Welcome to the 12-team College Football Playoff. While it’s taken a bit to get used to seeing 15 or so programs jostle for positioning in the final month of the season, we’ve arrived at the opening weekend.
In the four-team era, prospects remained scattered throughout each program, but the opening round of play has doubled the amount of players in action, and in turn, the level of draftable talent that will remain on display. While we’ll have to wait a week to see the likes of Ashton Jeanty, Cam Skattebo, or the uber-talented Oregon Ducks (each team has a first-round bye), the following is a list of both headliners and under-the-radar prospects to familiarize yourself with as Notre Dame and Indiana kick off what is sure to be a heck of a next few weeks of college football.
Notre Dame SAF Xavier Watts
Xavier Watts is a do-it-all athlete for the Fighting Irish. He plays at all three levels, is a highly instinctual athlete, and is always around the football. He’s not Kyle Hamilton from yesteryear for Notre Dame, but the role he plays and the impact he’s asked to make from sideline to sideline is reminiscent of the All-Pro for the Baltimore Ravens. Players like Watts will have an impact not only in the CFP but at the next level for a long time.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
I wanted to keep this piece centered around 2025 draft-eligible prospects, but Jeremiyah Love is just too darn special of a player to leave off this list. A true sophomore, he’s the hefty straw that stirs the drink for Notre Dame on offense and will remain a headlining contributor should they silence their prior CFP demons and push toward a national title. Love enters the CFP with 229 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games, averaging 13.1 yards a pop on 20 carries. He’s a heck of a ballplayer.
Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard
Riley Leonard’s ability on the ground has been well-documented, but his ability to push it through the air will truly showcase Notre Dame’s offensive ceiling. He’s thrown for more than 220 yards in a single game just once this fall, but looking back to his days at Duke, he’s got the velocity and touch to threaten all levels of a defense should Indiana limit the ground game. The CFP remains a huge step in the pre-draft process for Leonard, who has accepted his invitation to attend the Senior Bowl next month.
Notre Dame IDL Rylie Mills
The unquestioned leader for Notre Dame up front, Rylie Mills enters the CFP with 33 pressures and seven sacks as a primary 3-tech in the middle—both totals lead the Irish. A power-laden rusher, Mills also has excellent lateral agility and hands, and is a nightmare to block in isolated situations in the ground game. If the Hoosiers can’t limit Mills, they’ll have a tough time moving the ball in South Bend.
Indiana IDL CJ West
A transfer from Kent State, CJ West has remained one of the biggest ‘risers’ in the draft process along the defensive line. He moves extremely well at 310-plus pounds, can play up and down the defensive front, and has some dominant reps working toward the fringe areas in the ground game. Blocking West with his size and explosiveness will be a tall task for 60 minutes.
Penn State QB Drew Allar
During summer evaluations here at The Draft Network, I gave Drew Allar a first-round valuation due to his immense talent and projectability at the position despite obvious concerns with his performance against the likes of Ohio State and Michigan over the years. I received some heat for it initially, but he’s been excellent this fall under OC Andy Kotelnicki, was sensational against Oregon in the Big Ten title game, and enters the CFP fresh off of his declaration to return to school for the 2025 campaign. He’s one of the most talented QBs in the 12-team playoff, and with a positive showing, he’ll enter the summer as a favorite to be a top-five pick in 2026.
Penn State TE Tyler Warren
A likely first-round pick in April, the Penn State offense goes as Tyler Warren goes. More talent around Allar is expected next year as WR Kyron Hudson (USC) enters via the portal, but for the short term, it’ll be Warren, more Warren, and even more Warren against SMU. He’s as versatile as any player in the country, aligns all over the formation, and has the hands, burst, and route-running ability to make plays at all depths. He’s arguably the most important player, on any team, in the entire CFP.
Penn State SAF Jaylen Reed
Jaylen Reed is a fun ballplayer to watch. You won’t hear his name called likely until the latter portions of day two next spring, but he’s going to make a heck of an impact wherever he calls home at the NFL level. There are other headliners on the Penn State defense, but Reed is a player to know this weekend whose name you’ll hear called early and often due to his ability to make plays in both phases.
