• Francis Mauigoa was solid for the Hurricanes in 2024: The former five-star recruit allowed just two combined sacks and hits on 534 pass-blocking snaps as a sophomore — the fewest among FBS tackles with 500-plus pass-blocking snaps.

• Arch Manning makes the list: Despite the limited sample size, Manning impressed in 2024 with an 88.1 PFF overall grade, ranking 13th among the FBS quarterbacks who played at least 200 snaps. He also placed 16th in both big-time throw rate (6.4%) and turnover-worthy play rate (1.9%). More athletic than either of his legendary uncles, Peyton and Eli, Manning scored four rushing touchdowns on just 21 carries, including a 67-yarder.

• Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!

Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

The 2025 college football season is loaded with returning star power, and the PFF College 50 is your ultimate guide to the top talent across the nation.

Using PFF’s exclusive data and grading, we’ve identified the most dominant and valuable players in the country, based not on hype but on proven production and projection. Whether it’s a future first-round quarterback or a breakout edge rusher primed for a monster year, these are the 50 names every college football fan needs to know this fall.

The full list will be revealed in stages throughout the week, with 10 new players released each day and the top 10 dropping on Friday, July 4.

41. T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

Francis Mauigoa has held down the right tackle spot for the Hurricanes since his true freshman season, and he took a clear step forward in 2024. The former five-star recruit allowed just two combined sacks and hits on 534 pass-blocking snaps as a sophomore — the fewest among FBS tackles with 500-plus pass-blocking snaps.

Mauigoa also posted a 71.4 run-blocking grade since 2023, tied for fourth among ACC tackles. While there’s still room for technical refinement, he enters the 2025 season as one of the top candidates to be the first offensive tackle selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

42. S KJ Bolden, Georgia

Georgia may have lost a superstar safety in first-round pick Malaki Starks, but another one is already waiting in the wings. Bolden, the No. 1 safety in the 2024 recruiting class and a top-15 overall prospect, quickly lived up to the hype in his freshman season.

Bolden finished the year as the eighth-most-valuable returning Power Four safety, per PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 13 coverage stops tied for the fifth most among all FBS safeties. He pairs impressive speed with physicality and reliable tackling, despite weighing just 185 pounds.

43. T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Proctor protected Jalen Milroe’s blind side during each of his first two seasons at Alabama. The former five-star recruit endured his share of struggles as a true freshman in 2023 but showed significant improvement down the stretch, progress that carried into his sophomore year.

Since Week 8 of the 2023 season, Proctor has posted a 76.5 PFF grade, ranking eighth among SEC tackles. He’s also delivered strong performances against elite competition. In three games against Georgia and South Carolina, he earned a 90.4 pass-blocking grade while allowing just one pressure on 96 pass-blocking snaps.

At 6-foot-7 and 369 pounds, Proctor is a rare athlete with surprising mobility for his size. If he continues to improve his consistency, he has the tools to become a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

44. LB Whit Weeks, LSU

While Harold Perkins Jr. drew most of the preseason hype at LSU last year, it was Whit Weeks who emerged as the breakout star.

Weeks was a disruptive force as a sophomore, consistently making plays behind the line of scrimmage. His 21 tackles for loss or no gain ranked fourth among all linebackers nationally, and his 25 quarterback pressures placed him in the top 15 at the position. His quick trigger and closing speed make him one of the most instinctive defenders in college football.

45. LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State

Romaine was the highest-graded linebacker in the Power Four last season, posting a 91.0 overall mark as just a true sophomore.

That grade was fueled by a 90.7 run-defense grade — third best among Power Four linebackers — and 43 run stops, the fourth most in that group. At 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, Romaine fits the mold of a true Mike linebacker and excels at slipping blocks before linemen can get a clean shot on him.

46. CB Malik Muhammad, Texas

The Longhorns may have lost first-round cornerback Jahdae Barron, but they’re still in a strong position with Muhammad returning for his junior season.

Only three returning Power Four cornerbacks have been more valuable over the last two seasons, per PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. Muhammad has forced 17 incompletions in that span, despite being targeted on just 12.1% of his coverage snaps.

He’s not an elite athlete, but he thrives with sharp instincts and quick reaction in coverage.

47. S Bray Hubbard, Alabama

Hubbard played just four defensive snaps in his true freshman season in 2023, contributing primarily on special teams. As a sophomore starter, he quickly made his mark, ranking sixth among all college safeties in both overall grade (89.2) and coverage grade (89.7) last season. His 21.3 passer rating allowed when targeted was the fifth-best figure in the FBS.

Hubbard also brings elite versatility to the secondary. He earned PFF coverage grades in the 91st percentile or better while playing free safety, slot corner and in the box.

48. EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

The Nittany Lions may have lost the best edge rusher in the country in Abdul Carter, but they’re still in a strong position thanks to the return of Dani Dennis-Sutton. According to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, Dennis-Sutton is tied as the most valuable returning Power Four edge over the last two seasons, and his 75 pressures during that span rank second among that group, trailing only T.J. Parker.

A former five-star recruit, Dennis-Sutton has the physical tools and explosiveness that teams covet at the position. With continued development, he could climb even higher on this list.

49. S Terry Moore, Duke

Moore was outstanding in his junior season, leading all Power Four safeties with a 90.1 PFF overall grade. His four interceptions tied for fifth among that group, and he also posted a strong 81.7 run-defense grade.

A smooth athlete with fluid hips and a polished backpedal, Moore excels at reading quarterbacks and breaking on the ball in coverage.

50. QB Arch Manning, Texas

Manning’s spot on this list was easily the toughest to place. He’s started just three games in his career — all against lesser opponents in UTSA, Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State — yet he enters 2025 as the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy (+700 on DraftKings Sportsbook).

Despite the limited sample size, Manning impressed in 2024 with an 88.1 PFF overall grade, ranking 13th among the FBS quarterbacks who played at least 200 snaps. He also placed 16th in both big-time throw rate (6.4%) and turnover-worthy play rate (1.9%). More athletic than either of his legendary uncles, Peyton and Eli, Manning scored four rushing touchdowns on just 21 carries, including a 67-yarder.

It’s entirely possible — even likely — that No. 50 will look far too low by season’s end. But for now, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class lands here.