No metric better charts the shifting sands of men’s college soccer than our annual Freshman Top 100 list.

That list dropped this week with the typical surrounding fanfare. This list is populated by future Generation adidas signees and four-year stars embarking on lengthy college careers alike. And this year is no exception to the rule that the top 10-20 players have as much pro potential as ever. If not more.

But this is a strange year for the nation’s top freshmen. For multiple reasons.

Let’s take a closer look at what this list looks like on a molecular level. Why is it different? Why does it matter? And which of these players has a shot at doing something special at the next level? You might be surprised with the answers.