It was a bitter end to the SEC season in 2025 but the newcomer Texas Longhorns proved they had what it takes to make it almost to the National Championship. With Arch Manning taking over in Austin and UT headlining the top 100 returning players in college football, does Texas also factor heavily in the top returning players to the SEC in 2025?
35) Jake Slaughter, OL, Florida
National Rank: 99
While DJ Lagway is likely to attract the majority of the attention for the Florida Gators offense this season, his success won’t come without the high-level offensive line play that led Jake Slaughter to CSN Second Team All-American honors in 2024.
The Florida center allowed just one sack a year ago, with a 2.34% pressure rate on all his pass protection snaps. While he’s been stellar as a protector, he does his best work on the move as an athletic, technically refined, but violent mauler in the ground game.
34) Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
National Rank: 88
You won’t be blown away by Nyck Harbor’s stats accrued over his first two seasons, but the South Carolina Gamecocks young star wide receiver spent much of that time learning the position and honing his skill set.
Last season, we saw flashes of what that might look like as he led the WR room in the second half of the season, and in 2025, I fully expect Harbor to be unleashed as a bona fide weapon. His ludicrous athletic profile, with his 6’5” and 10.32 100m speed, could prove unstoppable.
33) Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss
National Rank: 86
Suntarine Perkins followed up an impressive freshman campaign for the Ole Miss Rebels with a standout sophomore season, setting the scene for a junior year that could establish him as one of the best linebackers in the country.
A former five-star with an elite athletic profile, Perkins has established himself as a do-it-all defensive playmaker who is equally as comfortable using his excellent speed to missile into the backfield as an edge rusher as he is using his coverage skills and patience in a more traditional linebacker role. Of note, he is set to miss spring practice with an injury, and it remains to be seen how that impacts his ability to build on a 14 tackle for loss, 10.5 sack season.
32) Cayden Green, OG, Missouri
National Rank: 84
Cayden Green established himself as a CSN Freshman All-American in 2023 with the Oklahoma Sooners before transferring to the Missouri Tigers, where he excelled last fall. Comfortably one of the best offensive linemen in the country, he’s allowed just one sack in two seasons and allowed just a 2.75% pressure rate during his first season in the SEC.
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Green is a vicious mauler in the ground game who will form one of the top interior offensive line combinations with returning teammate Connor Tollison.
31) Luke Hasz, TE, Ole Miss
National Rank: 83
Despite playing in just five games as a true freshman due to injury, Luke Hasz established himself as one of the up-and-coming tight ends in college football in 2023. While his first full season of action in 2024 didn’t quite match the eye-opening yards per catch production, his 324 yards and four touchdowns were nothing to sniff at.
Listed at 6’3” and 240 pounds, Hasz has impressive quickness and agility for his size and boasts great catch radius and route running ability that should establish him in the Ole Miss Rebels offense following his transfer from the Arkansas Razorbacks.
30) Nico Iamaleava, QB, Tennessee
National Rank: 76
Heading into his third season with the Tennessee Volunteers and second as the starter, Nico Iamaleava has the opportunity to prove himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country. At 6’6” and 215 pounds, he boasts great size at the position but is also an impressive athlete who creates opportunities out of structure.
Besides his upside as a mobile quarterback, Iamaleava has a cannon for an arm that is capable of producing breathtaking passes. If he can combine consistency with big play ability in 2025, he has the opportunity to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC.
29) Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
National Rank: 71
Very rarely have transitions from quarterback to tight end worked, as well as with Eli Stowers. The former New Mexico State Aggie made his way to the Vanderbilt Commodores alongside teammate Diego Pavia, and they have established themselves as one of the nation’s top QB/TE duos.
Stowers snagged 638 yards and five touchdowns last fall (both career highs), earning CSN Second Team All-SEC honors and leading all returning tight ends in yards per route run (2.52), according to data from TruMedia.
28) Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
National Rank: 68
After establishing himself as one of the most explosive return men in college football in 2023, much was expected of Zachariah Branch as a pass catcher for the USC Trojans last fall. While he had a career year in terms of yards (503), the program’s worst offense under Lincoln Riley didn’t help showcase his talent.
He transfers to the Georgia Bulldogs for 2025, where he should emerge as a pivotal part of their offense (in the Arian Smith role) with his explosive speed, physics-defying agility, and body control.
27) Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
National Rank: 62
Kadyn Proctor’s journey to Tuscaloosa might have been a highly publicized one, but there wasn’t an offensive tackle who made a more significant one-year leap in development.
