Is Nico Iamaleava poised for his breakout game at Tennessee?
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Nico Iamaleava, wearing his trademark glasses and an easy smile, sat in the Peyton Manning Room last week at Tennessee‘s Anderson Training Center.
All around the Volunteers redshirt freshman quarterback were pictures, mementos and reminders of the best — and most celebrated — quarterback ever to play at Tennessee.
“He texts me before every game and then texts me after every game, whether it’s a good game or bad game,” Iamaleava said of Manning. “It’s not that he’s giving me tips so much, but more, ‘Great job. Keep working. I’m here whenever you need me.'”
When Iamaleava interacts with Manning outside the season, it tends to be a bit different.
“He might send me a YouTube clip of an NFL game and how he breaks it down and what I see,” Iamaleava said. “If you ask him something, he’s got the answer.
“With Peyton, it’s always the little things.”
Not since Manning three decades ago has a football player walked onto Tennessee’s campus with expectations as lofty as those Iamaleava carried with him when he made the trek from Long Beach, California, to Rocky Top last year as a true freshman. That’s fitting because Tennessee will play in its biggest game in decades Saturday night (8 ET, ABC/ESPN+) when it travels to Ohio State for the first round of the College Football Playoff.
“The first time I met Nico in person, I knew he had the right stuff,” said Tennessee senior Cooper Mays, an All-SEC center. “There wasn’t any entitlement, none of that. He wanted to earn everything, wanted to grow as a player, and you’ve seen him do that. I think this is probably the best it’s been yet, his comfort level and his command, and I think the big thing for us is we’ve been better at protecting him.
“He has that experience now and is just able to play ball, and that’s going to exponentially increase how comfortable you are.”
But Iamaleava has always seemed comfortable in his own skin despite the dizzying hype surrounding him during his recruitment. He was a rock star before he ever took a snap in college. Fans at Tennessee baseball games would chant his name when he and his family would drop by Lindsey Nelson Stadium on visits. He was a five-star recruit with a big arm and even bigger NIL price tag.
Iamaleava’s reported $8 million deal, which escalates every year and averages at least $2 million annually, was unprecedented for a high school prospect when he signed in 2022 with Spyre Sports. Tennessee was on the front end of NIL collectives, brokering high-priced deals, and the commitment to Iamaleava changed the market as seven-figure deals are now commonplace among highly recruited quarterbacks.
“I was fortunate enough to be a part of that first class when NIL came out, and maybe it opened the door for others, but I wouldn’t say I take pride in it,” Iamaleava said. “I take pride in what I can do to help our team.”
So far, it’s difficult to argue with Tennessee’s investment, even with Iamaleava putting up pedestrian individual numbers this season against the Vols’ toughest competition. He accounted for just nine touchdowns and turned the ball over six times in eight SEC games.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel wasn’t a numbers guy when he played quarterback at Oklahoma, so stats don’t concern him about Iamaleava, who threw eight of his 19 touchdown passes in his last two games.
“The primary goal for Nico, the No. 1 thing and the only thing, is to win. And to me, that’s how quarterbacks get measured,” said Heupel, who led Oklahoma to a national championship in 2000. “Numbers are one thing, but it’s about wins.”
Iamaleava already has etched his name into the Tennessee record books. He’s the first freshman (true freshman or redshirt) in school history to win 10 games as a starter. He’s also one of two freshman quarterbacks, along with Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, to lead his team to the first 12-team playoff.
“This is why I came to Tennessee, not to break records or anything else like that, or to be known by all the fans out there,” Iamaleava said. “It’s about this team, my brothers. We want to win that last game of the season. I think I’ve gotten better each game. I still feel like I haven’t played my best game yet, really our whole team, but we’re looking to put that together.”
Iamaleava has gotten bigger and stronger since arriving on campus after facing questions about his durability and size coming out of high school.
The 6-foot-6 Iamaleava was gangly as a high school senior and admits he has been hit more this season than he was in his entire high school career. Also an outstanding volleyball player in high school, Iamaleava — who has beefed up to 215 pounds — has put to rest any questions about his toughness.
He took some wicked shots early in the season, but kept getting up. After suffering a concussion in the first half of the Vols’ Nov. 9 game against Mississippi State and missing the second half, he was back on the field the next week against Georgia after passing the concussion protocol.
“Your football team is going to take on the traits of your quarterback, and you’re talking about toughness,” Heupel said. “When your football team sees that guy playing with physical toughness and mental toughness too, it garners a ton of respect from the guys around him.
“I also think it raises the level of play of the guys around him.”
Former UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton has worked closely with Iamaleava the past two seasons as an offensive analyst at Tennessee. Milton was recently hired to return to UCF as quarterbacks coach under Scott Frost, but he will stay on with Tennessee throughout the playoff.
Milton has been impressed with the way Iamaleava came in with an underdog mentality despite all the acclaim — and has kept it.
“He soaks up everything, wants to learn, absorbing everything he can from the coaches and his teammates,” Milton said. “Yeah, he might come in as the top dog, but watching the way he helps bring guys along, maybe guys who are struggling a little bit, while also remaining humble and just being a sponge is the definition of a leader.”
In fact, Iamaleava was named to the team’s leadership council this season despite having just one career start: the 35-0 Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa to cap his true freshman season.
“It was really cool to see the way his demeanor sharpened, especially when it was time to take over the team,” said Tennessee senior linebacker and team captain Keenan Pili, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. “Nico’s not a rah-rah guy. He’s more the kind of guy that takes a teammate aside and tells him what the team needs out of him.
“He’s more on the quiet side, but he’s loud when he needs to be.”
Some restless fans started getting loud earlier this season when the Vols were puttering along on offense, with explosive pass plays few and far between. Iamaleava was being sacked more than he was throwing touchdowns.
In one five-game stretch, he was sacked 15 times. Some of that was because he was holding on to the ball too long, but the Vols also had trouble protecting him off the edge, and his receivers weren’t getting open or making key catches.
In Tennessee’s 19-14 road loss to Arkansas on Oct. 5, Iamaleava got his best dose yet of what it’s like to play quarterback in the SEC when things don’t go right. The Vols had one last play from the Hogs’ 20-yard line, and as Iamaleava scrambled right, he ran out of bounds as time expired instead of taking a shot at the end zone.
It was a young quarterback, in only his second start against an SEC team, letting the moment get the better of him. And in the aftermath of that loss, with fans lighting up the message boards and talk radio shows, Iamaleava recalled what former Tennessee quarterbacks Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton told him.
“Both of them told me that the fans can be cruel sometimes and they’re on your side when you’re doing good and they can be against you when you do something bad,” Iamaleava said. “They said whether it’s good or bad to stay focused on your team … and stay off social media.”
Iamaleava insists he has followed that advice.
Told that he may be the only 20-year-old on the planet not on some form of social media, Iamaleava smiled and said, “Nah man, I’ve got it downloaded, but my pops never wanted me to have social media, so I kind of just stay off it and stick to my video games.”
Video games were how Iamaleava was introduced to football; as a toddler he used to sit in the lap of his father while he played Madden. Iamaleava is one of eight siblings, ranging in age from 23 to 11, and family is extremely important. He said the entire family was together for Thanksgiving, and they all drove to Nashville that Saturday for the Vanderbilt game. His parents have been to every Vols game this season.
“My dad always forced us to compete, to learn how to get that competitive edge,” Iamaleava said. “I think that’s one of the reasons I have such a great bond with my teammates because of how family-oriented it was in our house growing up. You don’t back down, but you treat people the way you want to be treated.”
Soon after word of Iamaleava’s NIL contract surfaced, he knew the stakes. So did his father, Big Nic, whose advice to his son was simple.
“He just told me that it all starts over when I get here,” Iamaleava said. “None of that high school stuff matters. Any accolades that happened in the past … that it all starts over again. The work starts over. So as soon as I got here, I put my head down and went to work.
“All that other noise, I let it go. It wasn’t going to get in my way.”
Some young players are swallowed up by the hype. Others thrive. Heupel said he knew during the recruiting process what he was getting in Iamaleava.
“There’s no doubt that he’s heard those expectations and has to live with them every single day,” Heupel said. “But what’s really unique about Nico is that he can be himself and go through his journey as a quarterback growing into the player that he’s going to be capable of, which is elite, but he can handle everything else that’s going on around him.
“It’s really rare for a young quarterback to be able to do that.”
Mays, who comes from a family of Tennessee offensive linemen, admits he’s no quarterback guru. But he can usually sniff out who’s a competitor and who’s serious about putting in the work that it takes to be elite.
The Vols were finishing their Orange Bowl preparations in December 2022 when Iamaleava, who was among a group of incoming freshmen already on campus, walked up to Mays after practice.
Immediately, Iamaleava started asking Mays why he was turning the protection a certain way.
