Football
The 2025 college football season gets underway on Saturday, and there are tons of exciting players to follow in the upcoming campaign.
From Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to Texas quarterback Arch Manning to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, it’s easy to lose track of how many star players are competing for heavyweight programs in 2025.
But those standouts aren’t the only college football players whom fans will want to watch in the upcoming season. Here are, in no particular order, the 10 most intriguing players heading into the 2025 season.
Kadyn Proctor, offensive tackle, Alabama
On the field, the 6-foot-7, 366-pound Proctor stands to be one of the country’s top offensive linemen. On Monday, he was named to the Associated Press’ preseason All-America first team. Off the field, though, Proctor is some kind of cologne fan. Per Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, Proctor owns around 170 bottles of cologne. “If you’re a big guy, you can’t stink,” he said earlier this summer.
Parker Kingston, wide receiver/kick returner, BYU
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Kingston, according to his team, is one of only two active FBS players who boast multiple career games with a passing and receiving touchdown. He also returned two punts for touchdowns in 2024. Besides football, Kingston’s passion is golf. He says he want
s to become a scratch golfer this year.
Diego Pavia, quarterback, Vanderbilt
As college quarterbacks go, the 6-foot, 207-pound graduate student has one of the more interesting storylines in 2025. He sued the NCAA to get one more year of collegiate eligibility, and Pavia recently said the Commodores have the talent to win a national championship this season. Vanderbilt stunned then-No. 1 Alabama at home a year ago on the way to a 7–6 record, including a bowl-game triumph.
Rocky Beers, tight end, Colorado State
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound redshirt senior has one of the all-time great names. He previously played at Florida International and Air Force. The NIL opportunities while at Colorado State should prove enticing. Colorado Rocky Mountains! Adult libations (i.e., beer)!
Archie Wilson, punter, Nebraska
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The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Wilson, a freshman from Victoria, Australia, is ambipedal. That means he can kick with both feet. About a week ago, when asked about being away from his family, Wilson got emotional. Easy to root for Archie.
Demetres Samuel Jr., defensive back/wide receiver, Syracuse
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Samuel is only 17 years old. He’s the second-youngest player in college football this season, according to SU Athletics. He will start at cornerback for the Orange as a true freshman, and head coach Fran Brown says that Samuel, a preseason freshman All-American, will also get reps at wide receiver.
Paolo Gennarelli, offensive guard, Army
The 6-foot-1, 300-pound Gennarelli is a beast, and that’s meant to be a com
pliment. According to Forde, Gennarelli has benched 495 pounds, squatted 605 pounds and deadlifted 675 pounds, “all program records at the time of the lifts.” Gennarelli, a junior, was named to AP’s All-America third team in 2024 as the Black Knights led the FBS in rushing yards per game at 300.5.
Isaac Brown, running back, Louisville
The sophomore, at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, isn’t as physically daunting as other college running backs. Yet, the Miami native set Louisville’s freshman rushing record in 2024, tallying 1,173 yards and 11 scores on the ground. What’s even more impressive is that Brown, as a college newbie, averaged an impressive 7.1 yards per carry while notching All-ACC second-team honors.
Dominic Zvada, kicker, Michigan
With all the negative headlines of late regarding the Wolverines and their sign-stealing scandal, how about some positive news about Michigan? The 6-foot-3, 187-pound Zvada, a senior, eyes another season as a first-team All-American after he went 21-of-22 on field-goal attempts in 2024, including 7-of-7 from 50-plus yards.
Marlon Jones, cornerback, Vanderbilt
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Jones, a graduate student, played four seasons at Eastern Washington and then transferred to Vanderbilt. He missed the 2024 season after being diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma before enrolling at Vanderbilt. In November 2024, the native of Tacoma, Wash., said on social media that he was “officially cancer-free.” Jones has one year of college eligibility left while suiting up for the Commodores. How can one not root for this young man?
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