He enters 2025 as one of the top left tackles in the country, boasting the lower body and play strength to be a force in pass protection while flashing the athleticism to get out to the second level in the ground game. There aren’t many players who play with the same level of disdain for his opponent as the Alabama star.
26) Cam Coleman, WR, Auburn
National Rank: 61
The 2024 Auburn Tigers quarterback situation was suboptimal, but that didn’t prevent Cam Coleman from showcasing his talents as one of the top wide receivers in the country.
After snagging 598 yards at an impressive 16.2 yards per catch with eight touchdowns, Coleman earned CSN Freshman All-American honors in 2024 and should benefit from what looks like an improved Tigers QB room this fall. With incredible agility in a 6’3”, 200-pound frame, he can (and did) embarrass even the best defenses.
25) Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
National Rank: 60
Some players have all the physical tools. Some players have a high level of football IQ and commitment to film study that elevate them into the upper echelons of the sport.
Then, there are those players who transcend everything you think you know about player evaluation. Those players have that little something extra, that “dawg” in them if you like. Then, there’s Diego Pavia.
MORE: Diego Pavia Wins Landmark Injunction Against NCAA
The Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback might never lead the country in passing yards or efficiency, and might not wow NFL scouts with otherworldly arm talent, but if you think Pavia doesn’t deserve a place among the top 100 returning players in college football, you’re damn wrong.
With his ability to grind through a defense with relentless physicality and determination by air or by land, the former New Mexico State Aggie has proven that he has what it takes to make the ‘Dores relevant at the national level.
24) Kevin Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
National Rank: 58
A CSN Freshman All-American in 2023, Kevin Concepcion had something of a down year as part of a relatively anemic NC State Wolfpack offense last fall.
However, his transfer to the Texas A&M Aggies should reignite one of the most talented and versatile pass catchers in all of college football. An electric playmaker with the ball in his hands, Concepcion’s slippery agility and explosion allow him to easily contribute after the catch and as a ball carrier out of the backfield.
23) Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M
National Rank: 57
Although his pure numbers don’t scream top-100 talent (13 tackles for loss and three sacks in four seasons with the Iowa State Cyclones), the Texas A&M Aggies snagged one of the most important defensive linemen in the winter transfer portal window.
Tyler Onyedim was commanding early-round NFL Draft capital before opting to return to college football for another go around, and he will be a pivotal force on the Aggies front.
22) Michael Taaffe, SAF, Texas
National Rank: 55
A villain in Tempe, Texas, Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe nevertheless had a remarkable campaign leading the secondary for the first-time SEC outfit.
A force in all phases with his gung-ho hitting style coming downhill paired with impressive coverage ability, he tallied six tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups on the way to earning CSN First Team All-American honors this fall. His return for 2025 is a major bonus for the Longhorns’ chances of returning to the playoffs.
21) Jordan White, OL, Vanderbilt
National Rank: 48
While 2024 might have failed to match 2023 for the Liberty Flames, offensive lineman Jordan White continued to showcase his talents as one of the best in the business.
With White leading the way, Liberty finished as a top 40 unit for tackles for loss allowed last fall, and he was the architect of a unit that allowed the second-fewest sacks per game allowed in 2023. The 6’2”, 300-pound interior lineman should be a key blocker for the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2025.
20) Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
National Rank: 46
The Texas Longhorns had an elite secondary in 2024. While several of the players making up that unit are off to the NFL, an underrated element returns to Austin for the 2025 college football season.
Malik Muhammad tallied eight pass breakups in his second season with the program and should be one of the lockdown cornerbacks to know this fall. A disappointing showing in the playoff shouldn’t define his ceiling.
19) Caden Durham, RB, LSU
National Rank: 45
LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham was a top 10 fastest prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and immediately set about showcasing that speed on Saturdays. He’s much more than just a pace back, however, with the ability to break tackles with impressive strength and contact balance.
He’s equally adept at receiving back, adding further to his value. If LSU runs the ball more in 2025, his production should rocket.
18) O’Mega Blake, WR, Arkansas
National Rank: 43
O’Mega Blake just spent a year with the Charlotte 49ers dominating AAC competition, but he’s returning to the SEC spotlight after a year away honing his craft. The former South Carolina Gamecock receiver transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after snagging 795 yards and nine touchdowns. The headline number to know is 24.84.
That’s his yards per catch from last fall, more than any returning college football receiver in 2025. He’s dominant at the catch point and set to prove himself this year.