“For him to be invested enough to come up and ask me those things, just showing that kind of humility in and of itself, told me that he was going to figure stuff out here early,” Mays said. “Obviously, you’re going to wonder about any five-star kid who gets that much attention, how he’s going to react to not being the best player on the team anymore. A lot of times it’s hard for those kids to adjust, but not Nico.”
Heupel added: “Players know faster than anybody who the real players are and who’s a facade.”
Over time, Iamaleava has become accustomed to his celebrity status in Knoxville. He quips that he could “hide in Cali.” Even during classes, students will occasionally come up and want pictures or autographs.
He joked that teammates Ethan Davis and Cam Seldon have acted as his bodyguards.
“But it’s all cool. You know that’s just part of the deal,” he said.
Having a chance to learn under Milton a year ago and not have to be the starter right away was a huge benefit for Iamaleava, who played some but didn’t see any meaningful action until the bowl game.
Of course, as this season began, the expectation was that he would be the reincarnation of Manning. And in reality, their numbers as second-year players were similar. As a sophomore, Manning passed for 2,954 yards, 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, while Iamaleava has 2,512 yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. But Manning also had an offensive line in which all five starters went on to play in the NFL, as well as future NFL receivers Joey Kent and Marcus Nash.
This year’s Tennessee team has played more to its defense, which allowed 20 or more points only once in 12 games, and leaned heavily on running back Dylan Sampson, who rushed for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns on his way to SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Iamaleava attempted 30 or more passes only twice all season and passed for more than 200 yards in only two of eight SEC contests.
“He’s still young in the sense that he can get so much better in certain areas,” said Milton, who passed for 4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns in his sophomore season at UCF. “But the thing about him, and you’re talking about a kid who has everything, is that he’s as eager to learn as he is talented, and I think he’s one of the most talented, if not the most talented kid that I’ve ever been around.”
Any time he’s felt even the slightest tinge of pressure this season, Iamaleava has gone back to his days when he was playing flag football as a 6-year-old.
“Football is a fun sport. I think the more you enjoy it, the more you have fun with it,” Iamaleava said. “The less stress you feel with all the outside noise and stuff like that, just going back to when you were a little kid playing the game you love, that’s when it’s the most fun.
“I feel like I have to remind myself at times that it’s a game at the end of the day.”
All the while knowing the game of his life, at least to this point, awaits in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
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Pete Thamel, Senior College Sports Insider
In a dramatic shift, the Ivy League’s football teams are now going to be able to compete for FCS football national championships, sources told ESPN.
Starting in the 2025 season, the Ivy League teams will now be able to play in the FCS postseason, sources said.
Football had loomed as the only sport that Ivy League teams could not compete for NCAA national championships in. The league had long ended its season at the end of the regular season.
Per sources, the Ivy League has confirmed with the NCAA that the league’s winner will get an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs starting in 2025.
The genesis for the change for the Ivy League to play in FCS playoffs came via a proposal from Ivy League student athletes, per sources.
And the proposal from the league’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) was approved Tuesday by a vote of the Ivy League Council of Presidents.
There’s lots to love about the 12-team playoff (unless you’re Alabama), but at the top of the list is this: We get three times as much star power this year.
In the four-team era, the country wouldn’t get to see the explosiveness of Ashton Jeanty or the brute force of Cam Skattebo or the all-around brilliance of Tyler Warren. The stage is bigger, so the stars can shine brighter.
With that in mind, ESPN’s Bill Connelly, David Hale, Chris Low, Adam Rittenberg and Paolo Uggetti combed through the rosters of all 12 playoff teams to rank the top 50 players of the College Football Playoff.
