- Cade Klubnik leads the offense: The rising Clemson senior is the perfect returning quarterback in faculty soccer.
- Six rising sophomores make the checklist: There are six true sophomores on PFF’s early All-American crew, displaying how ridiculous final yr’s freshman class was.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and find out about 2025’s prime prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting to your favourite NFL crew.
Estimated studying time: 9 minutes
While a lot of the soccer world’s consideration is on the gamers getting drafted subsequent week, we’ll proceed to focus on those that are returning to varsity soccer.
After unveiling the top-10 gamers at each place, right here’s a have a look at our preseason All-American crew heading into the 2025 season.
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Draft Position Rankings
Quarterback: Cade Klubnik, Clemson
There may not have been a extra improved quarterback in faculty soccer than Klubnik this previous season. After putting 102nd amongst 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 extra touchdowns than the junior (36) and people two are projected top-five picks within the 2025 NFL Draft. Klubnik was additionally fifth amongst all quarterbacks in America with 28 big-time throws.
The former prime quarterback recruit within the 2022 highschool class is lastly beginning to dwell as much as 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 recreation and stellar protection led all of them the way in which to the National Championship Game this previous season, and the previous ought to nonetheless be current in 2025, due to Love’s return.
The sophomore was the second-most-valuable again within the nation in response to PFF’s wins above common metric whereas his 91.0 PFF grade was fifth. Love’s 38% pressured missed sort out charge was additionally second amongst Power Four working backs this previous season, whereas his 6.9 yards per carry was third. His implausible athleticism permits him to run by or hurdle defenders and makes him a risk to attain from wherever on the sector.
Wide Receiver: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
As a real freshman, Smith was essentially the most priceless receiver within the nation in response to PFF’s wins above common metric. His 89.8 receiving grade was third within the nation and over 4 factors greater than some other returning wideout. He additionally led the Power Four with 15 receiving touchdowns, whereas his 1,311 receiving yards trailed solely Tetairoa McMillan in that very same group.
Smith is an athletic freak at 6-foot-3, 215 kilos and has an extremely refined skillset for somebody who turned 19 years outdated in November. Not solely is he the perfect returning receiver within the nation, however he’s additionally the perfect returning participant in faculty soccer.
Wide Receiver: Ryan Williams, Alabama
While it wasn’t the best true freshman extensive receiver season of all time like Smith had, Williams was nonetheless unimaginable in his first yr of faculty soccer.
The former top-five recruit’s 865 receiving yards weren’t simply second to Smith amongst FBS true freshmen this season, they’re second over the past three seasons. Williams additionally led all true freshmen this previous season with 170 receiving yards after contact whereas trailing solely Smith in yards after the catch (397), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards per route run (2.51).
He has elite pace and physique management at 6 ft, 175 kilos and was simply 17 years outdated for all of his freshman season.
Tight End: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Once a four-star quarterback recruit, Stowers has made the transition to tight finish look seamless. No returning tight finish in faculty soccer has been as priceless as him over the past two seasons, in response to PFF’s wins above-average metric.
The New Mexico State switch is an elite athlete, putting above the 99th percentile in our recreation athleticism rating metric. That motion means makes him particularly harmful after the catch, as Stowers was third amongst Power Four tight ends with 13 pressured missed tackles and fourth in yards after the catch (373) this previous yr.
Flex: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Tyson loved a large breakout yr with the Sun Devils, tallying 1,098 yards as a redshirt sophomore. The solely returning Power Four receiver who posted extra was Jeremiah Smith.
Something clicked for the Colorado switch within the second half of the season. In Arizona State’s remaining six video games of the common season, Tyson led the nation with 729 receiving yards whereas his 4.03 yards per route run have been second amongst Power Four ones.
Left Tackle: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Proctor was tasked with defending Jalen Milroe’s blindside in every of his first two seasons. While he took his lumps as a real freshman in 2023, the previous five-star recruit confirmed critical enchancment down the stretch of the season, which carried over into his sophomore marketing campaign.
