The deadline for players to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft has passed, so you can be reasonably sure which players from your favorite teams will be back on campus next year. Well, of course, unless they enter the transfer portal when the spring window opens.
While there has been a lot of talk and talk about the current state of college football (and some of it is justified), there is no denying that the zero era has led to many more star players returning to school in recent seasons. It used to be easy to know who would move on to the NFL. Is it likely he will be drafted? He is gone. Now players have the opportunity to weigh up the finances. Are they better off entering the NFL as a mid- or late-round pick when they could make more money in school next season while perhaps even improving their draft values?
If you need proof of concept, three of the 20 players I included on this list last year are back in the fold by 2024. They also play for the same team. As you can see, this list is not an exact science. I'm not just listing the top 20 prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. It's a mix of NFL Draft stocks and value for the current team. I also mix things up by position.
If there's anything to be learned from this year's roster, it's that next year's draft class appears to be stronger on the defensive side of the ball. There's plenty of time for new names to emerge, but last year we were confident that the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Marvin Harrison would be in the top five. This year I couldn't tell you who the best QB on anyone's board will be a year from now. There's a good chance it's not one of the three names listed below, but we'll start there anyway.
The top 20 NFL Draft-eligible players of the 2024 season
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: Ewers is a more polarizing perspective. He entered college as one of the top QBs in his class, but struggled with injuries during his two seasons as a starter for the Longhorns. When healthy, he has shown much of the talent that made him an enticing prospect and helped get the Longhorns into the College Football Playoff. If he shows improvement with new weapons next SEC season, he has a chance to go No. 1 overall.
Cam Ward, QB, Miami: Ward almost declared for the draft this year but was lured to Miami, where he'll have a chance to hone his skills on a Hurricanes team looking to compete for an ACC title. Ward was inconsistent at times but had a strong season with Washington State. He has the ability to make something out of nothing that few others possess.
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: Few QBs in the country have impressed me more in 2023 than Beck. He seemed a little shy at the start of the season, but flipped a switch and became one of the better passers in the country. Honestly, there might be some guys going in the first round this year that I would pick Beck over. He has a legitimate chance to be No. 1 next season.
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State: Henderson was on this list last year but, similar to the 2022 season, struggled with injuries that kept him out of some games. He still averaged nearly 6 yards per carry and will be a standout player in one of the best offenses in the country. And while running back isn't a highly coveted position in the early rounds of the draft, few backs in the country have the big-play potential that Henderson has when healthy.
TreVeyon Henderson has a chance to improve his performance as a key player for a top-tier offensive lineman at Ohio State University in 2024. Getty Images
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri: Burden was one of the best players in the 2022 recruiting class, and after a slow start as a freshman at Mizzou, he exploded in 2023. He caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and helped lead the Tigers to a Cotton Bowl. He's a nightmare for any out-of-post defenseman and could be on track for an even bigger season in 2024.
Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon: Stewart, like Burden, was one of the top receivers in the 2022 class. Unlike Burden, Stewart performed slightly better as a rookie than in his second season. Still, most of this can probably be attributed to circumstances beyond Stewart's control. Stewart has since moved to Oregon, where he is considered the Ducks' replacement for Troy Franklin on offense. If Stewart has a big year in gold and green, he could play his way into the first round.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State: Egbuka was on this list last season along with teammate Marvin Harrison Jr., but Egbuka struggled with injuries. He still finished with 41 catches for 515 yards in 10 games, but averaged just 12.6 yards per reception after posting 15.6 yards in 2022. Regardless, he is an incredible talent who will enter 2024 as the top receiving option in Ohio State's offense. This is usually the first step to getting selected in the first round.
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon: Similar to next season's QB class, I'm not sure who will be considered the top tackle in next year's draft. Last year it was Olu Fashanu of Penn State and Joe Alt of Notre Dame. There could be several candidates running this year, and Conerly is one of my favorites. Oregon's offensive line was a major strength last season, and Conerly excelled in pass defense. He has the performance and traits to attract NFL attention.
Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State: Horse chestnuts everywhere you look! Seriously, Ohio State did a great job convincing the boys to go back to school next year. Jackson isn't the biggest name, but he's an important player for the Buckeyes. Overall, Ohio State's offensive line was disappointing in 2023, but Jackson stood out for his ability to sustain pass defense and shut people out in the run game.
JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State: Tuimoloau is the third Ohio State member to make this list last season to return for another run. He didn't have to lose as many tackles in 2023 as he did in 2022, but he was still a nightmare for opponents as he managed 37 pressures this season. He will be part of Ohio State's defensive line, which is expected to be one of the best in the country.
Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia: Honestly, the way things have been going the last few years, I could get away with listing Georgia's double-deckers and hitting more players than I missed for this story. Walker has a chance to establish himself as the top edge rusher in his class next season. He led Georgia with five sacks in 2023, but would likely get more if he played in a scheme that blitzed more than Georgia. He is long, fast, strong, athletic and versatile. He's basically everything you want in a prospect.
Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss: My apologies to Texas A&M fans who already saw Evan Stewart on this list and now have Nolen thrown in their face. Like Stewart, Nolen was one of the victories in recruiting Jimbo Fisher, who will play elsewhere in 2024. Nolen is a monster who does monster things, and he will emerge as the best player on defense at Ole Miss from day one and could be a Day 1 NFL Draft pick.
Mason Graham, DL, Michigan: Remember that guy on Michigan's offensive line that terrorized Ohio State, Alabama and Washington? He will be back next year as he is not eligible for the draft! Graham was no stranger to the 2022 recruiting class, but he wasn't considered an elite prospect coming out of high school. However, he is now considered elite. Center backs who can stop the run and bust pockets from the inside are among the most sought-after players in the sport, and Graham fits the bill.
Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan: Just like his teammate! Like Graham, Grant was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class who developed into a monster at Michigan. He's a huge human who can pick you up and throw you out of the way just as well as he can chase a running back in the open field. Seriously, writing down these final five players makes my heart race about next year's defensive line class.
Kenneth Grant is back for another year to wreak havoc on the reigning national champion Wolverines. Getty Images
Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson: Jeremiah Trotter led Clemson in tackles this season and will be one of the top linebackers in the draft, but I have a higher opinion of Carter than Trotter. Carter is big and strong enough to help in the run game, but he is quick enough and has the athleticism to help in pass coverage as well. These are the traits you need to be a three-down, off-ball linebacker at the NFL level right now, and should Carter continue on his current path, he will be a sought-after player next spring.
Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma: I don't know if Stutsman has the athleticism to impress you at the combine, but he has enough to be successful at the next level. Plus, I don't care what his cone drill looks like; Simply insert the tape and watch Stutsman play. He's a heat-seeking missile that flies to the ball and ends the game. He had 104 tackles for the Sooners this year, including 16 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception.
Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado: Colorado got a lot of attention in 2023, and while there was more flash than substance overall, Hunter is flash, substance, and a future first-round pick. I listed him as a cornerback here, but if he wanted to play receiver at the next level, he could easily prove to be a first-round pick on that side of the ball. He's an incredible football player who has a chance to be a perennial All-Pro cornerback, just like the man who coaches him in Boulder, Colorado.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan: Johnson is the third Michigan defensive lineman from his 2022 recruiting class on this list, but he was the highest-profile player of the three and lived up to expectations in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Long, strong, athletic and with a bulldog demeanor that is coveted in the corner. There is no job he doesn't want to take on and no job he can't win. Any time you're tasked with shadowing guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze and you manage to slow them down, teams will notice.
Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State: Burke isn't the tallest corner, but his length makes up for it. He didn't emerge as a finished cornerback at Ohio State, but he got better each season with more experience, and his 2023 season was his best yet. Ohio State signing him to bring him back for another year is a huge win for the Buckeyes and could prove to be a bigger win for Burke.
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia: Georgia had an incredible secondary this season, and things could get better in 2024. Starks is a dream safety prospect. He has everything you want in a player from a physical and talent perspective, and he combines it all with the mentality of a player who could captain your defense for a decade. He is easily one of my favorite players in the country, regardless of his position.