Vote: Who Was The Top Freshman Football Player In Pennsylvania Of 2024?

We’ve picked out 11 freshmen football players in Pennsylvania that stood out this past 2024 season

Central Catholic cornerback Xxavier Thomas (2) lines up across from St. Joseph's Prep wide receiver Jett Harrison in the first half of the PIAA Class 6A football championship game at Cumberland Valley High School, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Silver Spring Township, Pa. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2024 high school football season is complete and we are going around the East Coast, reflecting on the last few months. 

One of the big questions is what newcomers on the scene made the biggest impact to a football program or state even? That’s where freshmen that saw extensive playing time come into the mix. 

That’s why we ask the question: Who was the top freshman football player of 2024? 

We will go state-by-state on the East Coast and once that voting is done, do a final poll including all the freshmen that won going head-to-head. 

We’ve selected 11 worthy candidates and ask you the fan to vote for who you think topped them all.

SBLive voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll. You can vote as often as you wish and are encouraged to share our polls with others. - SBLive Sports

Voting closes on January 19th, 11:59pm

Here are the nominees:

Anthony Smith, QB, Southmoreland

The top-ranked quarterback of the state had himself a stellar 2024 season at Southmoreland. Smith finished completing 129-of-244 passes for 2,110 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

James Armstrong, QB, Hopewell 

Another freshman passer that jumped onto the scene and performed admirably was Armstrong for Hopewell. The passer completed 88-of-185 passes for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns. Also rushed for 787 yards and scored 15 times. 

Jacob Regan, QB, Richland 

Regan statistically was up there with the best of ‘em when it comes to 2028 Pennsylvania quarterbacks. The freshman threw for 1,116 yards, 13 touchdowns and only five picks. 

Jensen Ferber, QB, West York Area 

Not far off percentage wise when it came to completing passes was Ferber. The signal caller completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,280 yards and nine touchdowns. 

Fletcher Thompson, RB, Williams Valley 

Thompson was the top running back after the 2024 campaign he had at Williams Valley. The tailback rushed for 1,462 yards on 188 carries and scored 17 touchdowns. 

Zach Moats, RB/LB, Seneca 

Whether it was playing offense or defense, Moats really produced for Seneca on both sides of the ball. The freshman rushed for 811 yards and scored 11 touchdowns out of the backfield. Defensively Moats tallied 67 tackles, two for loss and forced two fumbles. 

Jharee Moore-Stewart, WR/DB, Bloomsburg 

Hard to ignore the kind of season Moore-Stewart had this past fall at Bloomsburg. The freshman hauled in 34 passes for 636 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. On defense, Moore-Stewart made 43 tackles, batted away three passes and intercepted six. 

Jett Harrison, WR, St. Joseph’s Prep 

Playing for the top program in the state of Pennsylvania, Harrison stepped right in as a starter for the Eagles and produced. Oh, and if the last name looks familiar it's because he's the son of former NFL great Marvin Harrison.

Jason Klokis, LB, Mount Carmel

Klokis was the leader among all freshman in the state when it came to tackles, with the linebacker racking up 124 total along with 10 for a loss and two sacks.

Jason Marshall Jr., LB, Farrell 

Not far behind Klokis in the tackling department was Marshall Jr., who had himself a solid 2024 campaign as a freshman backer. The hard-hitting linbacker made 120 stops, eight for a loss and a fumble recovery.

Brandon Murphy Jr., DB, Clairton 

Coming up and playing in run support out of the secondary, Murphy Jr. did a tremendous job all season long for Clairton. Murphy Jr. finished with 102 total tackles, 23 for a loss, nine sacks and broke up two passes.

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi