Who will be this new Ashton Jeanty or Jayden Daniels?
As we look ahead to the 2025 season, ere are five unheralded players that can take the sport by storm next season.
Cam Coleman - Wide Receiver, Auburn
The former five-star recruit couldn’t quite reach the same heights as fellow C/O 2024 receivers Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams due to Auburn's offensive struggles.
However, Coleman absolutely has the athleticism and skill necessary to be a star in this sport.
After slow start he put up eye-popping numbers in the Tiger's last three games, hauling in 22 catches for 306 yards and six touchdowns.
Upgrades from the portal will help his production improve, with Auburn bringing in quarterback Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma, as well as highly touted offensive linemen Xavier Chaplin and Mason Murphy.
The 6 '3 receiver will also be complemented nicely by Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr., who should keep some double-coverage off Coleman.
Fernando Mendoza - Quarterback, Indiana (via Cal)
Mendoza is a huge pickup for the Hoosiers with Heisman candidate Kurtis Rourke out of eligibility.
The soon-to-be junior threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns for a middling Cal team this year, and is coming into an Indiana offense that won their 11 games by an average of 34 points.
Rourke's success showed how dangerous that offense can be with an efficient and accurate passer, and Mendoza's NFL-ready talent takes them to another level.
With leading receivers Elijah Sarrat and Omar Cooper Jr. returning for their senior seasons, along with additions like guard Pat Coogan from Notre Dame, Mendoza could be set to breakthrough as one of the nation's top passers.
It's safe to say after finishing with the most wins in program history, Indiana and 2024 Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti aren’t going anywhere.
KJ Bolden - Safety, Georgia
Georgia is essentially swapping one All-American safety for another this offseason.
Bolden will be taking over for probable first-round pick Malachai Starks in the Bulldogs secondary after an impressive freshman campaign.
Playing a rotational role for a stingy Georgia defense, the hard-hitting safety turned heads when he was on the field, compiling 59 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception in 15 games .
Able to play at any spot on the field, Bolden has the chance in 2025 to cement himself as Georgia's next great defensive-back.
Makhi Hughes - Halfback, Oregon (via Tulane)
With star back Jordan James off to the draft, this seems like a perfect landing spot for Hughes out of the portal.
The Ducks run game was embarrassingly bad in their playoff exit against Ohio State, finishing with an appalling -23 yards, and the two-time All-AAC rusher might be the key to correcting that.
Finishing top-10 in rush yards in 2024 at Tulane, Hughes dominated the American with 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns, even eclipsing the 100-yard mark seven times.
While he could see shared reps with senior Noah Whittington, Hughes will have the benefit of a very talented Oregon offensive line and should have no problem blooming into a star.
Peter Woods - Defensive Line, Clemson
Injuries limited Woods to eight games in what could have been his breakout season this year, but he's solidified himself as Clemson’s defensive anchor when healthy.
An explosive athlete with the ability to play up and down the line, Woods can demolish offensive gameplans when needed.
His capabilities as a pass rusher and run stopper allows the Tigers to use multiple different fronts, causing panic and confusion for opposing offenses on Clemson’s schedule.
The ACC should beware of a fully healthy Woods and a Clemson defense that is raring to get after the quarterback in 2025.