What’s a midseason top 25 supposed to look like? As we head into Week 8, we’ve certainly seen new stars emerge (hello, Fernando Mendoza!) and we’ve seen some highly anticipated seasons falter, but with so many games left to play, it’s hard to separate the flash in the pan from the real deal.
So, ESPN’s selection committee (Bill Connelly, David Hale, Max Olson, Adam Rittenberg and Paolo Uggetti) tried to build out this year’s midseason top 25 like a Major League Baseball All-Star team — a few of the biggest names, because their talent is unquestionable, and a few of the plucky upstarts that we may end up regretting if they don’t maintain this hot start through December.
Even still, 25 isn’t a long list, and that means a bunch of players we love — Michigan’s Justice Haynes, Texas A&M’s Mario Craver, Washington’s Jonah Coleman, Utah’s Spencer Fano, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr — didn’t quite make the cut.
The good news is, we’ll do this all again in another two months, and if your favorite player didn’t crack this list, we’ll be happy to atone for the mistakes then. — David Hale
QB, Georgia Tech, Senior
2025 notable stats: 13 TD, 1 INT, 71% completions
2025 preseason ranking: 68
It’s not enough to simply list off King’s stat line, which is impressive. To fully appreciate what he brings to Georgia Tech requires watching him play and the utter physicality and relentless drive he brings to every snap. Coach Brent Key joked King doesn’t really get going until there’s a little blood on his jersey, and that’s probably about the highest compliment you can give him. — Hale
DE, Ohio State, Senior
2025 notable stats: 31 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 6 sacks
2025 preseason ranking: NR
When Illinois scored a meaningless touchdown with 4:25 to play in a blowout loss in Week 7, it marked the first time all season Ohio State had surrendered a second touchdown in a game. The Buckeyes’ defense has been otherworldly, leading the nation in scoring defense and top 10 in total defense, rushing defense and passing defense. There are plenty of reasons why, but the havoc Curry has created at the line of scrimmage — six sacks, 9.5 TFL, 15.4% pressure rate — is at the top of the list. His 22 pressures are twice what any other Buckeyes defender has recorded, and he has been a nightmare for opposing QBs, who are averaging just 4.4 yards-per-dropback when Ohio State doesn’t blitz. — Hale
WR, Arizona State, Junior
2025 notable stats: 523 yards, 8 total TD, 47 catches
2025 preseason ranking: 28
How good is Tyson? When Arizona State’s starting QB Sam Leavitt missed Week 7’s game against Utah, forcing the Sun Devils to turn to a struggling Jeff Sims, Tyson was largely thwarted in the passing game — making eight catches for just 40 yards. It would end up being the first game all season he didn’t catch a touchdown pass. So, what did he do instead? Took a goal-line carry into the end zone for a score. Tyson now has the second-longest active scoring streak in the country, and is tied with Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith for the most total touchdowns by a receiver with eight. — Hale
OL, Duke, Junior
2025 notable stat: No sacks allowed
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Few players in the country have been as consistently good as Parker over the past three years. So far this season, Pro Football Focus grades him as the top tackle in the country. For the season, Parker has been on the field for 373 snaps — 95% of Duke’s total offensive downs — and blown just two run blocks, allowed no sacks and has been flagged for just a single penalty. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils have quietly blossomed into one of the most explosive offenses in the country, with 39 plays of 20 yards or more (seventh nationally) this season. — Hale
WR, USC, Junior
2025 notable stats: 7 total TD, 682 yards, 44 catches
2025 preseason ranking: NR
One of two players nationally — and the lone player from the Power 4 — with five games with at least 90 receiving yards this year, Lemon has been a brilliant combination of explosiveness and consistency. He’s second to San José State‘s Danny Scudero in receiving yards nationally with 682, tied for seventh with six receiving touchdowns and is eighth in catches. And in the red zone, he has been virtually unstoppable, catching five of six targets with three touchdowns and two contested catches. — Hale
LB, Ohio State, Junior
2025 notable stats: 38 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Reese headlines a new group of stars for the nation’s No. 1 defense. After recording 43 tackles in 2024, Reese has nearly matched that total with 38 in six games, including 4.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound junior has a superb size-speed combination that new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has maximized. He set career highs for total tackles (9), solo tackles (8) and sacks (1.5) in last week’s win at No. 17 Illinois. — Rittenberg
QB, USC, Junior
2025 notable stats: 1,852 yards, 13 TD, 93.1 QBR
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Despite becoming USC’s starter late this past season, Maiava entered the fall with surprisingly little hype. He has put himself on the national radar with consistent production and efficiency, completing 71.9% of his passes for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns. Maiava has thrown only two interceptions on 171 pass attempts. He leads the FBS in yards per attempt (10.83) and QBR (93.1), and leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (308.7) and yards per completion (15.1). — Rittenberg
