College Football's Most Exciting Players for the 2025 Season
Part of the beauty in college football is the sport's depth.
Sure, you probably have a favorite team to follow and block out a few hours to watch that program. The rest of Saturday, however—or perhaps the entire day, depending on the schedule—is loaded with more options.
Checking out a top-ranked team? Normal.
Hate-watching your favorite team's rival? Understandable.
Tuning in for a specific player? That's not as popular a route, yet that's the objective today. We're providing you with a group of the nation's most versatile standouts who are worth a spot on your screens.
These aren't necessarily the best players in the country. Some of them might fit that billing, but others are simply fun to watch.
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
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New location, same expectation.
Washington State unleashed dual-threat playmaker John Mateer in 2024, a season in which he threw for 3,139 yards and rushed for 826. He finished fourth nationally in total offense and accounted for 44 touchdowns in 12 games.
That success at Wazzu led to high-dollar NIL offers in the transfer portal, where Mateer ended up signing with Oklahoma.
Mateer's efficiency and explosiveness are key to revitalizing an OU offense that struggled immensely in the school's SEC debut last year.
Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
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Given that Wake Forest trudged to a 4-8 record last season, there isn't much reason for the common fan outside the ACC to know about Demond Claiborne.
Fortunately for you, I'm a degenerate.
Fortunately for us, Claiborne is awesome.
As a junior, the running back scampered for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns with 23 catches for 254 yards and two more scores. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown, the second of his Wake Forest career.
Claiborne's home-run ability in a triple-threat skill set will be critical to Wake Forest's hope of a resurgent year.
Desmond Reid, RB, Pitt
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Staying in the ACC, there's another runner to know.
Desmond Reid ranked fifth nationally at 154.9 all-purpose yards per game in 2024, and everyone ahead of him is now chasing the NFL dream.
Last season, he rushed for 966 yards, made 52 receptions for 579 yards and picked up 159 yards as a punt returner. Reid scored a total of nine times offensively and took one punt to the house, as well.
Oh, and Reid even missed two games.
Even if Pitt doesn't contend in the ACC, let alone nationally, Reid's big-play potential can make the Panthers an absolute thorn.
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
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Heading into his last college season, Nicholas Singleton has a chance to record a fourth straight year of 1,000-plus offensive yards.
For a non-quarterback, that's a hugely impressive feat.
Even better, Singleton is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he amassed 1,805 all-purpose yards. He scampered for 1,099 yards, turned 41 receptions into 375 yards and gained 331 more on kick returns while totaling 17 touchdowns.
Because he shares the workload with Kaytron Allen, Singleton's production is moderately capped. That split also keeps him fresher, though.
Singleton, in short, is an integral part of a championship contender.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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As a true freshman at Ohio State, Jeremiah Smith became one of the most impactful players in the country.
The offense had Emeka Egbuka to lead the receiving corps, yet Smith emerged as the Buckeyes' top target. He made 76 catches for 1,315 yards at a sterling 17.3-yard average, scoring at least once in 12 of the team's 15 games.
Smith essentially served as the final piece of OSU's title-winning roster.
Although the Bucks are shifting to a new quarterback—likely Julian Sayin—their offense will be feared because of Smith's presence.
Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
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From an All-American to a relative unknown.
If you aren't familiar with Josh Cameron, it's not surprising. Baylor started 2-4 last season and fell off the national radar before a late surge. So, this may simply be a necessary introduction to a Big 12 standout.
Cameron was a crucial part of Baylor's six-game win streak, surpassing the 100-yard mark in three and catching three touchdowns in one of those games.
For the season, he snared 52 passes for 754 yards and 10 scores. Cameron also registered a 20.7-yard punt-return average that—among players with one return per game—paced the country.
If the Bears manage to hit their potential of being a top Big 12 offense, Cameron will likely be playing a major role.
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
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When someone says a linebacker "is everywhere" on defense, it's generally a well-meaning platitude to say he's active.
You cannot convince me Anthony Hill Jr. is not, literally, everywhere.
Through his first two seasons at Texas, he's collected 180 tackles with 24.5 for loss—and a superb 13 of those TFLs are sacks. Additionally, Hill has forced five fumbles and grabbed an interception.
What makes him so important to the Longhorns is versatility. Hill is comfortable aligning on the edge or in the slot, along with his traditional box role.
He's an all-around menace. And he's always around the ball.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
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Caleb Downs' main appeal is his presence on the back end.
A two-time AP All-American, Downs starred at Alabama as a true freshman and dazzled with Ohio State last season. In his two-year career, the safety has tallied 189 stops with 11 in the backfield, in addition to four interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
Not only is Downs a superstar defender, but he also boasts game-changing upside on special teams. He's not a full-time returner, yet he's taken back a punt for a touchdown in both college years.
Downs, who B/R listed as a possible top-five pick in our early 2026 NFL mock draft, doubles as one of the most exciting and best players in the country.
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