Since Week 8 of 2023, Proctor has earned a 76.5 PFF grade, eighth amongst SEC tackles. Some of his greatest performances have come towards some elite defensive strains, as properly. Across three video games towards Georgia and South Carolina, the Iowa native has a 90.4 pass-blocking grade with just one stress allowed on 96 pass-blocking snaps.
Proctor is a dancing bear at 6-foot-7, 369 kilos with preposterous athleticism at that monstrous dimension. If he can play at a extra constant degree, he has the upside of being a top-10 choose within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Left Guard: Cayden Green, Missouri
After flashing encouraging indicators at Oklahoma as a real freshman in 2023, Green transferred to Missouri and have become a way more well-rounded participant as a sophomore.
The Tigers’ left guard was considered one of six Power Four guards this previous season who earned 75-plus grades as a go blocker and as a run blocker. Across 676 profession pass-blocking snaps, Green has solely allowed one sack.
Center: Jake Slaughter, Florida
Slaughter was the one Power Four heart with 80.0-plus grades each as a go blocker and as a run blocker. Making that much more spectacular is the truth that he confronted a assassin’s row of defensive tackles like Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Shemar Turner, Joshua Farmer, Omarr Norman-Lott and Deone Walker. All of these gamers must be chosen within the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Slaughter’s 85.8 grade since 2023 trails solely Jackson Powers-Johnson amongst Power Four facilities. He strikes very properly at 6-foot-4, 308 kilos which permits him to dominate in a zone-blocking scheme.
Right Guard: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
Reed-Adams dominated in his first yr with the Aggies. Among Power Four guards, the Kansas switch was second to solely Willie Lampkin in PFF grade, run-blocking grade and in our wins above common metric.
He’s a robust participant at 6-foot-5, 330 kilos who can excel in any run-blocking scheme. Reed-Adams led all Power Four guards in hole grade whereas putting fourth in zone grade.
Right Tackle: Spencer Fano, Utah
Fano led all FBS tackles with a 93.0 grade this previous season as only a true sophomore. That’s primarily resulting from his dominance within the run recreation, because the Utah native’s 93.6 run-blocking grade was the perfect within the nation by over three factors. He additionally completed because the second-most-valuable Power Four sort out in response to PFF’s wins above common metric, trailing solely a projected top-15 choose in Kelvin Banks Jr.
Fano isn’t any slouch as a go protector both, incomes a top-30 pass-blocking grade amongst Power Four tackles (79.5). While some size considerations may push him inside to protect within the NFL, he’s nonetheless an elite athlete with dominant tape.
Interior Defender: Peter Woods, Clemson
Woods spent nearly all of his sophomore yr taking part in out of place at edge defender and nonetheless earned an 83.3 PFF grade on the season. Over his first two seasons of faculty soccer, he’s each the highest-graded and Most worthy returning Power Four defensive sort out, in response to PFF’s wins above common metric.
Woods leads that very same group with an 89.7 run-defense grade and a 14.9% pass-rush win charge since 2023. His energy and agility at 6-foot-3, 315 kilos make him a nightmare for any offensive lineman.
Interior Defender: Zane Durant, Penn State
Durant lived in opposing backfields final yr, each as a go rusher and as a run defender. He led all FBS inside defenders with 14 tackles for loss/no-gain in 2024, whereas his 28 pressures have been a top-25 mark within the nation.
Durant packs a punch regardless of being undersized (6-foot-1, 288 kilos) and has wonderful quickness to shoot gaps.
Edge Defender: Colin Simmons, Texas
Simmons entered faculty with a ton of hype as a top-15 general recruit and has by some means already exceeded expectations. The Texas native was the sixth-most-valuable edge defender within the nation in response to PFF’s wins above common metric. He trailed solely Abdul Carter, Jack Sawyer, Mike Green, Josaiah Stewart and JT Tuimoloau in that metric. Simmons ended up profitable the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, given to the perfect true freshman in America.
His 18.6% stress charge was a top-15 mark within the nation and he was no slouch as a run-defender both, posting a 73.4 run-defense grade. Simmons’ elite mixture of bend and superior pass-rushing strikes is harking back to 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 in the past. And like Clowney, he has the upside of changing into a No. 1 general choose if he retains up this trajectory.
