Top Freshmen Who Could (Or Might Not) Red-Shirt This Fall

Constructing an elite NCAA cross country roster isn't as simple as recruiting and developing the best athletes in the nation.

Knowing when to red-shirt certain runners in order to preserve their eligibility could allow a collegiate cross country team to peak at the perfect time and earn a national title.

Below, we highlighted some of the best recruits from the Class of 2022 and give reasons as to why a red-shirt could help their futures down the line. 

Note: We understand that most superstar recruits tend to run in their initial freshman seasons. This is an exercise in predicting how a coaching strategy could yield long-term results.

Related Read: 

Which Top-End Freshmen Could Red-Shirt In Year One

Natalie Cook, Oklahoma State

Flower Mound (TX), Class of 2022

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One could argue that Cook, a recent graduate of Flower Mound High School, is among the greatest high school distance runners ever.

The Texas native not only won two cross count...