Top 15 CFB Players You'll Fall in Love with in 2024
College football will be welcoming back plenty of star power for the 2024 season, as always. But there are a bunch of guys who are on the cusp of greatness that you are going to want to know before next year.
These are the players whose game you'll love once they take the field and get going.
For some, it's about extending that talent and skill set already showcased over a larger sample size, while others are taking to a bigger stage to show the world what they can do. Then there are the incoming true freshmen who are just too talented to keep off the field.
Guys such as Ohio State safety transfer Caleb Downs and Arizona returning redshirt sophomore quarterback Noah Fifita didn't make the list because they've already tasted stardom and are building off that resume.
These are more the guys who've "got next" when it comes to becoming household names around the sport. From offensive skill-position players to a couple of talented defenders, here are the players you'll fall in love with in 2024.
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami Edge
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The fact that Rueben Bain Jr. provided a spark as a true freshman during the 2023 season for the Miami Hurricanes wasn't a major surprise. But the level of impact he had was pretty remarkable.
He was a consensus 4-star prospect out of Miami Central High School, and he decided to stay home at Coral Gables to play his college ball. It didn't take him long to get on the field, and once he did, head coach Mario Cristobal couldn't keep him off it.
There were times when Bain showed the propensity to take over games as a first-year player, and he's only going to improve as he learns the scheme more and more. Surrounded by more talent in year two, he is going to thrive.
A season ago, he finished with 44 tackles, including 12.5 for a loss, 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He was a disrupter at every turn, and at 6'3", 275 pounds, not only can he explode at quarterbacks off the edge but he can also hold his own in the running game.
There aren't a whole lot of defenders on this list because of the allure of offensive players getting their hands on the ball, but Bain and his ability cannot be denied.
Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma Safety
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The Oklahoma Sooners have yet to take on the identity of defensive-minded head coach Brent Venables in his two years at the helm. But with the way he's recruiting, it's just a matter of time.
The Sooners have some "dawgs" coming back on defense, and the addition of elite prospect David Stone up front could provide some immediate dividends. The bottom line, though, is they must be better on the back end.
Getting Billy Bowman back will be massive, because he's a star. Couple him with Peyton Bowen, and the Sooners look primed to head to the SEC with secondary stars.
A year ago, former 5-star freshman Bowen had plenty of ups and downs, but his talent was unmistakable. He finished with 36 tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss and a pass defended. He was in the rotation at both the safety and "Cheetah" hybrid safety/linebacker position, despite battling injuries.
He also showed the propensity for the big play, forcing a fumble in a win over Texas. It's plays like that which showed Bowen's football IQ. He is going to be one of the biggest young playmakers on defense this year.
Zachariah Branch, USC Wide Receiver/Specialist
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If you watched any USC Trojans football last year, you probably caught a glimpse of the immense talent of then-true freshman, do-it-all playmaker Zachariah Branch.
Despite having a loaded wide receiver room, coach Lincoln Riley couldn't keep the former 5-star talent off the field at wide receiver, kick and punt returner and even with some designed runs.
While Branch never elevated his play on offense due to a lack of reps, he was one of college football's most electrifying return men, and he will be a huge pass-catching target for new quarterback Miller Moss this season.
The Las Vegas native finished the 2023 campaign with 31 catches for 320 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also ran the ball nine times for 70 yards and scored another time.
The biggest impact, though, was on special teams, where we're certain he will shine again in 2024, along with being a bigger weapon in the passing game. As a freshman, Branch finished with 442 kick return yards, an 18.4 average and a touchdown. He also took a punt back for a score, averaging 20.8 yards in his 16 returns.
Branch is a special player, and Riley has to get him the ball more than 120 times this season.
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State Quarterback
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In limited action a year ago for Oregon State, Aidan Chiles showcased talent that is going to make him fun to watch right away.
The California native obviously liked the way Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith utilized him during his first season backing up DJ Uiagalelei because he followed him across the country to Michigan State.
Now, he will help Smith try to reinvigorate a Spartans program that had fallen on rough times during the past two Mel Tucker seasons. Chiles doesn't have anybody blocking his path now in East Lansing; this will be his team.
