity to do big things right away. Positional ranking is included.

Washington's Marquis Spiker (HERO Sports)

2018 TOP 10 IMPACT FRESHMAN WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Marquis Spiker/Washington (WR9) -- This four-star talent was one of the premier players in talent-rich California, and he has the size (6-3) and speed to create real problems for Pac-12 secondaries. Jake Browning should look to Spiker early and often this year as the Huskies showcase one of the most explosive offenses in America. 
2. Amon-Ra St. Brown/USC (WR2) -- Yet another from the talented St. Brown family, Amon-Ra should find himself as a frequent target of fellow freshman J.T. Daniels, the favorite to win the Trojans quarterback spot. Excellent open field moves and soft hands make the five-star St. Brown a dangerous weapon. 
3. Devonta Jason/Mississippi State (WR32) -- In for spring ball, Jason made a quick impression and found himself in line for a starting spot. Jason is physically imposing (6-3, 211) and a solid route-runner, and should be an inviting red zone target for Nick Fitzgerald. The Bulldogs receiving corps is young in general, and Jason has a chance to be special. 
4. Justin Shorter/Penn State (WR1) --The loss of DaeSean Hamilton to the NFL will hurt the Nittany Lions a bit, but Juwan Johnson and DeAndre Thompson are veteran holdovers. The five-star Shorter might be too good to keep off the field, and has the prototype size (6-4, 213) James Franklin loves. Shorter could be a matchup nightmare right off the bat. 
5. Terrace Marshall/LSU (WR3) -- The five-star Marshall is the latest in a long line of talented receivers the Tigers have reeled in. Marshall has the speed to get deep and the toughness to go up for jump balls, and should be an early contributor for Coach O. He will make the transition to a new quarterback much easier in Bayou country. 
6. Kevin Austin/Notre Dame (WR14) -- Notre Dame lost Equamineous St. Brown, but don't be surprised if the fresh-faced Austin takes over and brings life to an inconsistent Irish passing attack. One of the top playmakers from Florida, the four-star talent should find himself right in the mix for top wideout honors in South Bend. 
7. Derion Kendrick/Clemson (WR4) -- Dabo Swinney is, at his core, a coach who loves physical football. But he's also wise enough to know that sometimes you need playmakers outside, and the five-star Kendrick fits that bill. Kendrick is elusive in the open field and catches everything thrown his way, so look for him to contribute immediately. 
8. Chase Cota/UCLA (WR29) -- The Bruins offense under Chip Kelly will be a work in progress, but no one can say that he's lacking athletes. Cota, a four-star talent from Oregon, is a tall (6-4), deceptively fast target who should find himself on the receiving end of more than a few passes. 
9. Mark Pope/Miami Fla (WR11) -- Miami is getting back to the days when it had speed, speed and more speed, and Pope is the latest burner to come to Coral Gables. Jeff Thomas and Ahmmon Richards are the holdovers, but no one on the Canes roster had more than 24 catches last year. So Pope has a chart to find his way into the starting lineup -- or, at worst, a big role off the bench. 
10. Matthew Hill/Auburn (WR17) -- Season-ending injuries to wideouts Eli Stove and Will Hastings has thinned the Tigers receiving corps a bit, but this Georgia four-star should be able to soften the blow. Gus Malzahn isn't afraid to play freshmen, and gets inventive with his offensive packages, so he'll find ways to best utilize the speedy Hill.

Just Missed: Tevailance Hunt/TCU (WR45); Rashod Bateman/Minnesota (WR61); Rondale Moore/Purdue (WR41); Jacob Copeland/Florida (WR12); Rodrick Fisher/Washington State (WR58); Jalen Preston/Texas A&M (WR18); Tre Turner/Virginia Tech (WR34); Khalil Shakir/Boise State (ATH22); Jaquan Webb/Marshall (WR93); Dyami Brown/North Carolina (ATH8)