Notable CFB Offensive Players Who Could Help Their Draft Stock During 2024-25 Season
All eyes are on the upcoming 2024 NFL draft, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to next year's draft. There are a handful of college football players returning this fall that will have a chance to drastically improve their draft stock with a big 2024 campaign.
Some players need more reps to catch the eye of NFL scouts, others just need to prove they can stay healthy. Some have been buried on bloated depth charts and need to have a breakout campaign, and some will need to be more consistent than they've been to date or keep building off of breakout seasons.
Although there aren't too many 2025 mock drafts out there, we'll stick to guys that appear to be on the outside of the top 10 picks and focus on ones who can still improve on their respective stocks. We'll also exclude players that have consistently put up big numbers throughout their careers, since there's little doubt about what they can do.
Take a look at a handful of college football players who could boost their draft stock in 2024, starting with offensive players.
Offensive Linemen Names to Know
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Sure, offensive linemen obviously aren't the flashiest of prospects, but we see plenty of them picked early in the draft year after year. As the 2024 season inches closer, these are some big-name big guys to look out for:
Kelvin Banks Jr. has started every game of his college career at Texas at offensive tackle over the past two seasons. As Longhorn quarterback Quinn Ewers returns for 2024, scouts can get more of a look at what Banks can do. Per NFL Draft Buzz, Banks has a 96th percentile grade in pass blocking and ranks in the 79th percentile for run blocking.
LSU's Will Campbell returning in 2024 brings a wealth of experience along the Tigers' offensive line. Campbell, who has been a consistent starter at left tackle since his true freshman season in 2022, didn't give up a single sack last year. He earned first-team All-SEC honors last season.
Center Parker Brailsford will look to continue his success at a new school in 2024, following Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama. He gave up just one sack over the course of 612 pass-blocking snaps and finished with an 82.6 pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus via The Athletic.
Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson is another big reason why the Buckeyes look to be in a great spot next season. Jackson could have declared for the NFL draft, but he opted to return to Columbus for another season. He has only allowed two sacks over his past two years as the Buckeyes' starter.
Running Backs Raheim Sanders, South Carolina, Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
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Raheim Sanders' collegiate career has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Nicknamed "Rocket" Sanders, he had 114 rushes for 578 yards with five touchdowns in 2021. He then had a breakout season in 2022, running for 1,443 yards with 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt.
But Sanders' 2023 season saw a drop in production, as a knee injury caused him to miss five games. He also missed Arkansas' regular-season finale against Missouri with a torn labrum. The Razorbacks struggled in 2023, finishing 4-8. Sanders has since transferred to South Carolina, where if he can stay healthy, he should be the focal point of the Gamecocks' offense.
As for Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II, he has some big expectations heading into 2024. He's coming off of a career-high 1,732 yards rushing with 21 touchdowns, plus 330 receiving yards with a touchdown.
Last season, he even did a couple things Oklahoma State hasn't seen since the legendary Barry Sanders. He tied Sanders' record of back-to-back games with 250-plus rushing yards against West Virginia and Cincinnati. He also rushed for five touchdowns during the Cowboys' 40-34 win over BYU in double overtime.
Missouri WR Luther Burden III, Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan
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Both of these wide receivers had breakout seasons in 2023. As they return in 2024, both guys are eager to prove their success last season can be duplicated.
Burden had a solid true freshman campaign in 2022. He finished with 13 receptions for 375 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for another two scores. In 2023, Burden finished as Missouri's leading receiver, accounting for 1,212 yards with nine touchdowns. He also impressively had five straight games with over 100 yards receiving last season.
Burden will benefit from the Tigers also bringing back starting quarterback Brady Cook.
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a bigger season than Burden as a true freshman, finishing with 702 yards and eight touchdowns. He also averaged 18 yards per reception. But 2023 was a true breakout year for him, getting 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Although Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch has since gone to Washington, it looks like McMillan is in for another year. Arizona's starting quarterback from last season, Noah Fifita, is also returning to Tucson in 2024.
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Ohio State WR Emeke Egbuka, RB TreVeyon Henderson
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Although both of these guys were eligible to enter the 2024 NFL draft, they opted to return to Columbus for one more season. We'll start with Emeke Egbuka, who becomes Ohio State's new No. 1 wide receiver with the departure of Marvin Harrison, Jr. to the NFL.
As a true freshman in 2021, Egbuka had nine receptions for 191 yards. He had a breakout season in 2022, finishing with 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns, including 87 rush yards with two scores. But in 2023, his numbers regressed, as he accounted for 41 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns.
