AUSTIN, TEXAS – Cade Klubnik of the Clemson Tigers about to attempt a pass in the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns in at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
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College football’s preseason is unique in that there is a one-month buildup to kick off with media polls, watchlists, Heisman projections and top 25 polls rolling out and allowing for ample debate. Speaking of debate, many outlets release lists of top players at each position, or top players overall. With respect to the latter, forbes.com chimes in with a top 10 (alphabetical) list of players to keep tabs on in 2025.
This is not a list of Heisman hopefuls, though at least of few among the players noted below will likely be right in the thick of the conversation. Rather, it is about a player’s impact and how critical he is to the success of his team.
Drew Allar
- Quarterback, Penn State
- Senior
- Born in Medina, Ohio
Allar’s stock soared a year ago when he led the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship game and CFP semifinal, which they lost to Notre Dame on a field goal with seven seconds remaining. It was an ill-advised pass by Allar that was picked, and led to the winning score. Additional motivation heading into 2025? Maybe. Unfinished business? Definitely.
Allar, who set an FBS record by opening his career with 311 pass attempts without an interception, threw for 3,327 yards and 30 total touchdowns in 2024. A major reason why Penn State is expected to be in the national title hunt once again is because Allar will operate behind a very experienced and very deep offensive line. A weak non-conference slate of Nevada, FIU and Villanova will allow Allar and PSU to build momentum before No. 7/7 Oregon visits Happy Valley on September 27.
Caleb Downs
- Safety, Ohio State
- Junior
- Born in Hoschton, Ga.
If there is a player from the defensive side of scrimmage who could make a run at the Heisman, Downs is that player. His first season in Columbus after transferring from Alabama was a rousing success as the safety was a unanimous first-team All-American for the national champion Buckeyes. While statistics do not tell the story in total, Downs nonetheless was second on the team in solo tackles (48), third in tackles for loss (7.5), intercepted a pair of passes and broke up six more. One of his six punt returns resulted in a 79-yard TD against Indiana.
Downs, who entered the portal less than one week after Kalen DeBoer was hired in January 2024 to succeed Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, and after being named SEC Freshman of the Year, is the leader of a unit that lost a good amount of production as well as its coordinator after leading the nation in scoring defense (12.9 points) and total defense (255 yards). Former Detroit Lions coach and New England Patriots DC Matt Patricia takes over for Jim Knowles, who left for Big Ten rival Penn State. There is big test out of the chute against Arch Manning and visiting Texas on August 30.
Cade Klubnik
- Quarterback, Clemson
- Senior
- Born in Austin, Texas
It was impressive in of itself that Klubnik threw 36 touchdown passes last season, good for third nationally. What stands out even more is that he threw only six interceptions for an impressive 6:1 ratio that was second best among the 41 quarterbacks with at least 20 touchdown passes.
Klubnik, who as a freshman in 2022 saw good chunks of action in 10 games (one start) while backing up D.J. Uiagalelei, became Dabo Swinney’s clearcut No.1 in 2023. There were growing pains, for sure, though Klubnik has only gotten better and heads into 2025 as a serious Heisman candidate. An August 30 season opener in primetime against visiting LSU and fellow Heiman hopeful, Garrett Nussmeier, will be must-see viewing.
D.J. Lagway
- Quarterback, Florida
- Sophomore
- Born in Willis, Texas
As a true freshman quarterback playing in the SEC and thrown into the fire in mid-season, it was no surprise Lagway’s performance was rather uneven at times. He also showed plenty of character and determination in leading the Gators to four straight wins to close out an 8-5 season that was capped by a Gasparilla Bowl win over Tulane in which Lagway captured MVP honors after a shaky start.
Indeed, fortunes changed in Gainesville when coach Billy Napier turned to Lagway to lead the offense in the season’s second half, which included back-to-back home wins over ranked LSU and Ole Miss. With the strong finish to 2024, it comes as no surprise the Gators open the season in the top 25 for the first time since 2021. A three-game stretch against preseason top 10 teams that begins September 13 at LSU, followed by a trip to Miami then, after a bye, a visit from top-ranked Texas will be the ultimate test for Lagway and the Gators.
Jeremiyah Love
- Running Back, Notre Dame
- Junior
- Born in University City, Mo.
Love may have to carry the load in every sense until C.J. Carr or Kenny Minchey grows comfortable running the Irish offense. Regardless, what may very well be the best offensive line in college football will see to it there is ample daylight as it often did last season, which did not end well for the running back. There were questions – and a brace – surrounding Love’s right knee during the Irish’s playoff run. He carried the ball only four times for three yards in the national championship game loss to Ohio State.
Though Love’s 98-yard TD sprint against Indiana in a first-round playoff matchup was certainly electrifying, he otherwise had only 78 yards on 28 carries for a paltry 2.8 yards per tote in four playoff games. Love is a game-breaker of a runner who, even with his struggles in the playoff, averaged an eye-opening 6.9 yards per carry to place sixth nationally. A healthy Love should have an explosive 2025.