This isn’t a ranking of the stars who accomplished the most in the regular season, per se, though that plays a part. It’s also not necessarily a ranking of the players who will put up the biggest numbers over the next seven weeks. Consider it more of a viewer’s guide: When you tune in for the College Football Playoff, these are the 50 players you won’t want to miss. — David Hale
WR, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 838 yards, 10 TDs
After a breakout freshman season in 2022, Williams missed all but five games last year. The time away did little to hamper his development, however, and he returned in 2024 with a vengeance. He finished the season as the only player in the country with at least 800 receiving yards, 100 rushing yards and 100 punt return yards, and he also added a passing touchdown to his résumé, too. Williams was Clemson’s most consistent receiver, catching 10 touchdown passes and hauling in at least five passes in each of the Tigers’ final six games. His 18-yard grab on the final scrimmage play of the ACC championship game set up the game-winning field goal that launched Clemson into the playoff. — Hale
OL, Arizona State, senior
2024 stats: No sacks allowed
ASU’s offensive MVP in 2023, the center returned to Tempe for his senior season and became one of the rocks of the Big 12’s surprise team. Starting all 13 games, he was credited with only eight blown blocks all season — five pressures and three blown run blocks — and he will finish his career having earned all-conference votes in three separate conferences: the Mountain West (with UNLV), Pac-12 and Big 12. He’s a modern success story. — Bill Connelly
DB, Georgia, senior
2024 stats: 46 solo tackles, 1 FF, 3 PDs, 2 INTs
While Bulldogs safeties Malaki Starks and KJ Bolden were five-star recruits, Jackson had zero stars as a senior at North Hall High School in Gainesville, Georgia. Jackson wasn’t even an invited walk-on when he joined the Bulldogs in 2019. Remarkably, on a defense littered with future NFL players the past few seasons, Jackson started 18 games. This season, the hard-hitting safety had 60 tackles, 1½ tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery. The sixth-year senior made one of the biggest plays of the season when he forced Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King to fumble with about two minutes left in regulation. Georgia won 44-42 in overtime. — Mark Schlabach
DE, Boise State, senior
2024 stats: 23 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks
After spending much of his childhood in Egypt, Hassanein has blossomed into one of the best defensive players in college football. He was named first-team All-Mountain West for a second straight year after finishing the regular season with 8.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. — Kyle Bonagura
DB, Indiana, sophomore
2024 stats: 35 solo tackles, 2 INTs, 9 PDs
Ponds delivered one of the more memorable plays in Indiana’s breakthrough season, a 65-yard pick-six against Washington before a raucous crowd on a weekend where ESPN’s “College GameDay” went to Bloomington for just the second time. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Ponds had two interceptions against Washington and finished the season with 53 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team. Ponds, a first-team All-Big Ten selection who joined Curt Cignetti at IU from James Madison, led the Hoosiers with nine pass breakups and also blocked a punt against Michigan State that resulted in a safety. — Adam Rittenberg
S, Penn State, senior
2024 stats: 43 solo tackles, 1 FF, 3 INTs, 3 PDs
He has lined up as a safety, a nickelback, an outside linebacker and an inside linebacker. He leads Penn State’s defense in tackles and has generated 6 pressures and 1.5 sacks in 30 pass rushes. He also has made seven run stops (at or behind the line of scrimmage) and has picked off three passes with three breakups in coverage. He is the kind of senior leader every good defense needs. — Connelly
QB, Arizona State, freshman
2024 stats: 2,663 yards, 24 TDs, 5 INTs
As important as Cam Skattebo was, Leavitt wasn’t far behind. The Sun Devils were 11-1 with him as the starter and have not lost a game he has played since Sept. 21, a span of eight games to end the regular season. Leavitt threw for 2,663 yards with 24 touchdowns to five interceptions and his QBR (81.6) ranked No. 11 in college football. — Bonagura
QB, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 2,092 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs
At first, his tenure as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback was defined by a dismal loss to Northern Illinois. But since Week 3, he has been the seventh-best quarterback in college football (and third best in the CFP) based on Total QBR. He has topped 80 non-sack rushing yards four times, he has completed 68% of his passes with 16 TDs and only three interceptions since NIU, and most importantly, Notre Dame is 10-0 since then, too. — Connelly
QB, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 2,860 yards, 27 TDs, 8 INTs
A transfer from Kansas State, Howard stepped into a high-profile role and generally handled himself well. He completed 72.3% of his passes for 2,860 yards and 27 touchdowns. Howard had some tough moments in Ohio State’s losses to Oregon and Michigan, and even in a win at Penn State, but his accuracy stands out, and he rushed for touchdowns in seven games. A third-team All-Big Ten selection, Howard had multiple touchdown passes in 10 of 12 games and has 66 touchdown passes over the past three seasons. — Rittenberg
LB, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 37 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF
No player in Notre Dame’s storied history has appeared in more games wearing an Irish uniform than Kiser, who is up to 66 in his sixth year with the program. A team captain this fall, he leads Notre Dame with 66 tackles, including three for loss and one sack, and he has added a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and three quarterback hurries. The 6-2, 231-pound Kiser anchors a Notre Dame defense that ranks third nationally in fewest points allowed and has fueled the team’s CFP run. — Rittenberg
S, SMU, junior
2024 stats: 51 solo tackles, 3 INTs, 3 PDs
An all-around ball hawk, Nwokobia emerged as one of the best defensive players in the ACC in the Mustangs’ first season in the league. Nwokobia took the next step after being selected MVP in the American championship game a year ago, finishing second on the team with 96 total tackles, with 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups and 2 quarterback hurries. His interception in the end zone late against Louisville helped seal one of their best wins of the season. — Andrea Adelson
DL, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats:17 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 FFs
The 6-3, 245-pound junior edge rusher is the highest-graded defender in the SEC (minimum 150 snaps), according to Pro Football Focus. Josephs is second on Tennessee’s team with nine tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries, and he leads the team with three forced fumbles. Josephs had some of his best games in two of the Vols’ biggest wins, including a career-best three quarterback hurries in the win over Alabama and a career-best seven tackles (1.5 for loss) in an overtime win against Florida. — Chris Low
QB, Penn State, junior
2024 stats: 2,894 yards. 21 TDs, 7 INTs
A year ago, the knock on Allar was a lack of big-play performance. His overall numbers were impressive — 25 touchdown passes and only two picks — but after he completed less than half of his passes against Ohio State and Michigan, the enthusiasm was diminished. In the offseason, Penn State brought in new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and the results have been encouraging. Allar’s yards-per-attempt went from 6.8 in 2023 to 8.9 in 2024, while his completion percentage ballooned from 60% last seaosn to nearly 70% this season. — Hale
RB, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 1,253 yards, 15 TDs
James was a was a second-team All-Big Ten selection after rushing for 1,253 yards with 15 touchdowns. James was a model of consistency rushing for between 83 and 121 yards in 11 of the Ducks’ 13 games and was held out of the end zone in only two games. — Bonagura
DE, Oregon, sophomore
2024 stats: 23 solo tackles, 10.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
Many expected a breakout sophomore season from Uiagaleielei, who showed plenty of flashes of greatness during limited action in his freshman campaign, and he did just that. Uiagaleilei totaled 10.5 sacks, nearly one per game, and good for eighth-most of any player in the country. The sophomore added 23 solo tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception, solidifying himself as one of the best defenders in the forthcoming playoff field, and in the country. — Paolo Uggetti
DL, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 15 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF
He’s 315 pounds of pure O-lineman-eating machine, and this season, Clemson lined him up on the edge. The results were mixed. Woods finished the regular season with only three sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, battling some injuries along the way and sitting out two games. But the upside remains incredible. Woods moves like a player half his size, and even when he’s not making the sack, he’s commanding the attention of opposing offenses, often freeing up rush lanes for his partner in crime, T.J. Parker. In the opener against Texas, he’ll probably have his share of head-to-head battles with Kelvin Banks, setting up one of the most intriguing matchups of the postseason. — Hale
OL, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 1.4% pressure pct
A first-team All-Big Ten tackle, Conerly was the standout member of an Oregon offensive line that ranked No. 7 nationally in points per drive (3.05). No Power 4 quarterback with as many dropbacks as Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel (439) was sacked fewer times than he was (13), leading a balanced offensive attack. — Bonagura
DE, Boise State, sophomore
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 1 FF
With so much attention on Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos’ offense this season, what has gone under the radar is Boise’s defense and more specifically, the play of defensive end Virgin-Morgan, who has been a force. The sophomore from San Diego didn’t have a single sack in his first season in Boise, but this season he turned the backfield into his playground and recorded 10 sacks. At 6-3, 245 pounds, Virgin-Morgan is one of the more dynamic players in the playoff and certainly one who deserves more of the spotlight. — Uggetti
DE, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
Sawyer nearly came up with the game-changing play, intercepting a pass at the goal line in the fourth quarter against Michigan, but the Wolverines wound up winning anyway 13-10. Sawyer has had an impactful senior season, with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles on the way to earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. — Jake Trotter
LB, Clemson, senior
2024 stats: 39 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks
