The college football offseason storylines are no longer dominated with intel on how freshmen look in spring practice or fare in summer workouts. Most of the attention has turned to transfers and their place on the depth chart. But that doesn’t mean freshmen won’t help shape the 2025 college football season.
After all, what would Ohio State have been last year without superstar Jeremaih Smith? You could say the same of Alabama with Ryan Williams or Florida with DJ Lagway.
There are always freshmen who emerge as impact players. With spring practice behind us and fall camp coming up quickly, let’s look at some freshmen poised to provide major production (and in some cases, blossom into superstars) during the 2025 season.
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Underwood is already a cover athlete for the deluxe edition of the “EA Sports College Football 2026” video game. No freshman in the country commands a bigger than Underwood — who flipped from LSU to Michigan late in the 2025 cycle in part due to an eye-popping NIL deal that exceeded $2 million a year, per sources. The imposing 6-foot-4, 208-pounder has been as advertised since showing up in Ann Arbor with a game that reminds the good folks at 247Sports of Vince Young. Underwood got better throughout spring practice. But he’ll have to hold off Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, who missed most of spring with an injury, to win the starting job.
Even if Keene exits fall camp as QB1, Underwood is going to play at some point. He’s the Wolverines’ future. Frankly, they have way too much NIL money tied up with him for Underwood to sit for long.
After losing Billy Edwards to Wisconsin, Maryland could have replaced him with an experienced transfer. Instead, they went with UCLA’s Justyn Martin, who’s thrown 35 passes in his three-year career. That left the door open for Washington to push for the starting job. The freshman took advantage of the opportunity, capping things off an impressive spring with a 12-for-18, 168-yard and two-touchdown performance in the Terrapins’ spring game.
While Maryland coach Mike Locksley was noncommittal on naming a starting QB exiting spring, Washington has momentum. Keep in mind, Washington is a critical recruit for Mike Locksley. He’s an in-state prospect and one of the highest-ranked offensive players to ever sign with the program. Washington is the type of player who could define Locksley’s tenure. Those type of QBs tend to get on the field sooner rather than later.
No blue-chip running back from the 2025 class enters a better situation for early playing time than Davidson. Behind just 295 yards in 2024, Jay Haynes was set to return as the Tigers’ leading rusher, but he tore his ACL in December. Everyone else in the room has even less experience or — in the case of Adam Randall — is new to the position after making the switch from wide receiver. That’s what makes Davidson so intriguing. 247Sports’ No. 5 back averaged more than 10.5 yards per carry in his high school career and has hit sub-10.7 seconds in the 100-meter dash. He also put together a strong spring. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called Davidson a “natural” as he pushed his way up the depth chart.
It’d a surprise if Davidson didn’t emerge as a high-level contributor in Year 1. Clemson needs him to do so if it hopes to reach its ceiling.
If you’re looking for the wide receiver in the 2025 class with Smith or Williams’ impact potential, Moore is your guy. Talking to coaches during the 2025 cycle, Moore was on a tier of his own as a receiver prospect coming out of Duncanville High School in Texas. Moore combines elite track and field times — he hit 10.4 seconds in the 100 meter dash as a junior — with incredible production (145 catches, 2983 yards as an upperclassman) against the highest level of competition in Texas.
Maybe it was just a case of giving the fans what they want, but it’s worth noting that Moore received the first two targets of Oregon’s spring game. He’s drawn rave reviews since enrolling in January and has an excellent chance to start.
One of the most productive high school receivers in Sunshine State history, Boggs produced an eye-popping 99 catches for 2,133 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior for 2A Cocoa High School. Boggs does lack some of the high-level athletic traits of some of his peers, but he makes up for it with a thick build (6-foot-1, 204 pounds) and a suddenness in the open field that allows him to generate chunk yards in the slot.
Boggs drew a lot of praise this spring from the Florida State coaches.
“He’s still learning, figuring it out, we’ve moved him around just a little bit, he showed maturity to handle, we’re still pushing from more from him, but he’s definitely been a bright spot,” coach Mike Norvell said, per Noles247.
Never overreact to spring game performances. They’re often misleading and far from an indication of what a depth chart will look like come fall. But it was hard not to come away from Florida’s spring game thinking Wilson, who caught 10 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, will play a role for the Gators this season.
A top 50 prospect out of high school, Wilson is part of a suddenly loaded Florida wide receiver room. He’ll likely be behind J. Michael Sturdivant, Eugene Wilson and perhaps Aidan Mizell in the Gators’ pecking order, but he’s at least earned a spot in Florida’s two-deep. And if the buzz behind the scenes is any indication, he could end up playing an even larger role for the Gators this year.
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David Sanders, OT, Tennessee
The Vols return only one starter on the offensive line. When you combine that with the fact Sanders was a very highly paid player out of high school — follow the money with depth chart projections — and it’d be a surprise if Sanders didn’t start most of the season.
It helps his case that Larry Johnson, the player who earned most of the first-team reps at right tackle during the spring, transferred to Colorado. That leaves the door is wide open for Sanders to emerge as a Day 1 starter opposite standout left tackle Lance Heard. Sanders needs to show continued improvement in the weight room — he gained 20 pounds from the winter to the end of spring practices — but the Vols didn’t pay Sanders to sit this season.
Stewart is younger than most players on this list — just turned 18 in May after reclassifying from the 2026 class. But he is also 6-foot-5, 290 pounds and one of the most physically impressive freshmen in the country. Expect Stewart to be a big part of USC’s defensive rotation. He will start on the edge over the interior and is someone USC can use in multiple roles across the defensive front.