SMU EDGE Elijah Roberts
If you’ve followed any of my work this fall, then you’ve seen the name Elijah Roberts pop up on multiple occasions. One of the country’s premier pass-rushers this fall, he has dominant reps at five-tech due to his ability to win with both speed and power near 300 pounds. What makes him so unique is his ability to bend and rip around the corner at his size, a trait seen by few collegiate pass-rushers at his mass. Roberts enters the CFP with 17 pressures and 14 QB hurries in his last trio of starts and is a player who remains a sleeper in the draft process.
SMU SAF Isaiah Nwokobia
A first-team All-ACC selection this fall, Isaiah Nwokobia is a devastating tone-setter at the safety spot with the ball skills that force QBs to slide their eyes elsewhere when looking over the top. SMU’s high-tempo offense led by Kevin Jennings and Brashard Smith gets all the attention, but Nwokobia is a popular name within league circles that will have a red dot next to his name on Saturday.
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
What an opportunity for Cade Klubnik, who returns to his childhood hometown as the leader of the Clemson offense. A standout at Westlake High School just a short 20-minute drive from Texas’ campus, Klubnik’s development this fall has been outstanding. He’s beaten teams as a pocket passer (see tape vs Wake and UVA) and as a runner (NC State and Pitt), showcasing a unique ability to beat teams in a variety of ways. Texas will be Clemson’s toughest test since opening week against Georgia, where the Tigers failed to score a touchdown and lost by 31. Klubnik remains in the day-two-or-three bucket of draft-eligible quarterbacks and a competitive outing against the vaunted Longhorns defense will go a long way for scouts.
Clemson TE Jake Briningstool
Second on the Tigers in targets (67), receptions (45), and TDs (7), Jake Briningstool is a highly intriguing flex weapon that will draw attention all night from a few of Texas’ hybrid defenders. An athlete we’ll see live at the Senior Bowl next month, he’s a name of note in what is an immensely talented group of tight ends in the 2025 class.
Texas SAF Andrew Mukuba
Just last year we saw Andrew Mukuba donning Clemson threads. Now, he’s on the opposite side as the leader of the Texas secondary alongside Jahdae Barron. You can bet that Mukuba has this game circled, bolded, and highlighted, and if this season has been any indication, expect No. 4 to make a play or two before this thing is all over with.
Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr.
One of the country’s most gifted pass-rushers, James Pearce Jr.’s performance against a formidable opponent like Ohio State will hold massive weight toward finalizing his evaluation. Pearce finished the regular season ranked ninth among all FBS edge rushers in pressures this fall (53), but a dominant showing against the Buckeyes would further solidify his standing as an elite in the upcoming draft. Concerns have remained about Pearce’s play strength and ability to win as a technically-refined pass-rusher, instead of as a pure athlete who looks to consistently threaten the outside shoulder.
Ohio State QB Will Howard
The Buckeyes’ RB tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are expected to holster a large number of touches against the Volunteers, but it’s hard to fathom a national title for Ohio State if Will Howard can’t lift the offensive ceiling. A transfer from Kansas State, Howard has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal to target on the perimeter, and delivering throws both on time and accurately will allow OC Chip Kelly to expand his playbook. Another Senior Bowl commit on this list, NFL eyes will be glued to Howard’s performance against Tennessee, and potentially, a rematch with Oregon next week.
Ohio State DB Davison Igbinosun
Davison Igbinosun will be tested this weekend. Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava isn’t afraid to push the ball vertically, and Igbinosun’s ability to limit the likes of Bru McCoy, Dont’e Thornton, and Squirrel White will pave the way for success. The knock on Igbinosun is his knack for grabbing and tugging on the perimeter, accruing 13 penalties this fall alone. It’s a number that’s unacceptable at the position, regardless of level, and don’t be shocked when Tennessee dials up shot play after shot play downfield to test his patience and coverage ability in certain situations. It’s a big week for the true junior and former Ole Miss transfer.