Carter opted to return to Clemson for one season, and the move paid off. A Butkus Award finalist and first-team All-ACC selection, Carter again made an impact on defense. Carter racked up 76 total tackles — including 10.5 tackles for loss while adding seven pass breakups and seven passes defended. There’s a reason coach Dabo Swinney calls him “one of the best pure football players I’ve had in 20 years.” — Adelson
QB, SMU, sophomore
2024 stats: 3,050 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs
When coach Rhett Lashlee decided to elevate Jennings as his starter midway through the BYU game in Week 3, you could say the decision changed the trajectory of the Mustangs’ season. Jennings went 9-1 as the starter, coming up just short in a 34-31 loss to Clemson in the ACC title game. On the season, Jennings threw for 3,050 yards, 22 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while adding 529 yards rushing and six scores. — Adelson
LB, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 31 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 1 FF
Simon can be overshadowed by Ohio State’s other big-name players, but he is quietly having a fantastic senior season. Though only a third-team All-Big Ten selection, the team captain is second on Ohio State with 74 tackles and five sacks. Simon came up with several huge plays late to help the Buckeyes stave off an upset bid from Nebraska in a 21-17 victory in late October. — Trotter
LB, Indiana, junior
2024 stats: 44 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks
Fisher became the engine of Indiana’s improvement on defense under coordinator Bryant Haines. He finished third in the Big Ten with 108 tackles, recording eight or more in eight games. Fisher earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and had four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also became an immediate leader for a defense that led the nation against the run and was No. 6 in fewest points allowed. — Rittenberg
DB, Georgia, junior
2024 stats:48 solo tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs
Georgia’s coaches asked Starks to wear multiple hats in the secondary this season, as the junior lined up at safety and the star position. He led the Bulldogs with 73 tackles to go with 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception and 3 pass breakups. Starks’ instincts and versatility are a big reason why he’s considered the top safety in next year’s NFL draft. According to PFF, he lined up 252 times in the slot, 190 in the box and 385 on the back end of the defense. He missed six tackles in 843 snaps. — Schlabach
QB, Clemson, junior
2024 stats: 3,303 yards, 33 TDs, 5 INTs
Consistency was the biggest issue for Klubnik in his first season as Clemson’s starter in 2023, but he has been a steady performer week in and week out, particularly when it comes to using his legs. Klubnik rushed for 458 yards and seven touchdowns this season to go with more than 3,300 yards passing. His 33 touchdown throws rank third nationally, his 6.60 TD-to-INT ratio was best in FBS, and his 78.9 Total QBR ranks third among playoff QBs, trailing only Dillon Gabriel and Carson Beck. — Hale
OL, Georgia, senior
2024 stats: 0.4% pressure pct
It was no coincidence that Georgia’s offensive line did a better job protecting quarterback Carson Beck once Ratledge returned to the starting lineup. The 6-6, 320-pound senior sat out four games after undergoing surgery on his right ankle on Sept. 17. He played every snap in the Bulldogs’ 31-17 win over Tennessee on Nov. 16. Georgia didn’t allow the Volunteers’ vaunted defense to record a sack, and Ratledge was selected SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his effort. He gave up one sack and three quarterback hurries in 436 snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. — Schlabach
DB, Texas, senior
2024 stats: 33 solo tackles, 1 FF, 4 INTs, 5 PDs
The 6-0, 190-pound Austin native, who transferred back to Texas after three years at Clemson, is a physical hitter who helped stabilize the Longhorns’ pass defense, which ranked 116th last season and No. 1 this season (143.1 YPG). He had 52 tackles (four for loss) with four interceptions this season, and led the Longhorns in tackles against Georgia in the SEC championship game with 11. — Dave Wilson
OL, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 250 snaps at both LT and LG
Jackson’s versatility helped the Buckeyes weather the season-ending injury to left tackle Josh Simmons. After Jackson slid from left guard to left tackle, the Buckeyes defeated Penn State, then Indiana to earn the home playoff game. Regardless of position, Jackson has given up only seven quarterback pressures and three sacks all season. — Trotter
DL, Indiana, junior
2024 stats: 19 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FFs
The James Madison transfer who followed coach Curt Cignetti to IU filled several roles, including pass rushing, where Kamara thrived. He finished second in the Big Ten in both tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (10), while earning first-team all-conference honors. Kamara became the first Indiana player to record 10 or more sacks since Jammie Kirlew in 2008, and has now recorded a tackle for loss in 30 of 35 career games. Kamara also forced two fumbles and had three fumble recoveries. — Rittenberg
DB, Tennessee, sophomore
2024 stats: 22 solo tackles, 4 INTs, 7 PDs
The Vols picked up McCoy in the transfer portal from Oregon State, and he has been a key addition on a defense that has given up more than 19 points in a game only once this season. The 6-0, 193-pound sophomore was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist as the top defensive back in college football, and he is second in the SEC with 13 passes defended and tied for second with four interceptions. He’s a lockdown cover cornerback who has made several game-changing plays for the Vols. — Low