He also missed Ohio State's last two games of the season with an undisclosed injury. It was announced in late December that he had ankle surgery from an injury he suffered earlier in the season.
Like Egbuke, running back TreVeyon Henderson hasn't been able to return to his breakout season form. As a true freshman in 2021, Henderson rushed for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns with another 27 receptions for 312 yards and four scores.
In 2022, a broken bone in his foot caused him to play in just eight games and rush for 571 yards and six touchdowns. This past season, he rushed for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns, but still missed three games due to an undisclosed injury.
The Quarterbacks, Part I
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Georgia QB Carson Beck
Carson Beck wasted no time stepping into Georgia's quarterback role as a first-year starter in 2023. Despite entering the year having completed just 36 passes while backing up Stetson Bennett for three seasons, Beck had a sensational year. He finished with 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Although Beck was eligible to enter the 2024 NFL draft, he's returning for another season in Athens. There are some areas where Beck could improve this upcoming season. For starters, he threw just one touchdown and one interception in Georgia's last two games of 2023 against Georgia Tech and Alabama in the SEC title game. Beck can also prove to scouts that he can put up big numbers without two of his biggest weapons, tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey. If Beck has an even better season than what he did in 2023, he could see himself shoot up the quarterback draft boards.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe
Unlike Beck, Jalen Milroe's first season as a starter in 2023 didn't go quite as smoothly. After throwing two interceptions during the Tide's 34-24 loss to Texas in Week 2, Alabama head coach Nick Saban benched Milroe for the Week 3 game against USF.
From then on, Milroe steadily improved throughout the season. In six out of Alabama's last seven regular-season games, he threw for over 200 yards passing with at least two touchdowns, as well.
As Milroe returns in 2024, demonstrating the consistency he showed on the back end of the season will help boost his stock. Against Michigan in the College Football Playoff, the Wolverines' defense held him to a season-low 116 passing yards with zero touchdowns. He'll want to end next season on a much higher note than that. Playing consistently better in a new system under new Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer could elevate him higher, too.
Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei
Despite arriving at Clemson as a former 5-star quarterback recruit, DJ Uiagalelei struggled to find consistency during his first three seasons with the Tigers. Following his benching for Cade Klubnik in the ACC title game in 2022, he transferred to Oregon State.
In Corvallis, he led the Beavers to an 8-4 record and threw for a career-high 2,638 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But with the departure of Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State, Uiagalelei entered the transfer portal once again.
He has since landed at Florida State, where he'll have to replace star quarterback Jordan Travis in 2023. If Uiagalelei can play well in a new system and have the best season of his career, his stock should rise pretty high.
Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke
Like Uiagalelei, Tyler Van Dyke's career so far has lacked consistency, but it has also had some injuries. As a redshirt freshman at Miami in 2021, Van Dyke had a breakout season coming off the bench for injured starter D'Eriq King, throwing for 2,931 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in 10 games. He was named the ACC's Rookie of the Year.
In 2022, his numbers went down, as he threw for just 1,835 yards and 10 interceptions with five interceptions. He also suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder, which caused him to play just nine games for the Canes. Last season with Miami, he threw for 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He missed the Oct. 21 game against Clemson and was benched for Miami's game against Florida State in early November.
Having since transferred to Wisconsin, Van Dyke is looking for a fresh start with second-year head coach Luke Fickell. A consistent season in which he can stay healthy and throw fewer than 10 interceptions will help improve his draft stock.
The Quarterbacks, Part II
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Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
Though he has just one FBS season under his belt, Shedeur Sanders had a good one in 2023. The Buffs may have started off 3-0 only to finish 4-8, but Sanders had some big numbers under center. He threw for 3,230 yards passing with 27 touchdowns and three interceptions. He missed Colorado's last game of the season with a fracture in his back.
As his head coach and father Deion Sanders has said, Shedeur will enter the 2025 NFL draft, meaning 2024 will be his last chance to make an impression on scouts. They will likely be eager to see what Sanders can do behind an improved offensive line.
The Buffs' signal-caller was the nation's most-sacked quarterback last season. Colorado added six offensive linemen this offseason, including Houston transfer Tyler Johnson and 5-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, so Sanders should be in for an even bigger season.
NC State QB Grayson McCall
Grayson McCall's career at Coastal Carolina was off to a successful start after he redshirted in 2019. From 2020-2022, he threw for 8,061 yards, 77 touchdowns and just eight total interceptions. He was a three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year. Despite briefly entering the transfer portal after his head coach, Jamey Chadwell, went to Liberty, instead he remained with the Chanticleers for 2023.
