Joel Klatt Reveals Top 10 Players in College Football for 2025 season

Two Texas Longhorns players are among the best in the country.

Joel Klatt Reveals Top 10 Players in College Football for 2025 season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The 2025 college football season is less than a month away.

There are numerous talented players across the country that will take the field this year. The two most talked about are Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.

FOX Sports' Joel Klatt recently revealed his top 10 players in college football for 2025 and understandably both Smith and Manning made the list.

One of Texas' best players this season also appeared on Klatt's ranking. Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., widely viewed as the top linebacker in the country, landed at No. 7. "Hill is back for his junior season, and I think he could have one of those years when he pops to become a Butkus Award winner," Klatt said. "He’ll be the focal point of that defense in 2025."

Manning, the first-year starter for the Longhorns this season, holds the No. 4 spot in Klatt's ranking. "I know Manning hasn’t been a full-time starter and people might get tired of the hype, but he deserves a spot on this list," Klatt explained. "Just look at the way he played when he got his chances to play. It was dynamic. In the two starts Manning made last season, he really showed us his potential. He actually reminded me a lot of Trevor Lawrence at Clemson."

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning runs the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on Nov. 30, 2024.Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Klatt's full ranking can be seen below.

  1. Jeremiah Smith - WR (Ohio State)
  2. Caleb Downs - S (Ohio State)
  3. Cade Klubnik - QB (Clemson)
  4. Arch Manning - QB (Texas)
  5. Ryan Williams - WR (Alabama)
  6. Jeremiyah Love - RB (Notre Dame)
  7. Anthony Hill Jr. - LB (Texas)
  8. T.J. Parker - Edge (Clemson)
  9. Kadyn Proctor - OT (Alabama)
  10. Peter Woods - DT (Clemson)

Texas will be tested right off the bat with a tough non-conference matchup against Ohio State in Columbus on Aug. 30.

Related: Texas QB Coach Shares Unfiltered Thoughts on Arch Manning Replacing Quinn Ewers

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.

Category: General Sports