Nobody is expecting Michigan State to blow the doors off anybody next season, but Smith is a good coach and Chiles is a super-talented dual-threat signal-caller with a lot of moldable traits. As he learns and grows, he's going to make some special plays.
He completed 24-of-35 passes (68.6 percent) for 309 yards and four scores during limited snaps in 2023. He also ran 17 times for 79 yards and scored three more times.
Will he be one of the biggest stars in college football? That's doubtful considering just how many holes there are to fill on the Spartans, but he is going to do some things that show you what he's going to be, and he has three seasons left.
Cam Coleman, Auburn Wide Receiver
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The 2024 recruiting class was as loaded at wide receiver as the previous cycle was for quarterbacks. There is a trio of young pass-catchers represented here with megastar ability.
While Hugh Freeze hasn't been an overnight success at Auburn, he is trying to rebuild the team the right way. Had the Tigers not blown a massive, would-be win over Alabama by giving up a fourth-down touchdown late, the '23 season could have looked much different.
Even so, it was a step in the right direction, and Freeze is making major strides on the recruiting trail. There's no bigger evidence of that than at wide receiver, where Auburn will welcome 5-star Cam Coleman and 4-star Perry Thompson.
The biggest playmaker of the bunch is Coleman, a 6'3", 180-pound Phenix City, Alabama native who was committed to Texas A&M until Jimbo Fisher was fired.
Coleman can do it all at the receiver position, possessing long strides to gallop away from defenders and quickness in space to shift away from would-be tacklers. He is the complete package, and that's the reason he was a top-10 player.
There's no doubt he will shine right away on the Plains for a team desperately needing offensive skill-position talent.
Kevin 'KC' Concepcion, North Carolina State Wide Receiver
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If Kevin "KC" Concepcion had played for a more nationally recognized Power 4 program in 2023, everybody would know his name.
But North Carolina State doesn't get the same type of ACC headlines Clemson, Florida State or even Miami does, so he may have slipped under your radar. As a former 3-star prospect, he didn't come onto the Wolfpack with much fanfare.
None of that mattered, though. All he did was burst onto the scene as one of the top newcomers in the league, catching 71 passes for 831 yards and scoring 10 times. Are those numbers too gaudy to be on this list? Yes. But he still doesn't carry a lot of clout.
So, now with better quarterback play in Raleigh, you're going to hear plenty about Concepcion.
The Wolfpack grabbed former Coastal Carolina star signal-caller Grayson McCall for his final year, and they also convinced former top-tier receiver prospect Noah Rogers to come back home after a season at Ohio State.
With McCall throwing him the ball and Rogers taking some of the pressure off, Concepcion could lead the ACC in receiving yards and touchdowns. He is going to have an All-American campaign as a sophomore.
Justice Haynes, Alabama Running Back
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How Alabama's offense is going to look in 2024 under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer is anybody's guess, but the Crimson Tide need quarterback Jalen Milroe to take a major step in his senior season.
There won't be a dearth of talent in Tuscaloosa, but the running back room isn't anywhere near as deep as it was in 2023.
While Jase McClellan likely will be the starter this year, don't sleep on Justice Haynes. DeBoer relies on running backs much more than anybody realizes: Remember Dillon Johnson's big season? And it takes more than one viable runner to make it through the season in the SEC.
Enter Justice Haynes, who almost certainly will be one of the top two runners for the Tide next year after Roydell Williams left for Florida State.
Haynes is just a winner, and he found his way onto the field in a crowded running back room as a true freshman in 2023 after a terrific all-around career at Buford (Georgia) High School, where he led the powerhouse to state championships and was a 5-star.
He ran for 168 yards on 25 carries and scored twice, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. His talent is going to be way too big to keep off the field, and you can look for him to be a cornerstone of DeBoer's new program.
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas Linebacker
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Like Kevin "KC" Concepcion, another mass-producer as a true freshman who still made this list is Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
The reason why is that he was still not a regular starter for the College Football Playoff participant Longhorns, despite being one of the most disruptive players on Pete Kwiatkowski's defense.
Despite starting just six times in 14 games, Hill was second on the team in tackles with 67. He also had five sacks and a forced fumble. Imagine those numbers as a full-time starter who has a full year-plus in the system.
