• Julian Sayin is the quarterback: Ohio State’s signal-caller has the best PFF passing grade in college football right now.

• Ahmad Hardy takes the running back slot: Missouri’s star sophomore boasts the best PFF rushing grade in the country.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

We’ve officially reached the midway point of the 2025 college football season. 

Even though we still have half of the season remaining, it’s time to recognize the top players from the first half of the year. Here’s how PFF’s midseason All-America team shakes out.

Offense

Quarterback: Julian Sayin, Ohio State

There were plenty of worthy quarterbacks to choose from here, but I’ll give the nod to the quarterback on the best team in the country right now. Sayin leads the nation with a 91.0 PFF passing grade this season and tops the Power Four with a 131.5 passer rating. The redshirt freshman is also the most accurate quarterback in college football, pacing the FBS with an 84.2% adjusted completion rate and a 78.4% completion rate.

Running Back: Ahmad Hardy, Missouri

Hardy leads all FBS running backs with a 91.2 PFF rushing grade this season. The true sophomore also tops the Power Four with 783 rushing yards and 49 forced missed tackles, while his 606 yards after contact are the most in the FBS. 

Wide Receiver: Makai Lemon, USC

Lemon has the highest PFF grade (92.0) among all receivers in the country right now. He also leads the Power Four with 682 receiving yards while placing second in the nation with 332 yards after the catch and 15 forced missed tackles.

Wide Receiver: Mario Craver, Texas A&M

Craver has been outstanding as a true sophomore this season. The Mississippi State transfer’s 90.9 PFF grade is second to only Lemon among FBS receivers, and his 634 receiving yards are second to Lemon in the Power Four. Craver averages 4.80 yards per route run, which leads all Power Four receivers.

Tight End: Michael Trigg, Baylor

Trigg tops all tight ends in the FBS with 439 receiving yards and is second with eight forced missed tackles. The redshirt senior is also the third-most valuable tight end in the country, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. 

Flex: Hank Beatty, Illinois

Beatty has been one of the best receivers in the country this season. His 86.6 PFF grade is fifth among all wideouts in the country, and his 617 receiving yards are fourth. Beatty’s 328 yards after the catch are third in the nation as well. 

Left Tackle: Carter Smith, Indiana

Smith is fourth among all tackles in the country with an 83.3 PFF grade this season. His 91.1 PFF pass-blocking grade ranks third in the FBS, as the redshirt junior has not surrendered a sack or hit on 184 pass-blocking snaps yet this season. Similarly, Smith’s 79.7 PFF run-blocking grade is also a top-15 mark in the country as well.

Left Guard: Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Ioane leads all guards in America with a 92.0 PFF pass-blocking grade this season, as the redshirt junior has only given up one pressure across 170 pass-blocking snaps so far. His 76.0 PFF run-blocking grade is also 12th among all guards in America as well.

Center: Logan Jones, Iowa

Jones’ 83.7 PFF grade is over three points higher than any other center in the country. His 78.6 PFF run-blocking grade is also the highest in the nation, while his 85.7 PFF pass-blocking grade is fifth. Jones has only surrendered two pressures across 171 pass-blocking snaps this season.

Right Guard: Logan Taylor, Boston College

Taylor is the only guard in the FBS with 80.0-plus PFF pass- and run-blocking grades in 2025. The redshirt senior’s 84.3 run-blocking grade is third among all guards in America, and he’s only given up one pressure across 104 true pass-blocking snaps.

Right Tackle: Brian Parker II, Duke

Parker’s 93.5 PFF grade this season is three points better than any other offensive lineman in college football. His 94.0 PFF run-blocking grade is over four points better than any other FBS offensive lineman, and the redshirt junior still hasn’t given up a sack or hit on 229 pass-blocking snaps this year.

Defense

Interior Defender: Mateen Ibirogba, Wake Forest

Ibirogba’s 87.3 PFF grade is second among all interior defenders in the country this season. The redshirt junior’s 18 pressures lead all Power Four defensive tackles, while his 85.8 PFF run-defense grade is 11th in the nation at his position. 

Interior Defender: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

McDonald leads all interior defensive linemen in America with an 88.1 PFF grade this campaign. The junior’s two forced fumbles are the most among all defensive tackles in the FBS, and his 91.6 PFF run-defense grade is the best in the nation as well.

