The college football season is still a ways away, though it’s quickly approaching. As the hype around the 2025-26 season rises, we already know a handful of players that will dominate headlines.
How will Arch Manning look as the full time starter and Heisman hopeful? Will DJ Lagway turn Florida around in the behemoth SEC? Will Jeremiah Smith be the first true receiver to win the Heisman trophy since Devonta Smith – though Travis Hunter technically won it as a two-way player last year (receiver and defensive back)?
Those are the players we already know about. But how about the ones we don’t yet? There’s a handful of players that are primed to not just breakout, but ultimately end up being stars of the 2025 season.
I’m no fortune teller, but if I had a guess, here’s the five players you might not know about, but will be elite for their respective teams this year. They just might blossom into household names too.
5. Eddrick Houston, Ohio State Buckeyes, defensive line
Eddrick Houston is a name that’s been floated as a player on the verge of a breakout. Last year, he served more of a role of clogging up the interior of the defensive line. He was recruited out of high school as an edge rusher.
Ohio State lost just about every productive pass rusher from last year’s national championship team so it’s very likely they entertain Houston as the solution and move him back to the edge. Because of the vacancy, if he does swap positions on the defensive line again, it could lead to a big season from him.
The Buckeyes have produced high quality edge rushers over the last decade, which included Nick and Joey Bosa, Chase Young and Sam Hubbard. There’s at least four more players looking to add their name to that list and Houston could be the future.
4. Myles Graham, Florida, Linebacker
Myles Graham is coming off a quiet freshman year. Not his fault, though. He was in a loaded linebacker room that has now freed up some space for him to step in. He recorded just 30 tackles last year.
But what makes that number slightly elevated than not is he was fourth most in his position group while playing in just five games – including Florida’s bowl win over Tulane. That’s the mark of a promising 2025 season.
He’s on a team that is loaded with young talent. It will be hard to separate himself from budding stars already in Jordan Castell, Cormani McClain and veterans in Tyreak Sapp and Caleb Banks. Florida’s team is loaded, offense and defense.
Graham will have a tall task to separate himself from the pack. That said, he could end up being one of the best players on that defense this year.
3. Makhi Hughes, Oregon, Running back
Oregon made quick work of finding its replacement running back. And if you didn’t hear about Makhi Hughes and the young core that was at Tulane last season, you’ll certainly hear about him next year.
At one point, Hughes was one of the best players available before the Ducks scooped him up. Last year at Tulane he had 1,401 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. While Oregon isn’t known to have bell-cow running backs, they’re known to have explosive ones.
Hughes is very much a player with a lot of explosive ability, averaging 100 yards per game. Tulane doesn’t get a lot of exposure as a Group of 5 team so he’s a player that unless you’re a football junkie, probably haven’t heard of.
That will change after 2025. Hughes is in an offense that thrives on having as many playmakers as possible. He’s certainly a player that could have a massive 2025.
2. Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame, Wide receiver
Jaden Greathouse is a name you might have heard of before if you followed Notre Dame’s national championship game run. Especially the last two games of the College Football Playoff, Greathouse teased just how good he could be in 2025.
In the regular season, Greathouse had 345 receiving yards. He had 233 yards in the final two games of the CFP. If that’s any indication, he’s primed for a big 2025.
Riley Leonard was primarily a runner, which is why he was the leading receiver with less than 600 receiving yards. There’s no guarantee whoever Leonard’s replacement is will be a better passer.
That said, whoever is the signal caller for the Fighting Irish next year, they’ll have a security blanket in the receiving room.
1. Kaidon Salter, Colorado, Quarterback
Colorado and Deion Sanders went to the transfer portal to get its replacement for Shedeur Sanders. While Julian Lewis will contest for the QB1, the job is probably Kaidon Salter’s at this point. Which is why he could break out and end up being one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
Shedeur went on to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football this year and is in the conversation for being a top 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. While Salter is no Shedeur Sanders, he’s talented nonetheless.
Salter didn’t have a great 2024 season, in 2023, he burst onto the scene as of the best Group of 5 quarterbacks. He was the Conference USA player of the year and C-USA title game MVP. His numbers didn’t look great last year.
At Colorado, he will enter a whole new environment. Not just a team that has a lot of expectations because of its coach, but because he has to prove he isn’t a bust. Lewis is coming in with the mindset of starting day one.
Sanders went and got a veteran quarterback in the portal as an insurance policy. He could end up being the star of the team.