He is going to be an All-America candidate in 2024, and he is going to put up the type of numbers everybody expected LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. to last year. With Kwiatkowski molding him, Hill is a future early first-round pick, and he is going to be the type of cornerstone defender the Horns need heading into the SEC.
When you add defenders to coach Steve Sarkisian's team like UTSA transfer Trey Moore, the Longhorns' defense is only getting better and better. It's going to be hard to pay Hill extra attention with so many difference-makers surrounding him.
However, he has the ability to be the best defensive player in the nation in 2024.
Micah Hudson, Texas Tech Wide Receiver
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When the Texas Tech Red Raiders decided on head coach Joey McGuire a couple of offseasons ago, they were banking on his deep ties to high school talent in the Lone Star State.
It has paid off during his first couple of recruiting cycles, even though the Red Raiders were somewhat disappointed with a 7-6 record in 2023 following an 8-5 first season for McGuire.
Texas Tech is loading up on talent instate, and there has been no bigger win in living rooms than securing 5-star pass-catcher Micah Hudson in this year's cycle.
The nation's No. 16-ranked overall player hails from Temple, Texas, but he could have played his college ball anywhere in the country.
Instead, the 6'0", 190-pound target decided to stay home, which is huge news for a program that needed a centerpiece for its recruiting efforts. You know that kind of headline opportunity won't be wasted in 2024. Hudson will play a ton and likely start.
He will team with Washington State transfer Josh Kelly to give TTU an enviable one-two punch at receiver for quarterback Behren Morton, and don't be surprised if you see Hudson's big-play ability on full display on highlights across the nation.
Hudson is that kind of special talent, so you need to get to know him quickly. He will be one of the Big 12's biggest playmakers over the next three seasons.
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee Quarterback
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That noise you heard from the Smoky Mountains during the 2023 football season was a collective grumble from Tennessee Vols fans who wanted to see their superstar freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava get a chance to showcase his skills.
Instead, the Vols endured a good season from sixth-year senior Joe Milton III that never really approached the greatness hoped for as they finished 9-4.
Now, even though a flight taken by Iamaleava is part of an NCAA investigation into Tennessee this offseason, Vols fans are more worried about him taking off on the field in 2024.
The glimpse of what he can do came in his first-ever start, a 35-0 thumping of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl where he completed 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown while running for three more against a strong defense.
At 6'6", Iamaleava glides when he runs, with long strides that can cover ground in a hurry. He also has a terrific throwing arm with an effortless, flick-of-the-wrist motion.
Is he a finished product? Far from it. It took the Long Beach, California, native a little time to adjust and adapt to the college game. But coach Josh Heupel's offense is excellent, and Iamaleava has an exciting, dual-threat skill set to run it. He could post huge numbers as a redshirt freshman.
Avery Johnson, Kansas State Quarterback
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Speaking of dual-threat quarterbacks who left us wanting more in 2023, Kansas State's Avery Johnson gave the world just a glimpse of all he can do.
With Will Howard off to Ohio State, the Wildcats are Johnson's in 2024, and he is about to light up the "Little Apple" in Manhattan, Kansas.
Last year, he completed 37-of-66 passes (56.1 percent) for 479 yards and five touchdowns against zero interceptions. He also ran 52 times for 296 yards and scored seven times. He flashed in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, accounting for three touchdowns in the win.
There were times when coach Chris Klieman used Johnson as a running quarterback, and then there were others when he let him loose to throw the ball. While he looked like an inexperienced freshman at times, the upside was immense.
"He is a special, special talent," Klieman told reporters after the bowl win. "He is a very humble kid that has a ton of confidence, and that is a really hard thing to do."
The Kansas native stayed home to play for the Wildcats despite overtures from teams across the nation. Now, it's going to be his team to lead, and he will have a huge season as a sophomore starter.
Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Quarterback
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Dylan Raiola transferred to play high school football for powerhouse Buford (Georgia) High School and spent most of the 2024 recruiting cycle committed to be the Georgia Bulldogs' next signal-caller.
But he couldn't get Nebraska out of his head.
After all, that's where his father, former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman Dominic Raiola, played. And with Matt Rhule in Lincoln, they needed an offensive cornerstone and a star around which to build the offense.
In the end, it was all too much for Raiola, who flipped from the Bulldogs to the Cornhuskers, and with the issues in that room carrying over into 2023, don't be surprised if he beats out Heinrich Haarberg as a true freshman and starts right away.
