• Cade Klubnik leads the offense: The rising Clemson senior is the best returning quarterback in college football.
• Six rising sophomores make the list: There are six true sophomores on PFF’s early All-American team, showing how ridiculous last year’s freshman class was.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

While most of the football world’s attention is on the players getting drafted next week, we’ll continue to highlight those who are returning to college football.

After unveiling the top-10 players at every position, here’s a look at our preseason All-American team heading into the 2025 season.

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There might not have been a more improved quarterback in college football than Klubnik this past season. After placing 102nd among FBS signal-callers in 2023 with a 63.9 passing grade, he was fifth in 2024 with an 87.7 mark. Only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders threw more touchdowns than the junior (36) and those two are projected top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Klubnik was also fifth among all quarterbacks in America with 28 big-time throws. 

The former top quarterback recruit in the 2022 high school class is finally starting to live up to the hype and has the potential to take a loaded Clemson roster to the promised land as a senior.

Running Back: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish’s elite run game and stellar defense led them all the way to the National Championship Game this past season, and the former should still be present in 2025, thanks to Love’s return. 

The sophomore was the second-most-valuable back in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric while his 91.0 PFF grade was fifth. Love’s 38% forced missed tackle rate was also second among Power Four running backs this past season, while his 6.9 yards per carry was third. His fantastic athleticism allows him to run through or hurdle defenders and makes him a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

Wide Receiver: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

As a true freshman, Smith was the most valuable receiver in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 89.8 receiving grade was third in the nation and over four points higher than any other returning wideout. He also led the Power Four with 15 receiving touchdowns, while his 1,311 receiving yards trailed only Tetairoa McMillan in that same group.

Smith is an athletic freak at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and has an incredibly refined skillset for someone who turned 19 years old in November. Not only is he the best returning receiver in the country, but he’s also the best returning player in college football.

Wide Receiver: Ryan Williams, Alabama

While it wasn’t the greatest true freshman wide receiver season of all time like Smith had, Williams was still incredible in his first year of college football. 

The former top-five recruit’s 865 receiving yards weren’t just second to Smith among FBS true freshmen this season, they’re second over the last three seasons. Williams also led all true freshmen this past season with 170 receiving yards after contact while trailing only Smith in yards after the catch (397), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards per route run (2.51).

He has elite speed and body control at 6 feet, 175 pounds and was just 17 years old for all of his freshman season.

Once a four-star quarterback recruit, Stowers has made the transition to tight end look seamless. No returning tight end in college football has been as valuable as him over the last two seasons, according to PFF’s wins above-average metric.

The New Mexico State transfer is an elite athlete, placing above the 99th percentile in our game athleticism score metric. That movement ability makes him especially dangerous after the catch, as Stowers was third among Power Four tight ends with 13 forced missed tackles and fourth in yards after the catch (373) this past year.

Flex: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Tyson enjoyed a massive breakout year with the Sun Devils, tallying 1,098 yards as a redshirt sophomore. The only returning Power Four receiver who posted more was Jeremiah Smith. 

Something clicked for the Colorado transfer in the second half of the season. In Arizona State’s final six games of the regular season, Tyson led the nation with 729 receiving yards while his 4.03 yards per route run were second among Power Four ones.

Left Tackle: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Proctor was tasked with protecting Jalen Milroe’s blindside in each of his first two seasons. While he took his lumps as a true freshman in 2023, the former five-star recruit showed serious improvement down the stretch of the season, which carried over into his sophomore campaign. 

Since Week 8 of 2023, Proctor has earned a 76.5 PFF grade, eighth among SEC tackles. Some of his best performances have come against some elite defensive lines, as well. Across three games against Georgia and South Carolina, the Iowa native has a 90.4 pass-blocking grade with only one pressure allowed on 96 pass-blocking snaps. 

Proctor is a dancing bear at 6-foot-7, 369 pounds with preposterous athleticism at that monstrous size. If he can play at a more consistent level, he has the upside of being a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Left Guard: Cayden Green, Missouri

After flashing encouraging signs at Oklahoma as a true freshman in 2023, Green transferred to Missouri and became a much more well-rounded player as a sophomore.

The Tigers’ left guard was one of six Power Four guards this past season who earned 75-plus grades as a pass blocker and as a run blocker. Across 676 career pass-blocking snaps, Green has only allowed one sack.

Center: Jake Slaughter, Florida

Slaughter was the only Power Four center with 80.0-plus grades both as a pass blocker and as a run blocker. Making that even more impressive is the fact that he faced a murderer’s row of defensive tackles like Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Shemar Turner, Joshua Farmer, Omarr Norman-Lott and Deone Walker. All of those players should be selected in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Slaughter’s 85.8 grade since 2023 trails only Jackson Powers-Johnson among Power Four centers. He moves very well at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds which allows him to dominate in a zone-blocking scheme.

Right Guard: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M

Reed-Adams dominated in his first year with the Aggies. Among Power Four guards, the Kansas transfer was second to only Willie Lampkin in PFF grade, run-blocking grade and in our wins above average metric. 

He’s a powerful player at 6-foot-5, 330 pounds who can excel in any run-blocking scheme. Reed-Adams led all Power Four guards in gap grade while placing fourth in zone grade. 

Right Tackle: Spencer Fano, Utah

Fano led all FBS tackles with a 93.0 grade this past season as just a true sophomore. That’s mainly due to his dominance in the run game, as the Utah native’s 93.6 run-blocking grade was the best in the country by over three points. He also finished as the second-most-valuable Power Four tackle according to PFF’s wins above average metric, trailing only a projected top-15 pick in Kelvin Banks Jr.