QB, Oregon, Sophomore
2025 notable stats: 1,396 yards, 15 TD
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Moore essentially took a gap year in 2024, playing behind Dillon Gabriel after transferring in from UCLA. He showed no rust with the layoff, completing more than 74% of his passes in four of his first five starts, and threw three touchdown passes or more in four of his first five starts, including in a thrilling overtime win at Penn State. Although Moore struggled in last week’s home loss to Indiana, he’s completing 72% of his passes with 15 touchdowns. — Rittenberg
DB, Indiana, Senior
2025 notable stats: 19 solo tackles, 4 INT, 1 PD
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Moore returned to Indiana not knowing his playing status, as the 24-year-old sued the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. He won the case in late September and has had many more victories on the field for Indiana’s surging defense. Moore is tied for third nationally in interceptions with four, while ranking second on the Hoosiers with 37 tackles. He has interceptions in each of the past two games after opening the season with seven tackles and an interception in each of the first two contests. — Rittenberg
CB, Notre Dame, Sophomore
2025 notable stats: 10 solo tackles, 1 FF, 3 INT
2025 preseason ranking: 13
Yes, it’s another Moore! The Irish defense has had a turbulent first half, but the unit is undeniably better when Moore plays. He’s one of the sport’s top cover corners, allowing only six completions on 15 targeted pass attempts. Moore has three interceptions and two pass breakups in only four games, as well as a forced fumble. He had two interceptions, a forced fumble and six solo tackles against Boise State, earning Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week honors. — Rittenberg
CB, LSU, Senior
2025 notable stats: 17 solo tackles, 1 INT, 5 PD
2025 preseason ranking: NR
LSU’s defense has allowed more than 10 points in just one of six games, and a transformed pass defense, led by this Virginia Tech transfer, has been the primary reason. After he shut down Clemson’s T.J. Moore in the season opener, opponents have quickly caught on: His side of the field is increasingly a no-fly zone. His man has been targeted 25 times on the season. Those passes have gained just 80 total yards, and only five have come in the past two games. — Connelly
RB, Notre Dame, Junior
2025 notable stats: 100 carries, 530 yards, 8 TD
2025 preseason ranking: 5
Love goes where the yards are. If that means grinding away off tackle, so be it. If it means catching balls out of the backfield, that’s good, too. Love has produced at least 114 yards from scrimmage in four of his first six games, complementing eight rushing TDs with three receiving scores. He has enjoyed only one huge, Love-esque burst — a 46-yard score against Purdue— but we know it’s coming. — Connelly
DE, Utah, Sophomore
2025 notable stats: 17 solo tackles, 8 sacks, 2 FF
2025 preseason ranking: NR
We spend eight offseason months talking about who the best college football players are at a given position, and then the season starts and a guy shows up out of nowhere. After recording just five career tackles with one sack over two seasons as an understudy, Daley has suddenly become one of the nation’s best defensive linemen, recording 11 TFLs and eight sacks (both third in the nation) and keying a defense that has allowed more than 14 points just once in six games. — Connelly
WR, Tennessee, Junior
2025 notable stats: 32 receptions, 536 yards, 7 TD
2025 preseason ranking: NR
He had to wait his turn after transferring from Tulane, but after catching 29 passes during Tennessee’s 2024 playoff run, Brazzell is up to 32 midway through the 2025 season. Oh yeah, and he’s just about the most explosive go-to receiver in the country. He torched Georgia for 177 yards and three scores, and while the Vols’ defense has regressed, Tennessee is still in the playoff hunt because of Brazzell and big-play passing. — Connelly
LB, Texas Tech, Senior
2025 notable stats: 11 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, 2 FF
2025 preseason ranking: 57
Bailey was one of the most highly-touted players in the transfer portal after recording eight tackles for loss and seven sacks for Stanford last year. He already has 9.5 TFL and 8.5 sacks, respectively, in half a season in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are in the driver’s seat for a spot in the Big 12 Championship because of a transformed defense, and for as good as Jacob Rodriguez, Romello Height and others have been, Bailey’s explosive pass rushing has played a massive role in the turnaround. — Connelly
DE, Texas A&M, Senior
2025 notable stats: 9 TFL, 8 sacks, 22 pressures
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Howell spent three years at Bowling Green and developed into a third-team All-MAC selection. Now he’s breaking out as the SEC’s sack leader in his second season with the No. 4 Aggies and already has two three-sack performances on the year. The 6-2, 248-pound edge defender is getting pressure on 19% of his pass rushes and is quickly playing his way into first-round draft pick status. — Olson