Regardless, Raiola is going to play. When he does, you're going to see that big arm and all that ability, and he will be tough to keep on the sideline. The most powerful arm in the '24 class may need some polish, but he has a lot of traits, and Rhule will get the most out of him.
The 6'3", 230-pound prospect was the nation's No. 7-ranked overall player and the second-rated quarterback behind Julian Sayin. He will be the face of the future in Lincoln, and who doesn't love a rookie QB in college football?
Abu Sama III, Iowa State Running Back
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Iowa State coach Matt Campbell has experienced plenty of difficulty replicating the success the Cyclones had when Breece Hall was carrying the load and Brock Purdy was flinging passes in Ames.
Who wouldn't suffer a downfall after those two left?
Things are beginning to look up again for Campbell's program, though, after going 7-6 in 2023. At quarterback, underclassman Rocco Becht is showing some ability, and Campbell may have stumbled upon a star runner late last year.
Then-true freshman Abu Sama III exploded for a 276-yard, three-touchdown performance against Kansas State in a 42-35 win to close the regular season. Though he was a no-show in a bowl loss to Memphis (12 rushes, 4 yards), you've got to love his potential.
With a lot of opportunity to carry the load in 2024, he could emerge as a 20-carry running back who could produce at a high level. It's kind of an out-of-nowhere find, considering Sama was the nation's No. 711-ranked prospect out of high school in Des Moines, Iowa.
Buried on the depth chart for much of the year, he worked his way into the rotation and earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week twice. He became the first Big 12 player to have two 70-plus yard rushing touchdowns in a game since Adrian Peterson did it for Oklahoma in 2005.
Sama finished the season with 84 carries for 614 yards and scored six times. He averaged more than seven yards per carry, and while a lot of that came in the game against the Wildcats, it was enough to turn heads nationally.
"This kid reminds me of Walter Payton," Fox analyst Spencer Tillman said, per Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson. "He's like a pinball wizard."
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Wide Receiver
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You don't just replace a generational talent like Marvin Harrison Jr.
But the Ohio State Buckeyes appear to be in prime position to do just that in 2024, or at least, to go a long way in replicating the huge production from the Heisman Trophy finalist.
The most physically ready (and physically gifted) receiver in the nation is heading to Columbus in Florida. And Jeremiah Smith could start immediately. Even with all the pass-catching talent already on campus for the Buckeyes, he won't be denied.
Harrison and Emeka Egbuka are off to the NFL, and Julian Fleming transferred to Penn State, vacating plenty of receptions. While coach Ryan Day oversees a quarterback battle between Will Howard and Julian Sayin, Smith is going to be a steadying force at receiver.
Is that asking too much for a true freshman? Yes, but he's a can't-miss who will deliver. There's a reason he was the top-ranked overall player in the class.
At 6'3", 214 pounds, he has drawn early comparisons to a young Julio Jones, who didn't take long to get on the field for Alabama during Nick Saban's early days. Harrison was a big-bodied pass-catcher who dominated opponents a year ago, and Smith has that potential.
It may take him a little time to get going, but he's going to put up some big games next year.
Preston Stone, SMU Quarterback
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When he finally got his chance to step onto the field and prove he is worthy of being the most talented quarterback to commit to SMU, Preston Stone didn't disappoint.
The only downside was that he suffered a season-ending injury that cost him the last handful of games of the 2023 season.
While he was on the field, he did big things.
The 6'1", 219-pound signal-caller stayed in Dallas to play his college ball, despite overtures from top teams around the nation. Now, he will lead the Mustangs into the ACC in 2024, a year after making his presence felt by completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions.
With at least two seasons of eligibility remaining, there may not be a more important player to his team's success in all the major collegiate conferences. After Tanner Mordecai left SMU for Wisconsin before last year, Stone got better every time out.
He was the perfect quarterback to run Rhett Lashlee's high-octane offense, and SMU is banking on that unit traveling to the ACC, where the Mustangs hope to make some major noise early. Stone is going to be flinging the ball around 40 or 50 times per game, and big numbers will follow.
You may not know a lot about him or SMU's style, but you'll learn it now on a bigger stage.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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