Fano is no slouch as a pass protector either, earning a top-30 pass-blocking grade among Power Four tackles (79.5). While some length concerns could push him inside to guard in the NFL, he’s still an elite athlete with dominant tape.

Interior Defender: Peter Woods, Clemson

Woods spent the majority of his sophomore year playing out of position at edge defender and still earned an 83.3 PFF grade on the season. Over his first two seasons of college football, he’s both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF’s wins above average metric.

Woods leads that same group with an 89.7 run-defense grade and a 14.9% pass-rush win rate since 2023. His power and agility at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds make him a nightmare for any offensive lineman.

Interior Defender: Zane Durant, Penn State

Durant lived in opposing backfields last year, both as a pass rusher and as a run defender. He led all FBS interior defenders with 14 tackles for loss/no-gain in 2024, while his 28 pressures were a top-25 mark in the nation. 

Durant packs a punch despite being undersized (6-foot-1, 288 pounds) and has excellent quickness to shoot gaps.

Edge Defender: Colin Simmons, Texas

Simmons entered college with a ton of hype as a top-15 overall recruit and has somehow already exceeded expectations. The Texas native was the sixth-most-valuable edge defender in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric. He trailed only Abdul Carter, Jack Sawyer, Mike Green, Josaiah Stewart and JT Tuimoloau in that metric. Simmons ended up winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, given to the best true freshman in America.

His 18.6% pressure rate was a top-15 mark in the nation and he was no slouch as a run-defender either, posting a 73.4 run-defense grade. Simmons’ elite combination of bend and advanced pass-rushing moves is reminiscent of Von Miller. 

Edge Defender: Dylan Stewart, South Carolina

Stewart is the freakiest athlete the Gamecocks have had at edge defender since Jadeveon Clowney was launching helmets over a decade ago. And like Clowney, he has the upside of becoming a No. 1 overall pick if he keeps up this trajectory.

The former five-star recruit earned a 91.4 pass-rush grade as just a true freshman, tied for sixth among all edges in America. His 51 pressures were tied for second among returning Power Four edge rushers as well. Stewart needs to get a bit stronger so he can set the edge better in the run game, but he’s already the most fearsome pass-rusher in college football, thanks to his physical gifts.

Linebacker: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Hill entered college as a five-star recruit and immediately lived up to the hype, starting immediately as a true freshman. He’s constantly around the football, whether that’s as a run defender, pass-rusher or in coverage. Since 2023, his 32 coverage stops are tied for the most among FBS linebackers, while his 10 sacks and five forced fumbles are tied for the most among Power Four ones. Hill has had 127 plays where he’s made first contact on the ball carrier in that same span, the most of any returning Power Four linebacker. 

Hill is a versatile athlete who wears many different hats for the Longhorns’ defense and could find his way into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Linebacker: Taurean York, Texas A&M

Like Hill, York has been a starter in each of his first two seasons. But unlike Hill, he was just a three-star recruit coming out of high school. 

York’s proven those rankings wrong thus far, leading all returning Power Four linebackers with 59 run-defense stops since 2023. His 122 first contacts on the ball carrier are tied for fourth among that same group. York has a stocky build at 6-feet, 235 pounds and is an excellent tackler. 

Cornerback: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

Moore finished his true freshman season as the third-most-valuable corner in college football according to PFF’s wins above average metric, trailing only Jahdae Barron and Travis Hunter. He was especially good in Notre Dame’s man-heavy scheme, as his 82.5 grade in man coverage was third among all corners in the nation. The former three-star recruit is a smooth athlete at 6-foot-2 who mirrors receivers at an elite level already. In fact, he only allowed 16 of his 42 targets in single coverage to be caught. 

Cornerback: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

The current favorite to be the top corner selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, McCoy was a lockdown player for the Volunteers after transferring in from Oregon State. His 89.6 coverage grade in 2024 is second among returning Power Four cornerbacks, while his four interceptions were tied for second in that same group.

McCoy has great ball skills with phenomenal movement ability, scoring a near-perfect 99.9 in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric.

Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Downs, who transferred from Alabama last offseason, has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 91.7 PFF grade in that span is second among all FBS safetie,s while his 91.2 coverage grade is third. Downs is also a fantastic run-defender, leading all players on this list with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023.

Downs is an incredibly versatile player who can thrive at free safety, slot corner or in the box. Not to mention, he’s a dynamic punt returner as well.

Safety: Koi Perich, Minnesota

The Golden Gophers lost one of college football’s best safeties in Tyler Nubin and immediately found another in Perich. The true freshman’s five interceptions this past season trailed only Xavier Watts among FBS safeties, while his 88.9 PFF grade was seventh. He was also one of only seven safeties in America who earned 80-plus grades both in coverage and in run defense.

Like Downs, Perich doubles as a dangerous return man and is athletic enough to win and free safety while simultaneously being physical enough to succeed in the box as well.

Flex: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

“The first guy off the bus” is a phrase used to describe a team’s physically most imposing player. In that sense, Ponds would likely be the last off the bus for the Hoosiers at just 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. That hasn’t kept him from performing like one of the nation’s best corners in each of his first two seasons, though.

Ponds showed his true freshman season at James Madison was no fluke, placing as one of the 15 most valuable corners in the nation once again at Indiana. His 91.8 PFF grade over the last two years is the highest among all returning FBS cornerbacks as well. There’s zero fear in Ponds’ game, both in coverage and in run defense.

Kicker: Dominic Zvada, Michigan

Punter: Brett Thorson, Georgia

Long Snapper: Bryce Robinson, Virginia

Kick Returner: Keelan Marion, BYU

Special Teamer: Micah Gifford, Baylor