First-Year Firepower: Freshmen Setting Friday Nights on Fire

Every year, a few freshmen come along that skip the line. They don't need a year to adjust or a season to figure it out — they're just ready. Across Arizona, a handful of first-year players are already carving out real roles, not just as subs or special teamers, but as key parts of their teams. They're producing, leading, and proving that age doesn't matter as much as preparation and poise. This is a look at the ones making their names known early — the freshmen who've shown up every Friday night like they've been here for years.    Dylan runs with pace and balance — there's a calm feel in traffic, then a gear you don't expect when he hits daylight. He's sharp, quick, and aggressive, running like he's been shot out of a cannon. Speed and agility are massive parts of his game, showing up in his vision through traffic, his instant cuts, and the way he strings moves together without losing speed. He averaged an eye-popping 11 yards per carry on varsity and a ridiculous 24 yards per carry on limited JV carries, and those numbers aren't flukes — they're proof of real burst, feel, and decisiveness. Watch him long enough and you can tell the game slows down for him; he processes blocks and sees pursuit angles before most that have years more experience. He's got that rare mix of patience and explosion — waits just long enough for the crease, then hits it like it owes him money. He's a spark plug, a back who makes defenses nervous before the snap because any lane can become six points.     Rodarte has that receiver trait you can't coach: he separates late. Corners can run stride for stride with him for 12 yards, and then — snap — he's open at the catch point. He also runs some of the crispest routes you'll see from a freshman anywhere in the state, selling breaks with his eyes and hips and making defenders bite just enough to open a window. That route precision, paired with his strong hands and feel for space, makes him a quarterback's best friend. And once he gets behind a defense, it's usually curtains — he's got the top-end speed to finish plays and turn routine throws into touchdowns. Desert View isn't babysitting him either; he's living in real, grown-up downs and distances and producing like a WR1. The vertical shots are fun, but what really pops is how he squeezes yards out of intermediate stuff — the dig, the quick out that becomes 19 yards because he slipped the first tackle. That's varsity polish, as a freshman.     If you're building a modern high school offense from scratch, you ask for a guy like Norwood. He's a true do-it-all player — the kind of kid who can run the offense, run the ball for the offense, or run routes for the offense, and still flip the field as a scary returner. His cuts are lethal; every change of direction looks like it was drawn up on purpose. Despite not being the biggest guy on the field, he doesn't shy away from contact or physicality — though he's not easy to get a clean hit on. The ball skills are real, but so is the vision — he sets blocks up like a running back, slips through traffic like a slot receiver, and bursts through lanes like a returner with a score in sight. Even better, he doesn't need volume to be dangerous; he just needs touches in the right moments, and he has a knack for delivering when the drive needs a spark.     Freshmen DBs who can hold their own when attacked are gold. Preston's already stepping in front of throws and making the QB pay for testing him, which says a lot about his film study and comfort in the scheme. He's excellent on the defensive side of the ball, with great closing speed and the kind of trust in his eyes that lets him break on routes a split-second earlier than most. He plays with good IQ, sniffing out screens and trick plays before they develop, and that's rare for a first-year guy. There's a lot to like on that end — he's physical when he needs to be and controlled when the play calls for patience. And then to be able to fill in as a gadget guy on offense really adds another layer to his game.     Colin's freshman tape looks like the role player every competitive varsity roster needs — steady, reliable, and always in the right place. He's the bridge between “next up” and “right now,” doing the dirty work that doesn't always make the highlight reel but always helps win drives. As a returner, he's decisive — no wasted motion, just catch, read, and go. He takes the free grass, hits daylight without hesitation, and forces the first tackler to be perfect or pay for it. On defense, he's showing instincts beyond his age, reading plays quicker than most and closing space with real confidence. You can tell he trusts what he sees. Tackling in open space isn't easy for a freshman, but he handles it like a vet — breaking down, striking square, and finishing through contact. He's one of those kids who just fits wherever you plug him in, and you can tell the game already feels natural to him.     Every defense needs a tone-setter, and Dontae has become that in his first season of high school football. He's around the football constantly — the kind of freshman who sees it early and trusts his trigger. He already leads his team in both tackles and forced fumbles, which says plenty about his instincts and the way he finishes plays. Coaches clearly trust him, too, because he plays with a controlled freedom and plenty of instinct. That's how you earn your veteran teammates' respect, fast.     Kevin looks the part and plays the part. On defense he's long and willing — the kind of frame that instantly jumps off the film because the arms seem to never end. He uses that reach to his advantage, striking first and getting real separation at the point of attack, something you almost never see from a freshman. He's not just running into blockers — he's shocking them with his hands, extending, controlling, and then shedding with a purpose. That hand usage, paired with natural leverage and patience, makes him a tough matchup even for older linemen.     Freshman edge rushers aren't supposed to stack real production this fast, but CJ didn't get the memo. His get-off jumps out when you watch this defense — he fires off the ball and has a few different moves to pull from to try and get to the quarterback. He's comfortable turning the corner, and he's already mixing in a little long-arm to keep tackles honest. That's rare at this age. He plays with effort, too, so even when the initial rush doesn't win, he'll chase down a play from the backside and force a bad throw or a throwaway. He's got a really nice frame, and as that fills out, he'll only become more of a problem.     The standout trait is the incredibly quick feet — the kind of footwork that would impress from anyone at this level, let alone a first-year player. His feet are constant energy, always positioning him perfectly to react, which is why he's managed to get his hands on so many footballs this season — four interceptions and counting. He's not a stat-chaser; he's a momentum-changer, the type of player who shifts the tone of a game with one read and one break. Freshman DBs often struggle with angles and patience, but Byrd's already calmer than most, reading the play, trusting his eyes, and attacking when it's time. He's excellent on the defensive side of the ball, showing real understanding of spacing, and the kind of awareness that makes it look like he's moving faster than everyone else.     Some guys don't need the perfect runway — give Gavin a crease and he'll turn it into eight yards and a headache. He runs with that north-south urgency coaches love, stays square through contact, and stacks productive carries without dancing. There's also a dependable two-way edge to him: he'll add a thud or pull down an INT (has three of those on the year) on defense and then hop right back into the backfield to tote the rock some more. For a brand-new program, having a freshman who can be your tempo-setter is massive. He's the kid who tilts time of possession and keeps your call sheet wide open on 2nd-and-medium. Nothing loud about it — just first downs and body blows.     If you're a coach, you don't need a freshman kicker to be a superhero — you need him to be boring in the best way. That's Aidyn. His operation is clean, the ball comes off his foot true, and he treats PATs like they're chores he's eager to finish. You can feel the sideline's confidence because everybody jogs back to the huddle like, “Yep, that's three (or one) more.” There's real value in a first-year specialist who erases anxiety after touchdowns and keeps drives from feeling wasted when the offense stalls within range. It's early, but the poise and rhythm are more like a veteran — and that steadiness is a quiet reason Cactus was able to walk out of their lone one-score game with a win.

Every year, a few freshmen come along that skip the line. They don't need a year to adjust or a season to figure it out — they're just ready. Across Arizona, a handful of first-year players are already carving out real roles, not just as subs or special teamers, but as key parts of their teams. They're producing, leading, and proving that age doesn't matter as much as preparation and poise. This is a look at the ones making their names known early — the freshmen who've shown up every Friday night like they've been here for years.