re: Which incoming freshmen match up with open positions to make an impact next year?

quote:

---

Almost every NC/playoff season that we've had there is a true freshman(men) that makes a big play/big plays.

---

That's because those true freshmen had experienced leaders on the team to help them out. The 2009 national championship team had guys like Rolando McClain, Javier Arenas, and Terrence Cody. The 2011 national championship team had guys like Josh Chapman, Dont'a Hightower, and Mark Barron. The 2012 national championship team had guys like Jesse Williams, CJ Mosley, and Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix. The 2015 national championship team had guys like A'Shawn Robinson, Reggie Ragland, and Eddie Jackson. And the 2017 national championship team had guys like Daron Payne, Rashaan Evans, and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

We didn't have the kind of experience on the defensive side of the ball that those teams enjoyed because they were all on the sidelines in casts.