Miami's Young Superstar Tops Another List As the Best Freshman in the Country
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No. 13 Miami (8-2, 4-2 ACC) is fighting for its life to get into the College Football Playoff. However, even with the current cast of players now, the Hurricanes' future seems brighter than ever, thanks to the outstanding 2025 recruiting class that was brought in.
When it was all said and done, the Hurricanes had the best ACC class in the country but only the 13th best in the nation. Moreover, that also limited some players from being rated where they truly needed to be ranked.
One player is the best freshman in the country, and coming out, he was only a three-star recruit. Now, he is the future of the Miami Hurricanes program as ESPN ranks Malachi Toney as the best freshman in the country.
No. 1 Malachi Toney:
One of the youngest players in the country, Toney reclassified into Miami's 2025 class and wasted no time proving he was undervalued as a three-star recruit. Even as the Hurricanes' season has teetered following losses to Louisville and SMU, Toney has remained solid, leading all freshman receivers in snaps, targets and receptions (59) through 10 games.
Toney has also shown up against Miami's toughest opponents, which includes back-to-back 100-yard outings against Florida State and Louisville in October. At 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, Toney has become Carson Beck's most reliable target and one of the ACC's most productive receivers, ranking fourth in catches and seventh in yards (698) among conference pass catchers through 10 games. He has added five touchdowns through the air and one on the ground in his rookie season. With secure hands, quickness after the catch and fearlessness in traffic, Toney looks like Miami's next great playmaker.
2. Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU Cougars
3. Bo Jackson, RB, Ohio State Buckeyes
4. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB, California Golden Bears
5. Mason Heintschel, QB, Pittsburgh Panthers
6. Malik Washington, QB, Maryland Terrapins
7. Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan Wolverines
8. Dontrell Glover, OG, Georgia Bulldogs
9. Caleb Hawkins, RB, North Texas Mean Green
10. Brandon Finney Jr., CB, Oregon Ducks
11. Michael Carroll, OL, Alabama Crimson Tide
12. Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke Blue Devils
13. Dijon Lee, DB, Alabama Crimson Tide
14. Sidney Stewart, DE, Maryland Terrapins
15. Graceson Littleton, CB, Texas Longhorns
16. Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon Ducks
17. Michael Fasusi, OT, Oklahoma Sooners
18. Demetres Samuel Jr., CB, Syracuse Orange
19. John Mills, OG, Washington Huskies
20. Brent Gordon Jr., CB, Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.