The former five-star recruit earned a 91.4 pass-rush grade as only a true freshman, tied for sixth amongst all edges in America. His 51 pressures have been tied for second amongst returning Power Four edge rushers as properly. Stewart must get a bit stronger so he can set the sting higher within the run recreation, however he’s already essentially the most fearsome pass-rusher in faculty soccer, due to his bodily presents.
Linebacker: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Hill entered faculty as a five-star recruit and instantly lived as much as the hype, beginning instantly as a real freshman. He’s continually across the soccer, whether or not that’s as a run defender, pass-rusher or in protection. Since 2023, his 32 protection stops are tied for essentially the most amongst FBS linebackers, whereas his 10 sacks and 5 pressured fumbles are tied for essentially the most amongst Power Four ones. Hill has had 127 performs the place he’s made first contact on the ball provider in that very same span, essentially the most of any returning Power Four linebacker.
Hill is a flexible athlete who wears many alternative hats for the Longhorns’ protection and will discover his means into the primary spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Linebacker: Taurean York, Texas A&M
Like Hill, York has been a starter in every of his first two seasons. But not like Hill, he was only a three-star recruit popping out of highschool.
York’s confirmed these rankings mistaken to this point, main all returning Power Four linebackers with 59 run-defense stops since 2023. His 122 first contacts on the ball provider are tied for fourth amongst that very same group. York has a stocky construct at 6-feet, 235 kilos and is a superb tackler.
Cornerback: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Moore completed his true freshman season because the third-most-valuable nook in faculty soccer in response to PFF’s wins above common metric, trailing solely Jahdae Barron and Travis Hunter. He was particularly good in Notre Dame’s man-heavy scheme, as his 82.5 grade in man protection was third amongst all corners within the nation. The former three-star recruit is a easy athlete at 6-foot-2 who mirrors receivers at an elite degree already. In reality, he solely allowed 16 of his 42 targets in single protection to be caught.
Cornerback: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
The present favourite to be the highest nook chosen within the 2026 NFL Draft, McCoy was a lockdown participant for the Volunteers after transferring in from Oregon State. His 89.6 protection grade in 2024 is second amongst returning Power Four cornerbacks, whereas his 4 interceptions have been tied for second in that very same group.
McCoy has nice ball expertise with phenomenal motion means, scoring a near-perfect 99.9 in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric.
Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs, who transferred from Alabama final offseason, has been essentially the most priceless security in faculty soccer over the previous two seasons, in response to PFF’s wins above common metric. His 91.7 PFF grade in that span is second amongst all FBS safetie,s whereas his 91.2 protection grade is third. Downs can be a implausible run-defender, main all gamers on this checklist with 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023.
Downs is an extremely versatile participant who can thrive at free security, slot nook or within the field. Not to say, he’s a dynamic punt returner as properly.
Safety: Koi Perich, Minnesota
The Golden Gophers misplaced considered one of faculty soccer’s greatest safeties in Tyler Nubin and instantly discovered one other in Perich. The true freshman’s 5 interceptions this previous season trailed solely Xavier Watts amongst FBS safeties, whereas his 88.9 PFF grade was seventh. He was additionally considered one of solely seven safeties in America who earned 80-plus grades each in protection and in run protection.
Like Downs, Perich doubles as a harmful return man and is athletic sufficient to win and free security whereas concurrently being bodily sufficient to achieve the field as properly.
Flex: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
“The first man off the bus” is a phrase used to explain a crew’s bodily most imposing participant. In that sense, Ponds would possible be the final off the bus for the Hoosiers at simply 5-foot-9, 170 kilos. That hasn’t saved him from performing like one of many nation’s greatest corners in every of his first two seasons, although.
Ponds confirmed his true freshman season at James Madison was no fluke, putting as one of many 15 Most worthy corners within the nation as soon as once more at Indiana. His 91.8 PFF grade over the past two years is the very best amongst all returning FBS cornerbacks as properly. There’s zero concern in Ponds’ recreation, each in protection and in run protection.