With the first round of the College Football Playoff done, eight teams are left to battle for the national title. The top four conference champions are ready to make their 2024 CFP debut, while other players already got a chance to begin their legend.
As usual, the CFP is stacked with elite talent on both sides of the ball. We looked ahead at the top 25 most impactful players before the first round of games, but now we have a chance to update our list. Performances like Jeremiah Smith’s two-touchdown game against Tennessee or Jeremiyah Love’s 98-yard breakaway run helps new players force their way into the conversation.
With that said, here are the 24 most impactful players in the 2024 CFP field, headlined by a pair of Heisman Trophy finalists.
Nearly everything the Boise State offense does is built around running back Ashton Jeanty, but Madsen has been the perfect game manager to take the Broncos to the next level. He threw 22 touchdowns to only three interceptions and finished No. 26 nationally in QBR. He also is able to extend plays with his feet.
Starks is an All-American defensive back who Georgia lines up nearly everywhere on the defense. The junior has posted 193 tackles, 17 passes defended, six interceptions and six tackles for loss in 42 career games.
Fite helped spearhead a top-30 rushing defense for the Sun Devils. The sophomore had 29 tackles and three tackles for loss, but also ate up blockers and to give the rest of the defensive line opportunities. He faces a massive game against Texas, where he needs to be at his best.
Allar broke out this season to the tune of more than 3,000 yards passing and 21 touchdowns. He has forged a strong bond with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. He was able to take a back seat in the Nittany Lions’ win over SMU, throwing for only 127 yards. However, the rest of the playoff won’t be as forgiving.
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Hassanein’s numbers took a step back in 2024, but he helped shape the Boise State defense. He posted 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also drew double teams to help pave the way for the Broncos to clear 50 sacks as a team, which ranked No. 2 nationally. Getting pressure on Allar will be top priority for Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
19. Anthony Hill, LB, Texas
Hill emerged as one of the most productive linebackers in all of college football on a disruptive Texas defense. The sophomore accumulated 99 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and an interception. He made his presence known in the Longhorns’ CFP first-round game against Clemson with nine tackles.
Despite missing multiple games, Johnson led the Ducks with 78 catches for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns. Heading into a marquee matchup against Ohio State, Oregon needs Johnson to play his best football. Johnson had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in the upset victory over the Buckeyes in October.
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The Buckeyes boast an embarrassment of riches along the defensive front, but Sawyer emerged as the alpha in the first round of the CFP. Sawyer posted 1.5 sacks, two batted passes and five tackles to completely suffocate talented Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Just as importantly, if Sawyer can continue to be a vocal leader, the Buckeyes have an unlimited ceiling.
16. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Love was a late scratch from the first version of this list, but the sophomore proved he belonged in just one play. The St. Louis, Missouri, native broke off an explosive 98-yard run against Indiana to essentially ice the game and send the Irish to the second round. Notre Dame doesn’t have much explosiveness on offense, so Love’s presence is vital.
Walker has had big sack games this season, but the linebacker is best known for his versatility. The junior posted 57 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks while lined up at box linebacker and edge rusher. He provides easily the biggest playmaking threat in the Georgia front.
When Etienne is healthy, the Bulldogs have a different gear offensively. Since transferring from Florida, Etienne has posted nine rushing touchdowns and more than 700 all-purpose yards as both a running back and receiver. He has played his best in wins over Texas, which are the most projectable performances heading forward.
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13. Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Leavitt’s arrival was one of the biggest changes for Arizona State in 2024, but his presence took on a higher level of importance after watching Texas in the first round against Clemson. Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik was able to extend plays and create opportunities against the UT defense with his legs to the tune of 336 yards and three touchdowns. Leavitt has plenty of talent; can he replicate the performance?
The Duke transfer does it all for the Fighting Irish and keeps the offense on schedule. In a win over Indiana, Leonard threw for 200 yards, rushed for 30 and scored a pair of touchdowns. His presence will be vital against Georgia in the next round.
Downs was the top transfer of the 2024 offseason from Alabama and has lived up to his lofty billing in Jim Knowles’ three-safety defense. He posted 69 tackles and added seven tackles for loss, three passes defended and an interception. Downs’ versatility makes him a future top-five pick in the NFL Draft.
Uiagalelei is one of the best pass rushers left in the College Football Playoff and will have plenty put on his shoulders in a marquee matchup against Ohio State. In the last matchup against the Buckeyes, he posted two tackles for loss and a sack at to stifle the Buckeyes’ offense.
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Watts started his career as a wide receiver but has found his calling as a ball-hawking defensive back. The senior has posted 13 interceptions over the past two seasons to go along with 13 passes defended and 111 tackles. He nabbed yet another off of Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke to go along with 10 tackles. Watts is the quarterback of a stacked Notre Dame secondary.
8. Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
There are a select few elite offensive linemen in college football this season, but the unanimous All-American Banks is among them. The junior has been a mainstay at left tackle since arriving on campus and creates one of the biggest mismatches in the trenches. For Texas to win the national title, Banks will have to be one of the best players in the game.
SMU learned the hard way just how fearsome Carter has been since switching to a full-time pass-rushing role. Carter posted two tackles for loss and a sack in the win, pushing his absurd production to 21.5 TFLs and 11 sacks for the Nittany Lions. He is the single best defensive front player left in the field, and arguably the best defender.
Clemson targeted Barron repeatedly, but he showed why he won the Thorpe Award. On eight targets, Clemson completed just four passes for a measly 23 total yards. No plays went longer than nine yards against Barron, despite Klubnik’s 336-yard day. Texas takes great pride in its secondary and Barron will go down as one of the better defenders in its history.
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The lone quarterback Heisman finalist is deservedly the top quarterback on this list. Since transferring from Oklahoma, Gabriel posted 3,558 yards passing, 192 yards rushing and 35 total touchdowns to lead the Ducks to an undefeated record. To put into context how good Gabriel has been, he averaged 10 yards per attempt against Ohio State in October. Every other quarterback the Buckeyes faced this year combined for 5.1 yards per attempt.
4. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Against Tennessee, the Smith we were promised showed up and obliterated one of the top defenses in the SEC. He caught six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns to send the Vols into a tailspin. Frankly, he was completely unguardable. There are other tough defenses ahead, but none have an answer for Smith if he’s at the top of his game.
Perhaps no team’s offense depends as much on an individual player as Penn State does on Warren. At tight end, Warren posted 92 catches for 1,095 yards and added another 197 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Warren was held to only 39 total yards against SMU, but his presence was a game-wrecker as both a decoy and blocker.
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If Jeanty didn’t exist, Skattebo would be the story of the playoff for what he accomplished in his second season after transferring from FCS Sacramento State. The senior is the first running back since Christian McCaffrey to post 1,500 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving as he was responsible for 37.8% of Arizona State’s offense and 22 of 53 touchdowns.
1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jeanty might have lost the Heisman Trophy to Travis Hunter, but no one else in the CFP compares. The junior from Frisco, Texas, sits more than 800 yards ahead of any other running back in college football after posting one of the greatest running back seasons in history. With a strong performance against Penn State, Jeanty has a chance to break the all-time rushing record set by Barry Sanders in 1988. By the way, was an explosive pass-catcher for the Broncos in 2023, finishing with 569 yards and five touchdowns. Don’t be surprised to see that part of his game come out.
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