Who Are The 10 Best College Football Players from Each AP Top 10 Team?

The start of the 2025 college football season is just 12 days away, and it’s sure to start off with a bang.

Week 1 is set to feature a handful of electric heavyweight matchups of nationally top-ranked teams and a plethora of storylines, including first-year head coaches making their debuts and the impact of NIL and the transfer portal.

That said, FOX Sports’ RJ Young put together a list of one standout player from each of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 college football preseason poll, which was unveiled Monday.

[Related: RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 college football rankings]

Six of those 10 gamers shall be dealing with off in opposition to each other in Week 1, as there are three top-10 tilts on the schedule: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 9 LSU and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.). 

10 Finest Faculty Soccer Gamers from AP Prime 10 Groups

Francis Mauigoa is likely one of the high offensive linemen in school soccer. (Photograph by Bryan Bennett/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Began 26 video games in two seasons for the Hurricanes, anchoring an offensive line that led the nation in scoring (43.9 factors per recreation); projected to be the primary offensive sort out drafted within the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mauigoa enters the yr as one of many high OT draft prospects. At 6-foot-6, Mauigoa is huge and shall be important to defending quarterback Carson Beck this season, giving the Hurricanes hope to make their first CFP look.

Garrett Nussmeier is getting into his second season as LSU’s beginning QB. (Photograph by Alex Slitz/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Completed fifth in FBS in passing yards (4,052 yards) and tied for eighth in cross touchdowns (29) final season.

Like Mauigoa, Nussmeier may even vie to be one of many high gamers chosen at his place within the 2026 NFL Draft. He was among the finest passers within the SEC final yr, which was his first season as a starter, whereas additionally having the stress to exchange then-reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. 

Ryan Williams had a shining freshman season. (Photograph by Brian Bahr/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Freshman All-American and first-team All-SEC choice; one in all seven SEC gamers to report 8 landing catches final season.

Williams had a season to recollect in 2024, and he was solely 17 years previous. His landing catch that helped Alabama beat Georgia was extensively considered as one of many high performs of the season, displaying his skill to make contested catches and velocity. That additionally helped him earn a spot on the duvet of “Faculty Soccer 26.”

Dillon Thieneman was a star at Purdue earlier than transferring to Oregon. (Photograph by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

Stats: Led all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 complete tackles final yr with Purdue.

Among the best defensive gamers to switch this previous offseason, Theineman was a standout for a Purdue group that has been one of many worst applications in an influence convention over the previous couple of years. He received Huge Ten Freshman of the Yr in 2023, when he recorded six interceptions. 

Jeremiyah Love was a key purpose for Notre Dame’s deep CFP run. (Photograph by Edward Diller/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Scored a dashing landing in 13 consecutive video games final season, setting a Notre Dame report; was one in all 10 FBS gamers to report 1,100-plus dashing yards and 19-plus complete touchdowns.

Love was instrumental in Notre Dame’s breakthrough season, which ended with an look within the nationwide championship recreation. His 98-yard landing run in opposition to Indiana was key for Notre Dame in its first-round win, which was additionally one of many 5 video games he rushed for over 100 yards in.

CJ Allen has been a do-it-all linebacker for Georgia. (Photograph by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

Stats: Made 12 begins final season and completed second on the group with 76 complete tackles.

Getting into his junior yr, Allen is a part of the subsequent wave of Georgia defenders with NFL promise. He’ll look to capitalize on a robust 2024 season, because the Bulldogs search to make their first Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals for the primary time in three years.

Cade Klubnik was among the finest quarterbacks in school soccer final season. (Photograph by Jack Gorman/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Prime 5 all-time in Clemson historical past in passing yards, passing touchdowns, cross makes an attempt and completions; solely participant in FBS to throw for 35 touchdowns with six or fewer interceptions.

After an underwhelming first season as Clemson’s beginning quarterback in 2023, Klubnik broke by in 2024. He definitely wasn’t the explanation why Clemson misplaced to Texas within the CFP, both. He threw for 336 yards in that recreation as he seeks to be one of many high quarterbacks chosen within the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Jeremiah Smith had a freshman season for the ages. (Photograph by CFP/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Set Ohio State freshman information in receptions (76), receiving yards (1,315) and landing catches (15); was tied for second in FBS in landing catches and fourth in receiving yards; his 9 catches of 40-plus yards are tied for essentially the most within the FBS.

Smith is arguably the most effective participant in school soccer getting into the 2025 season, with many preseason lists rating him as such. Though he’s solely a sophomore, some have even mentioned that he would’ve been a top-10 decide had he been draft-eligible following his freshman season. 

Dani Dennis-Sutton is one in all many key gamers returning for Penn State. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Completed tied for fifth within the Huge Ten in tackles for loss (13) and tied for sixth in sacks (8.5); additionally pressured two fumbles and recorded 42 complete tackles.

The Nittany Lions had a number of gamers that Younger may’ve named the most effective on their roster. Drew Allar is considered as one of many high quarterbacks within the nation getting into the yr, whereas Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen make up the most effective operating again tandem within the sport. Sutton will get the nod, although, after his 8.5-sack season.

Arch Manning is getting into his first season as Texas’ full-time beginning QB. (Photograph by CFP/Getty Photographs)

Stats: Solely FBS or NFL quarterback previously 25 years to report a 75-plus-yard touchdowb cross, a 65-plus-yard landing run and one other 50-plus-yard landing cross in the identical recreation; went 2-0 as a starter final yr, throwing for 583 yards and totaling 5 touchdowns (4 passing, 1 dashing) in these two video games.

Much like Penn State, Texas additionally has lots of returning gamers who may’ve been named the highest participant on its roster. Finally, Manning received the distinction, and it’s exhausting to not see why. He confirmed his promise as among the finest quarterback prospects in latest reminiscence within the handful of video games he performed in final yr, displaying large arm power and a capability to function as a runner. 

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