His season looked bright from the start, throwing for 1,919 yards with 10 interceptions and six interceptions through his first seven starts. But against an Oct. 21 game vs. Arkansas State, he left the game with a head injury. The injury unfortunately kept McCall out for the rest of the season.
McCall has since transferred to NC State, and he will hopefully provide some consistency for the Wolfpack at quarterback in 2024. NC State struggled with Brennan Armstrong under center last season, as he threw for just 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2023. If McCall can stay healthy and have his best season yet, he could rise up the quarterback draft boards.
Utah QB Cameron Rising
Cameron Rising's draft stock is a unique one heading into 2024. In 2021, he had a solid season for the Utes, throwing for 2,493 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He was considered an "under-the-radar" prospect by some draft experts in the offseason.
He had a breakout year in 2022, throwing for 3,034 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Utes won the Pac-12 by beating USC twice and earned a Rose Bowl berth. Rising rushed for 964 yards with 12 touchdowns over his two seasons, as well.
But Rising suffered a gruesome injury in that Rose Bowl game against Penn State, later revealing in 2023 that he tore his ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL. The injury kept him off the field entirely in 2023, and Utah finished 8-4 while struggling with quarterbacks Nate Johnson Bryson Barnes.
If Rising has a season like he did in 2022 while leading the Utes to a competitive first year inside the Big 12, that could boost his draft stock. We'll see how the signal-caller looks in 2024 after a full season without any snaps.
Kansas QB Jalon Daniels
Like Rising, Kansas' Jalon Daniels could use an injury-free 2024. After playing in six games in 2021, he had a big season in 2022, throwing for 2,014 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing for 425 yards and seven touchdowns. He did so while even missing four games because of a shoulder injury. Against Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl, he threw for 544 yards—a Kansas school and bowl record.
He didn't have much injury luck in 2023, either, playing in just three games while dealing with a back injury.
"I'm going to be blunt: This season didn't go as planned," Daniels said in a video posted on X, as transcribed by ESPN. "But life comes at you fast, and sometimes your story's out of your control. But that just means I have unfinished business. My dreams haven't changed, my goals are still there, and my vision for my future is clear. So you want something to talk about? Talk about this: I'm not done yet, and I'm not going anywhere. Rock Chalk."
If Daniels stays healthy and has a season like he did in 2022, his draft stock can massively improve.
Michigan RB Donovan Edwards
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Michigan star running back Blake Corum is headed to the NFL, so Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards is the new No. 1 back in Ann Arbor. After spending the past three seasons backing up Corum, it seems like Edwards is due for a true breakout season at Michigan.
As a true freshman in 2021, Edwards rushed for just 174 yards on 35 attempts with three touchdowns. 2022 was his best season yet, accounting for 991 yards with 7.1 yards per carry with seven touchdowns.
His 2023 numbers regressed, as he finished with 497 yards and five touchdowns. But he had his best game of the season against Washington in the national title game, finishing with a season-high 104 yards with two touchdowns.
"I'm still hungry," Edwards said via SB Nation's Maize N Brew of his decision to return. "The season wasn't how I wanted it to be necessarily. And just popping out the way that I did on the biggest stage, for me, it's like, that's great. But what's better than doing it again? What's better than working hard in the offseason and to be able to do it again? So that's what my mindset is—I'm still hungry."
As Edwards moves up the depth chart in 2024, his draft stock could climb, too.
Ole Miss WR Antwane 'Juice' Wells
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Juice Wells will spend the 2024 season at Ole Miss, which will mark the third stop of his college football career. He started his career at James Madison, and as a sophomore in 2021, he finished with 83 receptions for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns, which set program single-season records for both receiving yards and scores.
Following his transfer to South Carolina, he was the Gamecocks' leading receiver in 2022, accounting for 928 receiving yards with six scores. He took a step back in 2023, suffering a foot injury that limited him to just three games for the Gamecocks.
"I love the way Coach Kiffin and Coach Weis run their offense," Wells told ESPN of his decision to go to Ole Miss. "When I first went down there, we were doing a lot of recruiting stuff and that didn't really interest me. Then we sat down and talked X's and O's, and that's when I got excited. I guess they're going to utilize my athletic abilities every which way they can."
At Ole Miss, he'll join returning starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, along with 71 percent of the Rebels' returning production on offense, per ESPN S&P+.
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