DL, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 FF
After a slower start, mostly because of added attention from opposing offenses, Pearce played his best football down the stretch and leads all SEC defenders with 52 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. With 110 career pressures in three seasons at Tennessee, the 6-5, 243-pound junior edge rusher leads the Vols with 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks this season. He has registered at least half a tackle for loss in eight straight games. — Low
S, Ohio State, sophomore
2024 stats: 33 solo tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs
Downs has made an impact in his first season at Ohio State, both on defense and special teams. Downs, the SEC Freshman of the Year last season at Alabama before transferring, is third on the Buckeyes with 61 tackles to go along with two sacks and an interception. He also had a punt return touchdown that ignited a 38-15 rout of Indiana. — Trotter
RB, SMU, senior
2024 stats: 1,270 yards, 14 TDs
Smith made the switch from receiver to running back this season and found a different gear — posting the best season of his career after transferring from Miami. He earned a spot on the All-ACC first team with 1,270 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, adding 303 yards receiving and four scores. His ability to make explosive plays helped transform the Mustangs’ offense into one of the most dynamic in the country. — Adelson
DE, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 32 solo tackles, 11 sacks, 6 FFs
The sophomore defensive end made a huge impact along the Tigers’ front, with 19 tackles for loss to rank No. 6 in the country, and 11 sacks to rank No. 11. His performance in the second half of the season is where he really made his mark. In his past seven games, Parker has 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 16 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage and 32 tackles — including eight and 3.5 tackles for loss in the ACC championship game. — Adelson
QB, Indiana, sophomore
2024 stats: 2,827 yards, 27 TDs, 4 INTs
The Ohio transfer anchored Indiana’s efficient and powerful offense, completing 70.4% of his passes for 2,827 yards with 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He had touchdown passes in 10 of the 11 games he played, and had a 74% or better completion rate six times, while spreading the ball to Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and others. Rourke earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and tied a team single-game record with six touchdown passes in a rout of rival Purdue. — Rittenberg
WR, Oregon, senior
2024 stats: 78 receptions, 866 yards, 10 TDs
After a 1,182-yard season while catching passes from Bo Nix last season, it was going to be difficult for Johnson to top that in 2024. Despite not having Nix under center and having to acclimate to a new quarterback while Oregon added transfer wideout Evan Stewart, Johnson didn’t miss a beat. The senior from Alabama was still the Ducks’ leading pass catcher (866 yards and 10 touchdowns) despite sitting out two games because of injury only to have his best game of the season in the Big Ten title game with 181 yards and a touchdown. — Uggetti
DL, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 24 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 2 FFs
Much like his QB Dillon Gabriel, Harmon has made the most of his transfer decision. After three years at Michigan State, Harmon arrived in Eugene with the expectation he would wreak havoc on the Ducks’ defensive line. He has done exactly that and more. In 13 games, Harmon has 42 tackles, 24 solo tackles, 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles — all of them career highs. Oregon’s defense hasn’t been underrated, but it’s worth noting that its consistency has been largely anchored by Harmon’s play. — Uggetti
S, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 31 solo tackles, 1 FF, 5 INTs, 8 PDs
A year ago, Watts won the Bronko Nagurski trophy as the nation’s best defender, and yet in 2024, he was almost certainly better. Though his interception total dipped from seven to five, that was still tied for third most nationally. Meanwhile, Watts gave up only nine completions — and no TDs — as the primary defender in coverage this season, while racking up 14 passes defended, 11th most in the country. He also tallied 49 tackles, three QB hurries and a forced fumble as the centerpiece of Notre Dame’s exceptional secondary. — Hale
LB, Georgia, junior
2024 stats: 35 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks
The junior won the Butkus Award as the sport’s top linebacker after totaling 57 tackles, 10½ tackles for loss, 6½ sacks and 2 fumble recoveries this season. Texas will probably be happy to see the projected NFL first-round pick turn pro. Walker had seven tackles and three sacks in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 30-15 win at Texas on Oct. 19, then had three tackles for loss and one sack in a 22-19 overtime victory against the Longhorns in the SEC championship game. — Schlabach
RB, Notre Dame, sophomore
2024 stats: 949 yards, 15 TDs
He shares a backfield with the almost equally brilliant Jadarian Price, so his carry totals don’t match those of other backs, but college football’s 2024 hurdles champion proves his awesomeness with every touch, averaging 7.1 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown on every 9.2 carries or receptions. And of the 46 players with at least 900 rushing yards, Love’s 4.1 yards per carry after contact are second to only Ashton Jeanty. — Connelly
