The Big Ten is one of the most storied conferences in college football. It's loaded with talent and has the defending National Champion in Ohio State. While the conference is only a few months removed from contemplating freshman ineligibility, it has several freshman players making immediate impacts. It just so happens that the top three all play the same the position. Here are the three best true freshmen in the Big Ten so far this season.
3. L.J. Scott, RB, Michigan State
Scott would likely be higher on this list if he wasn't sharing time in the backfield with redshirt freshman RB Madre London. Scott has topped 13 carries just once this season, but he's still put up an impressive 434 yards and 8 touchdowns on 78 carries. Scott has a bright future ahead of him, and he and London should form a dangerous duo for years to come.
2. Markell Jones, RB, Purdue
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47407148/usa-today-8839621.0.jpg)
Jones doesn't get much hype because he plays on an awful Purdue team, but he's posted a great season so far. Jones hasn't received the bulk of the carries this season, as that honor belong to sophomore D.J. Knox, but he's made the most of them. He's carried the ball 78 times for 458 yards and 5 TDs. He's chipped in a bit through the air too, catching 13 passes for 87 yards and 1 TD. In three games this season, Jones only received six carries, making his numbers even more impressive. Jones has a bright future, even if Purdue looks like a Big Ten bottom-feeder.
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Barkley missed two games and only received one carry is the season opener, which makes his performance so far even more astounding. He's racked up 567 yards and 3 TDs on just 68 carries. He's averaging an absurd 8.3 yards per carry. For reference, that's more than both LSU RB Leonard Fournette and OSU RB Ezekiel Elliott are averaging this season. Barkley looks like the real deal and Penn State is lucky to have him.
Back to the Big Ten Newsfeed