17) K.J. Bolden, S, Georgia
National Rank: 40
Georgia Bulldogs safety K.J. Bolden received honorable mention CSN Freshman All-American recognition after an impressive first season in Athens. He snagged an interception and registered 59 tackles with two tackles for loss while playing in 14 games for the SEC champions.
Bolden played above the level usually seen by an inexperienced safety, proving infallible in both coverage and run support, teeing up high expectations for his sophomore campaign.
16) Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
National Rank: 39
After transferring from the Oregon State Beavers ahead of the 2024 campaign, Joermod McCoy had a season for the ages with the Tennessee Volunteers, earning CSN Third Team All-American honors alongside CSN First Team All-SEC recognition.
A physical ball hawk whose tape is littered with highlight reel plays, McCoy snagged four interceptions and nine breakups last season. His ceiling in our top 100 returning college football players is only restricted by an ACL tear sustained in offseason training.
15) John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
National Rank: 37
John Mateer’s swashbuckling skills for the Washington State Cougars captured the public imagination last fall and turned him into something of a college football rockstar. He tallied 44 total touchdowns, showcasing impressive arm talent and the creativity outside of structure that makes for a top-tier college quarterback.
The production was incredible and his leadership equally as impressive, but he’ll face increased scrutiny (and some better defenses) after following his offensive coordinator to Oklahoma.
14) Fernando Carmona Jr., OT, Arkansas
National Rank: 33
Fernando Carmona Jr. is a household name for all the wrong reasons following an incident in the Liberty Bowl. Still, his return to the Arkansas Razorbacks for the 2025 college football season gives the 6’5”, 322 pounds offensive tackle an opportunity to remind fans (and NFL teams) why he was considered a potential first-round draft pick this year.
He’s a frightening force in the ground game and possesses an anchor that stonewalls pass rushers.
13) Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
National Rank: 32
The return of Garrett Nussmeier for the 2025 college football season is a major coup for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, who were staring down the barrel of replacing the most passing attempts in the SEC a year ago.
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While he has some areas of his game to clean up (he threw the most interceptions in the conference in 2024), Nussmeier has the arm strength to open up the entire field for a restocked wide receiver room. There are some exciting examples of pass placement in his film, but that needs to become commonplace if he’s to realize his true potential.
12) Fluff Bothwell, RB, Mississippi State
National Rank: 26
There are a number of elite Group of Five running backs making the jump to the Power Four level, and Fluff Bothwell is one of the best of them. He came up just shy of 1,000 yards for the South Alabama Jaguars but averaged 7.5 yards per carry while leading the Sun Belt with 13 rushing touchdowns and earning CSN Freshman All-American honors.
His speed makes him difficult to track down in the open field, and his contact balance ensures broken tackles are commonplace. The Mississippi State Bulldogs’ offense got a lot more exciting with his offseason acquisition.
11) Parker Brailsford, OC, Alabama
National Rank: 21
The 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide offensive line wasn’t quite at the same level we’ve come to expect, but that’s not a reflection of the play of Parker Brailsford. The former Washington Husky returns to college football in 2025 as the best offensive lineman in the country, blending impressive play strength with an elite athletic profile and high football IQ to be a force in all phases.
10) DJ Lagway, QB, Florida
National Rank: 17
DJ Lagway played more football than Billy Napier and the Florida Gators initially intended last fall, but all that did was raise expectations and excitement for what comes this fall. There were some ups and downs and inconsistencies from the young passer in 2024, but the upside is undeniable.
No quarterback returning to college football in 2025 threw for more yards per attempt last year than Lagway (10.0), who has an incredible receiving room to work with.
9) Arch Manning, QB, Texas
National Rank: 16
It’s easy to put Arch Manning’s positioning on this list of the top returning college football players for 2025 down to the legacy of his surname, but there’s much more to it than that. There’s a reason why Texas fans were clamoring for him to take the reins of the Longhorns offense at several points during last season.
MORE: Arch Manning The Offseason Favorite To Win The Heisman
He offers an athletic threat at the quarterback position that the program lacked with Quinn Ewers and there’s no doubting his arm talent should make him one of the top passers in the 2025 season.
8) Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
National Rank: 15
A CSN Second Team All-American in 2024, Anthony Hill Jr. enters the 2025 college football season as one of the top linebackers in the country.
He’s been a high-level contributor for the Texas Longhorns since making his debut as a true freshman and enters his junior campaign on the back of a season where he led the SEC in tackles for loss (17) and forced fumbles. A force coming downhill, he also impacts the passing game both with pressure and coverage capability.
7) Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
National Rank: 14
Ahmad Hardy led all freshmen running backs with 1,351 rushing yards for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks last fall, and he returns to college football in 2025 with the Missouri Tigers, looking to prove himself at the SEC level.
He’s one of the most elusive players you’ll see this coming season while having the strength to stiff-arm the best defensive players attempting to stop him. He’s easily one of the top running backs in the country, and his impact is being felt in recruiting for the team he departs.
6) LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
National Rank: 11
LaNorris Sellers is one of the most exciting players at any position that you’ll see in college football this season. He could comfortably end up as the best quarterback in the country by the year is out.
He’s a dangerous dual threat with the physical tools to dominate for the Gamecocks this fall. If he plays more consistently, the most productive season of his career should lead to team success and individual accolades.
5) Raion Strader, CB, Auburn
National Rank: 9
Suppose you’re not familiar with Raion Strader’s game from his two seasons with the Miami RedHawks. In that case, you might be confused as to why the new Auburn Tigers cornerback is ranked this highly among the top 100 returning college football players for 2025. You should acquaint yourself with the junior defensive back’s talents because he’s about to emerge into the national consciousness in the SEC after two years of domination in the MAC.
Strader was a CSN First Team All-American in 2024, following on from a 2023 campaign that earned him Freshman All-American honors. The former RedHawk led the nation with 18 pass breakups last fall, snagging two interceptions along the way.
He already has experience against Power Four opposition (Miami Hurricanes, 2023; Cincinnati Bearcats, 2023 and 2024; Northwestern Wildcats, 2024; Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 2024), so the transition to the SEC shouldn’t be an issue.
4) Whit Weeks, LB, LSU
National Rank: 7
Expectations heading into the 2024 college football season centered around the LSU Tigers having one of the best linebackers in the country. While that ultimately came to pass, Whit Weeks and not Harold Perkins Jr. asserted themselves as the very best at the position as the season unfurled. The true junior returns to Baton Rouge among the very best of the top 100 college football players for 2025.
Weeks’ season ended in tragedy with a dislocated ankle suffered in the Texas Bowl win over the Baylor Bears. Yet that shouldn’t overshadow a sensational sophomore campaign. He led the SEC with 61 solo tackles, tallied 10 tackles for loss with 3.5 sacks, snagged an interception, and forced two fumbles. His injury also shouldn’t prevent him from becoming the best linebacker in the country, fuelled by his hair-on-fire energy.
3) Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
National Rank: 5
Did you know that Ryan Williams was 17 last season?! It became a standing joke (and I’m fairly sure a challenge among commentary teams) to discuss the Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver’s young age last season. Still, the fact that he produced one of the most mesmerizing freshman-receiving campaigns in program history at such a tender age was truly impressive.
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Williams’ feats last fall were a highlight in a season that didn’t live up to Crimson Tide expectations as a whole. Quarterback play was inconsistent, and the ground game was far from Alabama-esque, but the young receiver grabbed the team by the horns with some eye-opening performances.
He led all freshman wide receivers in the SEC with 865 yards, 18.02 yards per catch, and eight touchdowns with his incredible agility and after-the-catch ability.
2) Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
National Rank: 4
There were times in 2024 when Colin Simmons looked like a seasoned veteran pass rusher, showcasing incredible power you’d expect to see from a junior with multiple years in a college football weight room.
Furthermore, he demonstrated the maturity of an older player by playing his best football when the lights were brightest, fuelling the Texas Longhorns’ progress to the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Simmons finished the year with the fifth-most sacks in the SEC (9) and tied for third in the conference with 14 tackles for loss. Texas has been a high-level producer of defensive line talent in recent years, and the former five-star high school prospect might end up being the very best they’ve ever had.
1) Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
National Rank: 2
The CSN Defensive Freshman of the Year, Dylan Stewart, put together one of the most dominant performances off the edge by a freshman that we’ve seen in recent history. While some consider Texas’ Simmons as the standout pass rusher heading into the 2025 campaign, the South Carolina Gamecocks standout had six more quarterback pressures than the illustrious Longhorn last season.
Stewart finished top 20 in the SEC with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as South Carolina wheeled out a phenomenal one-two punch off the edge. With teammate Kyle Kennard headed to the NFL, it’s the talented young Gamecocks’ time to lead the defense of a team that could be one of the best in the country in the upcoming season.
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