• Talent in Tennessee: Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has massive tools and will run a Josh Heupel-coached offense that perfectly suits his skill set.
• Star Safeties: Ohio State‘s Caleb Downs and Purdue's Dillon Theineman may be the two best safeties in the country as true sophomores.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The 2025 PFF Big Board is live as plenty of breakdowns and speculation have already been done regarding the upcoming draft class.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t also look ahead to the 2026 class to see some of the premier talent coming down the pipe. For reference, this returning group of players will only include those who are ineligible for the 2025 draft – i.e. last year’s true freshmen. Despite it being such a young group, there are still some terrific talents to look forward to this season and beyond.
Quarterback: Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee Volunteers
Iamaleava started just one game last season in the team’s bowl game against Iowa. He shredded the Hawkeyes’ elite defense to the tune of an 84.9 overall grade and four total touchdowns. He enters 2024 as the presumed starter in Knoxville, and the 6-foot-6 passer has all the tools needed to succeed in Josh Heupel’s fast-paced offense. Iamaleava could be a Heisman candidate if he fulfills his potential sooner rather than later.
Running Back: Jaheim White, West Virginia Mountaineers
White finished last season with a Power Five-leading 7.7 yards per carry and turned in the nation’s 14th-best rushing grade at 91.6. He led all true freshman running backs in overall grade as well and is part of a potentially lethal backfield along with quarterback Garrett Greene. There’s a ton of star power in the Big 12 this season at running back, but White should join that crowded field as the Mountaineers look to disrupt the conference hierarchy.
Wide Receiver: Eugene Wilson III, Florida Gators
Florida lost wide receiver Ricky Pearsall to the NFL draft this past season, but the Gators should be in good hands with Wilson manning the top spot this year. He actually already led the team with an 81.5 receiving grade last season and no player in the nation caught more passes without a drop last season than Wilson. His 18 forced missed tackles as a receiver were also a top-20 mark at the position. If the Gators are going to survive a brutal schedule, Wilson will be a primary reason.
Tight End: Benjamin Brahmer, Iowa State Cyclones
The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Brahmer finished his freshman season with a solid 74.0 overall grade and found himself on several Freshman All-American lists. He was a consistent performer in an offense that was generally designed to throw outside the numbers at a high rate. Perhaps most importantly, PFF’s Game Athleticism Score saw him as a 99th-percentile athlete last season. He could be a breakout candidate at the position if the Cyclones find more ways to utilize him.
Offensive Tackle: Francis Mauigoa, Miami Hurricanes
Miami’s right tackle led all true freshman offensive linemen in snaps played and led all true freshman tackles with a 70.1 overall grade (min. 200 snaps). He did his best work in the run game, where he posted a 70.7 run-blocking grade and improved as the season went on. He also improved in pass protection after a rocky first few games. Mauigoa could be a star if he just finds more consistency.
Offensive Guard: Cayden Green, Missouri Tigers
As one of the top offensive line recruits last season, Green had high expectations while starting immediately for Oklahoma. After one start at tackle and a rocky initial start at guard, Green found his footing in pass protection and became a stable piece for the Sooners. In Big 12 play, he earned a 72.3 pass-blocking grade while allowing zero sacks and just one quarterback hit. This season, he joins a Missouri offense with similarly high expectations. If he can balance out his game with improvement in run blocking, he will be a key piece for the Tigers.
Center: Iapani Laloulu, Oregon Ducks
Continuing the tradition of excellent Oregon offensive linemen will be Iapani Laloulu. As is the Ducks’ tradition, they initiated him last season in a part-time role across all three interior positions. He earned a 79.1 pass-blocking grade and allowed just two pressures across 232 reps. Laloulu is now entrenched at center, replacing Jackson Powers-Johnson. His protection abilities will be a huge asset for Dillon Gabriel and the rest of the Ducks’ offense.
Edge Defender: Reuben Bain Jr., Miami Hurricanes
The second Miami player on this list, Bain was nothing short of spectacular in his freshman season. He finished 2023 with 45 pressures, nine sacks and an 89.3 pass-rush grade that tied him with Dallas Turner for 22nd in the FBS among qualified edge defenders. In fact, the only true freshman Power Five edge player who earned a higher pass rush grade was Myles Garrett in 2014. Miami’s defensive line could be a special unit this season, but the catalyst for it is Bain’s talent at such a young age.
Defensive Tackle: Peter Woods, Clemson Tigers
It may seem odd for a player who didn’t record a sack last season to make a list like this, but Peter Woods is a different player, especially in the run game. He finished seventh in the FBS in both overall and run defense grades. He earned a positive grade on 29.4% of his run defense snaps, a higher rate than superstar players like T’Vondre Sweat and Mason Graham. Woods needs to improve his pass-rush repertoire, but if he does, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
Linebacker: Taurean York, Texas A&M Aggies
York made his mark with the Aggies last season as a solid run defender. His 79.6 run defense grade led all qualified true freshman linebackers and was the second-best mark in the SEC behind teammate Edgerrin Cooper. He now takes on a greater leadership role with Cooper’s departure to the NFL. If he can improve his play in coverage, he could follow in Cooper’s footsteps toward the NFL.
Cornerback: Malik Muhammad, Texas Longhorns
Muhammad played a pivotal role during Texas’ playoff run last season, leading the team and finishing second in the Big 12 with a 79.9 coverage grade. He allowed just three catches of at least 15 yards all season. The Longhorns’ secondary was seen as a weakness last year, so Muhammad and the rest of that unit will be under the microscope as they push for another playoff berth against SEC competition.
Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes and Dillon Thieneman, Purdue Boilermakers
The safety position is back in a big way, and 2023 saw two historically great true freshmen playing there. Downs was the best player in an elite Alabama secondary last season. He finished the season with the ninth-best overall grade and fifth-best coverage grade among qualified safeties. In fact, after Week 3, Downs was the highest-graded safety in college football. He should continue to excel this season after transferring to a loaded Ohio State defense.
Downs’ new Big Ten counterpart, Dillon Thieneman, was actually the highest-graded safety in the nation for the entirety of last year at 89.5 overall. That’s actually the third-highest grade PFF has ever given a true freshman safety behind Derwin James and Jordan Whitehead. Thieneman’s six interceptions were the second-most in the nation behind Nagurski Award winner Xavier Watts. He’s the best single-high safety in college football right now.
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