WR, Ohio State, freshman
2024 stats: 57 receptions, 934 yards, 10 TDs
The Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year shattered all of Cris Carter’s Ohio State true freshman receiving records set in 1984. On a Buckeyes offense loaded with playmakers, Smith is the most dangerous, highlighted by an ability to bring down one-handed catches or break off big runs after the catch. — Trotter
LB, Texas, sophomore
2024 stats: 47 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 4 FFs, 1 INT
The 6-3, 235-pound sophomore linebacker is an every-down, sideline-to-sideline star. He led Texas in tackles (90), tackles for loss (16), forced fumbles (4), and he was second in sacks (7.5). He added an interception, four hurries and a fumble recovery to his stat line this fall. — Wilson
RB, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats: 1,485 yards, 22 TDs
Sampson has been the cornerstone of Tennessee’s offense and one of the more consistent running backs in the country. The 5-11, 201-pound junior has 1,485 rushing yards and set the school record with 22 rushing touchdowns. Sampson became the second Tennessee player to have 10 rushing games of 100-plus yards in a season, and 1,051 of his yards came against SEC competition. He was selected as the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the conference’s coaches. — Low
DB, Texas, senior
2024 stats: 32 solo tackles, 5 INT, 9 PDs
Barron, a fifth-year senior, won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back. He has 36 career starts for the Longhorns, and he led the SEC in interceptions this season with five, while leading Texas in passes broken up (nine). He added 47 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble for the nation’s best pass defense that gave up only 143.1 yards per game and 5.1 yards per pass attempt, with just four passing TDs allowed all season. — Wilson
DE, Penn State, junior
2024 stats: 37 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FFs
It’s sometimes hard to stand out on a really good defense. Carter doesn’t have that problem. The junior from Philadelphia ranks first on the Nittany Lions’ defense in tackles for loss (20), sacks (10), pressures (49), run stops (14) and is second in both tackles against the run and tackles against the pass. He’s third nationally in TFLs and fifth in pressures, too. He’s a do-everything star for a do-everything defense. — Connelly
OL, Texas, junior
2024 stats: gave up only 1 pressure
The 6-4, 320-pound junior won the Outland Trophy and started 39 straight games at left tackle. He helped three Texas running backs record 100-yard games this season, and he was the centerpiece for an offense averaging 6.2 yards per play, 164.4 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry with 21 TDs, while also ranking 13th in passing offense (281 YPG). — Wilson
TE, Penn State, senior
2024 stats: 88 receptions, 1,062 yards, 6 TDs
In any season that didn’t include Travis Hunter, odds are Warren would be considered the clear-cut best all-around player in college football. Penn State used him all over the field offensively, lining him up at tight end, halfback, receiver and even quarterback. Warren finished the regular season with 1,062 receiving yards and six TD catches, 191 rushing yards and four TD runs, and, for good measure, 35 passing yards and a touchdown throw. He’s the first non-QB since Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden to rack up 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in a season in which he also threw, ran and caught at least one TD. — Hale
RB, Arizona State, senior
2024 stats: 1,568 yards, 19 TDs
Skattebo was a revelation in Arizona State’s monumental turnaround, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and have more than 500 yards receiving in the same season. He trailed only Ashton Jeanty in yards from scrimmage this season (2,074) and finished with 22 touchdowns, including nine in his past three games. — Bonagura
QB, Oregon, senior
2024 stats: 3,558 yards, 28 TDs, 6 INTs
The journeyman of college football found his way to Eugene this season and his decision to return to college could not have gone much better. After a stellar year at Oklahoma, Gabriel seamlessly fit into Oregon’s offense and led the Ducks to an undefeated season while completing 73.2% of his passes (the best mark of his college career) for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns. Beyond the numbers, Gabriel has yet to meet a stage too big for him this season — some of his best games have come against Oregon’s toughest opponents, and his experience across six years of college football is bound to be crucial come playoff time. — Uggetti
RB, Boise State, junior
2024 stats: 2,497 yards, 29 TDs
There’s not much more to be said about Jeanty that hasn’t been said this season and yet, it bears repeating, reemphasizing and reiterating just what kind of year Jeanty has put together. Jeanty carried the ball 344 times this season for 2,497 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and 29 touchdowns. It is arguably the best single season by a running back since Barry Sanders in 1988 when he ran for 2,850 yards. His play has been a crucial part for why Boise State finds itself with a place in the College Football Playoff and a first-round bye. Whichever team the Broncos face in the Fiesta Bowl will have to try its best to do what no one else has been able to. Perhaps Jeanty himself said it best, on a recent podcast appearance: “The whole defense, every single week, is geared toward stopping me, and they still couldn’t.” — Uggetti
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