“It’s rare what he does,’ USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said in April, per USCFootball.com. “”I knew he’d be good, but, like, just his first week, it just caught me off guard. He looks like a grown man out there and just seeing like, his strength, the way he gets off blocks, his ability to play end and to play three tech, it’s impressive. He’s played just about everywhere up front, and he’s done an outstanding job.”
Yep, another Tiger. There’s a reason for that: Swinney plays more freshmen than any other blueblood coach. Clemson rarely dips into the portal to backfill its roster, which means first-year players, even during a season in which the Tigers return almost everyone, can see the field early. Adams will be one of those freshmen.
Swinney made that determination way back in March: “He’s going to help us. That’s what we’ve seen.”
The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder wrecked games in high school. He did the same at the Navy All-American Bowl, an annual showcase of the best high school prospects. Adams is massive, powerful and the type of interior defender capable of consistently generating backfield pressure. Given Clemson struggles on the interior last year behind Peter Woods, Adams projects as an ideal rotational piece after Woods and DeMonte Capehart on the depth chart.
Kirby Smart has done nothing but land five-star defensive linemen since showing up in Athens. So, it’s notable that Griffin is the highest-ranked defensive lineman to sign with the Bulldogs under Smart. Griffin had a strong spring, too, generating plenty of hype even if Smart attempted to downplay any Jalen Carter comparisons midway through spring ball. Said his teammate Jordan Hall, per Dawgs247: “Strong as all get out, you know what I’m saying? He’s an ox.”
While Christen Miller and Xzavier McLeod project in front of Griffin on the depth chart, there’s little proven experience on UGA’s roster outside of that pair. It’ll be up to those like Hall and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye to hold off the young freshman for playing time.
Auburn spent much of the offseason looking to add an impact to its defensive line room through the portal. The Tigers never quite landed that guy, instead adding a trio of role-playing transfers. But Autry is capable of being a true game changer inside for Auburn. While the best snaps for the 6-foot-5, 339-pounder will come in the years ahead as he transforms his body and refines his technique, Autry still brings the combination of size, power and pocket-collapsing ability you find in only the rarest of physical talents.
Maybe it doesn’t happen early in the season for Autry, but it’d would be far from shocking to see him emerge as a key contributor for Auburn this year. The Tigers have a need, and Autry is going to be hard to keep off the field, especially for a team that played six interior defenders at least 70 snaps last season.
Pickett is going to play for LSU this season. The question is, how much? Pickett is exactly what the Tigers need as a 6-foot-4, 190-pound lockdown cornerback prospect. The Tigers’ secondary struggled last year, ranking 68th nationally in opposing passer rating, and Pickett — along with several transfers — were big offseason additions meant to address that issue.
Pickett will have to climb over those like Florida transfer Ja’Keem Jackson and sophomore PJ Woodland on the depth chart, but he’s a very safe bet to play early and often for the Tigers. He has the chance to be the best LSU cornerback since Derek Stingley.
Between returners Davison Igbinosun and Jeremaine Matthews, Ohio State is set with its starting cornerback group. But there’s a very good chance Sanchez is the first off the bench. That’s a role Matthews occupied last year on his way to 396 snaps, so Sanchez is still in line for a big role.
He’s certainly ready for it physically. A constant near the top of the 247Sports 2025 rankings since their debut, Sanchez was a dominant high school football player, combining elite production with a rare combination of size, instincts and high-level athletic traits. He won’t have a Smith-level impact for the Buckeyes in Year 1. But he’s in line to be a big part of Ohio State’s defense.
Other freshmen to watch for preseason top 10 teams
No. 1 Texas: Daylan McCutcheon, WR | Justus Terry, DL
McCutcheon had a standout spring for Texas, frankly flashing ahead of a trio of top 50 wide receivers the Longhorns brought in (Kaliq Lockett, Jjaime Ffrench, Michael Terry). Don’t be surprised if all four of them get some run for Texas this season with an unproven receiver room outside of Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley. Terry, for his part, is starting his career on the edge but projects as a long-term interior player for Texas.
No. 2 Penn State: Daryus Dixson, CB | Koby Howard, WR
Dixson is among the most ready-to-play freshmen in the 2025 class coming out of California powerhouse Mater Dei High School. He could be on the field a lot behind AJ Harris and Elliot Washington. PSU did a nice job shoring up the wide receiver position in the portal, but Howard was a buzzy name for PSU this spring and could earn some snaps. Also don’t sleep on fellow freshman receiver Lyrick Samuel, who led the Nittany Lions in receiving during the spring game.
No. 7 Notre Dame: Elijah Burress, WR | Madden Faraimo, LB
There isn’t a ton of room on Notre Dame’s depth chart for true freshmen to emerge as starters. But Burress and Faraimo posted strong enough performances in the spring that they should at least be in the rotation. Don’t be surprised if a corner like Cree Thomas or Dallas Golden also pushed their way onto the depth chart.
No. 8 Alabama: Michael Carroll, OL | Dijon Lee, CB
Yep, two five-stars for the Tide. Carroll was thought to be the best interior o-line prospect in the 2025 class, but he spent most of the spring playing offensive tackle. It’ll be interesting to see if he stays there going into the fall. Either way, he’s a two-deep lock. You could say the same of Lee, who had a strong debut for the Tide and projects to be right behind Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown on the depth chart at cornerback. A few of Alabama’s freshman receivers flashed this spring, but the Tide are so deep at that spot it’d be a surprise for someone to pull a Williams.
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