Arch Manning
- Quarterback, Texas
- Redshirt Sophomore
- Born in New Orleans, La.
The most-hyped recruit in the land is now in his third year with the Hook ‘Em’s? After appearing in two games and maintaining a redshirt in 2023, the nephew of Eli and Peyton saw action in 10 games last season and made a pair of starts in place of Quinn Ewers, who was injured during UT’s third game against UTSA. Manning came on and sparkled (9-for-12, 223 yards, 5 total TDs) in a blowout. He then started the next two games, both victories versus Louisiana-Monroe (258 pass yards, 2/2) and Mississippi State (325 pass yards, 2/0) in the Longhorns’ first conference clash as a member of the SEC. All told, Manning threw for 939 yards and 9/2.
Kyle Flood’s offense now belongs to Manning. As if the glare has not been intense enough since his arrival in Auston, he and the ‘Horns open at defending national champ Ohio State on August 30. The anticipation for Manning’s first season atop the QB depth chart is such that there are not enough watchlists to go around. Indeed, the time is now for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound cannon-armed 21-year-old signal caller. While it may be surprising that he was left off the preseason Manning Award watchlist, it is a list that changes during the season.
For the record: Grandfather Archie finished fourth in Heisman voting at Ole Miss in 1969 and his Rebel uncle, Eli, finished third in 2003. Uncle Peyton’s career at Tennessee included being runner-up in 1997 after finishing eighth in 1996.
Garrett Nussmeier
- Quarterback, LSU
- Redshirt Senior
- Born in Lake Charles, La
Tigers fans were holding their breath earlier this month only to exhale when a knee injury Nussmeier sustained the second week of preseason camp was fortunately not serious. That was good news for college football fans for the simple reason Nussmeier emerged as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks while throwing for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, his first as a starter. He led LSU to 9-4 mark and win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl.
Jayden Daniels handed off the baton along with the keys to the LSU offense ahead of the ReliaQuest Bowl following the 2023 regular season. Nussmeier responded by throwing for 395 yards, three touchdowns and taking home MVP honors in a win over Wisconsin. He carried the momentum into the 2024 season, though there is unfinished business to tend to as something more than a nine-win season is expected in Baton Rouge with No. 13 leading the way. It starts with the visit to Clemson noted above with Cade Klubnik.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Garrett Nussmeier of the LSU Tigers passes the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 31, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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J.T. Parker
- Defensive End, Clemson
- Junior
- Born in Phenix City, Ala.
Tom Allen had Abdul Carter unleashing all manner of havoc at Penn State last season. The defensive coordinator, hired by Dabo Swinney in January, has the luxury of a similarly disruptive force in Parker. The 6-foot-3 and 260-pound end was fifth nationally in tackles for loss a year ago with 19.5 while placing ninth in sacks with 11. As impressive as those numbers are, the exclamation point to the type of season he had were the school-record six forced fumbles.
The Tigers allowed 23.4 points per game last season, which was the most Clemson allowed since yielding 24.8 in 2012. Led by Parker, Allen has star power and depth reminiscent of the smothering 2017 to 2019 units the allowed less than 290 yards per game. The first major test this season will be the August 30 season opener against visiting LSU.
Jeremiah Smith
- Receiver, Ohio State
- Sophomore
- Born in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Smith has played a lot of football the past two years, and won a lot of games. He starred with the nation’s No. 2 high school team at Chaminade-Madonna in his native Miami in 2023 and dazzled as a freshman with the national champion Buckeyes last year. Add it all up, and he played 30 games in the two seasons while team went 28-2.
Smith had a quiet game with one catch in what was nonetheless a two-touchdown win for Ohio State over Texas in a semifinal playoff matchup. That was an outlier for Smith, who otherwise shined in the other three playoff games (18-378-5) and finished the season with 15 TD catches while averaging 17.3 yards per reception and 82 yards receiving per game. His effort earned him second team All-American honors. True, Will Howard will not be targeting Smith this season. Still, first-year OC and former Buckeyes’ receiver, Brian Hartline, should have a dynamic unit with (presumed QB1) Julian Sayin and Smith as the headliners.
Ryan Williams
- Receiver, Alabama
- Sophomore
- Born in Mobile, Ala.
Williams is now old enough to vote after turning 18 in February. As a 17-year-old who reclassified so that he could take the field with the Tide in 2024, Williams had 865 yards on 48 receptions for a hefty 18.0 yards per catch. He totaled 10 TDs, including two on the ground, and averaged 10 yards on a dozen punt returns. Again: All at age 17!
Few will forget his game-winning 75-yard touchdown catch in what was a stunning back-and-forth of a fourth quarter in the Tide’s 41-34 win over Georgia to open SEC play. Williams had a season high 177 yards against the Bulldogs, answering the question in only his fourth collegiate game about how would handle the national spotlight. It is easy to understand why there is much anticipation in Tuscaloosa heading into his sophomore season.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlayberger/2025/08/19/top-college-football-players-to-watch-2025/