QB, Miami, Senior
2025 notable stats: 1,213 passing yards, 12 total TD, 3 INT
2025 preseason ranking: 29
After an up-and-down 2024 season cut short by an elbow injury at Georgia, Beck sought a fresh start at a Miami program determined to make the leap and get into the College Football Playoff. So far, so good. Beck’s big-game experience, with his 29-3 record as a starter, has made the difference for the No. 2 Hurricanes in tough tests early on. The veteran passer has raised his completion percentage (73.4%), yards per attempt average (8.7) and QBR (85.0) and has turned Miami into the clear ACC front-runner following a 5-0 start. — Olson
RB, Missouri, Sophomore
2025 notable stats: 782 rushing yards, 9 TD
2025 preseason ranking: 91
Hardy had an impressive freshman season at UL Monroe in 2024 and has taken his game to another level as the leading rusher in the SEC by a margin of nearly 200 yards. Hardy began his Tigers career with five consecutive 100-yard performances, including a career-high 250 against Louisiana. His toughness and ability to make defenders miss, with 511 rushing yards after contact (3rd in FBS) and 52 forced missed tackles (2nd), has made him a perfect fit for coach Eli Drinkwitz’s rushing attack. — Olson
WR, Ohio State, Sophomore
2025 notable stats: 40 receptions, 505 yards, 8 total TD
2025 preseason ranking: 1
Smith was No. 1 on this list to start the season, and in a lot of ways nothing has changed. You won’t find a more talented wide receiver in college football. Smith is second in the Big Ten in catches as the go-to target for new starting QB Julian Sayin. While he hasn’t had a 100-yard performance against a Power 4 defense, Smith is still routinely besting opponents’ efforts to take him out of games and has scored touchdowns in each of Ohio State’s past five wins. — Olson
OL, Miami, Junior
2025 notable stats: 305 snaps, 1 sack allowed
2025 preseason ranking: 24
The former five-star recruit came in as a Day 1 starter at right tackle for the Hurricanes. He continues to develop into an All-America talent and projected first-round pick as everyone expected under offensive line coach Alex Mirabal. Mauigoa has surrendered only one sack since the start of the 2024 season and has just one blown block and two penalties through five games as a junior, according to ESPN Research. — Olson
QB, Indiana, Junior
2025 notable stats: 1,423 yards, 17 TD, 84.6 QBR
2025 preseason ranking: NR
Despite working with the fourth offensive coordinator in his college career, Mendoza appears to have found the perfect fit. The Cal transfer was ready to take the next step and now his move to Bloomington appears fortuitous. Mendoza has looked the part of one of the best quarterbacks in the sport, attracting NFL draft hype, while leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated season so far and a signature win against Oregon last week where he was nearly flawless. — Uggetti
S, Ohio State, Junior
2025 notable stats: 18 solo tackles, 1 INT
2025 preseason ranking: 3
What is there to say about Downs that hasn’t been said before? The unanimous All-American this past season has picked up right where he left off. Put aside the numbers, Downs’ sheer gravity on defense keys the success of the Buckeyes’ unit, which has been one of the two best defenses in the country, despite swapping coordinators from Jim Knowles to Matt Patricia. Downs is a player whose impact will be felt more as Ohio State faces tougher opposition going forward. He’s fourth on the list, but it would surprise no one if he ended up closer to No. 1 by season’s end. — Uggetti
QB, Alabama, Junior
2025 notable stats: 1,678 yards, 18 total TD, 1 INT
2025 preseason ranking: NR
In his first full season as the Tide’s starter, Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have unlocked Simpson’s talent and harnessed it into a potential Heisman Trophy-winning season. The junior from Tennessee has a 70% completion rate, 16 touchdowns and only 1 interception. But despite an offensive line that has allowed 12 sacks this season, Simpson has been more than just a steadying presence under center; through six games, he has been arguably the best quarterback in the sport. — Uggetti
LB, Texas Tech, Senior
2025 notable stats: 21 solo tackles, 2 FF, 3 PD
2025 preseason ranking: 92
If Rueben Bain Jr. has been the best defensive player in the sport, then Rodriguez is right on his heels. The Red Raiders boast the stingiest run defense in the country — allowing only 62.5 rushing yards per game — and Rodriguez is right at the center of it all. The senior has made his impact felt in the ground game and the air game, forcing multiple fumbles, deflecting passes and snatching multiple interceptions. It’s safe to say opposing offenses hate to see him coming. — Uggetti
DL, Miami, Junior
2025 notable stats: 12 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF
2025 preseason ranking: 33
To say that Bain is a game-wrecker would be an understatement. The junior from Miami has been one of college football’s most unstoppable forces this season — a 6-3, 275-pound difference maker whose combination of versatility, athleticism and production has fueled the Hurricanes’ defense. His season so far makes him worthy of being not just the No. 1 player on this list, but also of receiving plenty of chatter about being one of the top picks in the upcoming NFL draft. — Uggetti