Edge Defender: Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)

If the Heisman Trophy is truly for “the most outstanding player in college football,” that’s Rueben Bain Jr. right now. His 95.2 PFF grade is the highest among all players in the country, and he leads all FBS edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade while placing fifth in PFF pass-rush grade. Miami is one of the best teams in the country because of its dominance in the trenches, and Bain is the biggest reason for that excellence.

Edge Defender: David Bailey, Texas Tech

Bailey’s 93.2 PFF pass-rush grade led all edge defenders in the country last year at Stanford, and he’s once again pacing the FBS with a 94.3 PFF pass-rush grade this season at Texas Tech. His 44 pressures are seven more than any other player in America, while his 20 combined sacks and hits are four more than any other defender.

Linebacker: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Rodriguez’s 91.6 PFF grade is the highest of any linebacker in college football by over two points. His 93.9 PFF run-defense grade is the best in the nation as well, while his 89.7 PFF coverage grade is fourth. Rodriguez is the only linebacker in the top-15 of both metrics. His two interceptions are also tied for the most in the country among linebackers.

Linebacker: CJ Allen, Georgia

Allen’s 86.2 PFF grade is second to only Rodriguez among Power Four linebackers this season. His 92.3 PFF run-defense grade ranks second to Rodriguez among all linebackers in the FBS, and Allen’s three sacks are also a top-10 mark in the nation.

Cornerback: Mansoor Delane, LSU

Delane has been the most valuable defensive back in college football this season, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. The Virginia Tech transfer’s 90.3 PFF grade is the highest among Power Four cornerbacks, and he’s only permitted 27.3% of his targets to be caught (4th in the FBS). Opposing quarterbacks have just a 22.7 passer rating when targeting Delane. For reference, spiking the ball every play nets a 39.6 rating.

Cornerback: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

Moore entered his true sophomore season as PFF’s No. 1 cornerback in college football and has lived up to the hype thus far. His 90.3 PFF coverage grade leads all Power Four corners, and his three interceptions are tied for second in that same group. 

Safety: Bishop Fitzgerald, USC

Fitzgerald is the highest-graded safety in America thus far, earning a 91.7 PFF grade. His five interceptions are tied for the most among all players in the country, and he’s only surrendered five catches all season. 

Safety: Michael Taaffe, Texas

Taaffe is once again playing at an elite level after breaking out last season. The redshirt senior has been the most valuable safety in America this year, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average statistic. He boasts the fifth-best PFF coverage grade and third-best PFF run-defense grade among all safeties in the country. No other safety is in the top 10 of both metrics.

Flex: Jalen Huskey, Maryland

Huskey lines up all over the place for Maryland’s defense, playing at least 50 snaps at free safety, in the box and in the slot this year. He’s thrived while wearing many hats, placing fourth among all safeties in the nation with an 87.8 PFF grade. Husky has recorded two interceptions so far and only a 28.0 passer rating when targeted.

Special Teams

Kicker: Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaii

Matsuzawa’s 94.0 kicking grade is two points higher than any other kicker in the country. “The Tokyo Toe” has not missed any of his 19 field goal attempts or any of his 19 extra points this year. That includes eight field goals of 40-plus yards, tied for the most in the FBS.

Punter: Billy Gowers, Hawaii

Hawaii fields both the best kicker and best punter in the country right now. Gowers leads the FBS with a 92.0 punting grade, as half of his 26 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line. 

Return Specialist: Vicari Swain, South Carolina

Swain’s 85.7 return grade is the best in the nation. He already has brought back three punts for touchdowns, the most in the country. For reference, that’s already the highest total since the 2017 season and tied for 18th all time. 

Special Teamer: Mason Carrier, Minnesota

Carrier’s 90.8 special teams grade ranks fourth among all qualified players this season. The redshirt freshman linebacker has made five tackles on special teams this year, tied for seventh among all players in college football.

Long Snapper: Jacob Graham, Texas A&M

Graham’s 85.3 grade is nearly five points higher than any other long snapper in the country this season. He’s only recorded one bad snap on 40 field goals or extra points and three on 26 punts in 2025.