Every single year there are some phenomenal freshmen stars that breakout, showcasing their incredible talents from the start. Last year Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State) posted the best true freshman season in history for a wide receiver with over 1300 yards and 15 touchdowns. Ryan Williams (WR, Alabama) put up 900 yards himself, which would normally be the best freshman mark by far. Caden Durham (RB, LSU) tallied over 1000 yards from scrimmage too. However, none of that trio ultimately won College Football Freshman of the Year (The Shaun Alexander Award).

Colin Simmons (EDGE, Texas) ultimately won the award after posting an absurd 19% pass rush pressure rate, nine sacks, and nearly 50 tackles in his first dominant season for the Texas Longhorns. Who will win the award this year?

Our staff here at A to Z Sports decided to hold a College Football Freshman of the Year fantasy draft to see who could best predict the winner of the award this year. Five writers. Three picks each.

Yes, the first pick certainly seems to have an advantage given that they get to select the five star freshman quarterback from Michigan, Bryce Underwood, but the 2025 freshman class is stacked. Let’s dive in and get to know some of the other top challengers for freshman of the year.

1. Bryce Underwood, QB Michigan

“With Mikey Keene missing some time this summer due to an injury, the path for Bryce Underwood to become Michigan’s starting QB immediately is quite clear now. The dynamic dual-threat will surely need time to adjust to the Big Ten’s size, speed, and complex defenses, but he’s as physically gifted as any quarterback within the conference since Justin Fields was dominating it. It’s only a (likely very short) matter of time until Underwood is playing, and he should post some gaudy numbers when he does.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

2. Gideon Davidson, RB Clemson

“Selecting Gideon Davidson here may be a pick that many people didn’t really see coming, because he isn’t the flashiest of names, but boy can he play. And it does make sense when you really think about the opportunity at hand. Davidson, the Clemson running back, is sitting pretty high on the Tigers depth chart already with injuries and lackluster talent around him in the RB room. He may be the day one starter with most of the snaps coming his way as a true freshman. We know that Dabo Swinney has never been afraid to play young running backs. With Clemson being one of the primary teams to watch in contention for the ACC Championship and maybe even the National Championship, there should be a ton of eyes on Davidson all year long.” – Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports Oklahoma Sooners

3. Dakorien Moore, WR Oregon

“Once committed to LSU, Dakorien Moore has the look of the next great wide receiver out West. Blessed with unreal short area explosiveness and playmaking skills, Moore’s game is extremely reminiscent of former NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. (among other elite talents). With the injury to veteran wide receiver Evan Stewart, he is expected to be an even more important player in 2025 for the Ducks. Getting on the same page with quarterback Dante Moore will be vital for Oregon to try to win their second straight Big Ten championship. They are going to need the big play ability from Moore.” – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame Fighting Irish

4. Dallas Wilson, WR Florida

“Getting Dallas Wilson to flip from Oregon two weeks after early signing day was a huge coup for Billy Napier. Wilson didn’t take long to make his presence felt either, setting team records in the spring game with 10 receptions for 195 yards. He also had two touchdowns, solidifying his impressive spring. Wilson started working with the first team to start fall camp already, which isn’t surprising given his talent. Wilson looks like the next big thing in Gainesville.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

5. Elijah Griffin, DL Georgia

“Georgia’s defensive front is replacing seven of their top eight pass rushers from a year ago. The depth is paper thin up front for the first time in Kirby Smart’s entire tenure with the Bulldogs, so freshman opportunity is there in a Georgia fans haven’t seen for years. Griffin is a five star physical force who is at the very least going to be a rotational contributor. Best case he’s a game wrecker by year’s end given his impressive build, burst, and strength.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

6. Andrew Babalola, OT Michigan

“Bryce Underwood could have a good season, but Michigan is going to try to ground and pound the ball all year long. It’s who they are. If Andrew Babalola dominates at offensive tackle in both rush and pass situations, anchoring what could become one of the better offensive line units in the Big Ten because of his quick rise to success, there’s a path here for him. Five star skills. Monster of a man already. If Michigan is really good, then Babalola could become a household name.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

7. DJ Pickett, CB LSU

“Despite losing out on five star quarterback Bryce Underwood, head coach Brian Kelly brought in a strong 2025 recruiting class. One of the five stars that they did end up landing was cornerback DJ Pickett. He’s got a unique profile at 6’5″, 195 pounds, which isn’t the type of profile that you normally see at the position. That length plus his movement ability will be a fascinating thing to watch for the Tigers.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

8. David Sanders Jr., OT Tennessee

“Some considered David Sanders to be the top overall offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting class, possessing a unique blend of length, athleticism, and raw power. He is already projected to be the starting left tackle for the Volunteers, and is one major reason the program expects to have a much better offensive line for the 2025 college football season. If Sanders is able to continue adding good weight to his frame, he has superstar upside, and has the look of a future first round NFL Draft selection.” – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame Fighting Irish

9. Michael Fasusi, OT Oklahoma

“Michael Fasusi was one of the best, if not the best, offensive lineman and tackle in the 2025 recruiting class. Bill Bedenbaugh–who’s sent many players to the NFL–and the Oklahoma Sooners were somehow able to snag him thanks to their proven player development. He likely won’t be the day one starter, but you better believe that he will be a starter at some point in this season. When he does Fasusi will likely make some pretty big headlines. Oklahoma had a bad offensive line last year, so giving new starting quarterback John Mateer a powerful guy at tackle to anchor things down is going to be huge. Right now, he’s behind Jacob Sexton for the starting spot, but it’s only a matter of time before they get the future of the program out there.” – Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports Oklahoma Sooners

10. Malik Washington, QB Maryland

“While Malik Washington wasn’t even a consensus top 10 QB in this recruiting class via the major recruiting sites, he walked into what appears to be an immediate starting job. Mike Locksley needs Washington to be a relative hit early on and has successfully built explosive passing games in the past. Riding running back Roman Hemby is no longer a possibility (now at Indiana), but Maryland’s transfer-heavy approach gives Washington some veterans to rely upon instead. This is a long shot based more on playing time and opportunity than a pure talent play, but Washington’s traits are intriguing enough to think he can upset non-QB competitors.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

11. Jahkeem Stewart, EDGE USC

“A reclassified pass-rushing star (should still be a senior in high school), Jahkeem Stewart, should immediately find a notable role on an ailing USC defense. With Lincoln Riley struggling mightily last year, 2025 is a show-me season where everything must be thrown at the wall to see what works. Most true freshman pass rushers aren’t ready for a big workload, but last year’s dominance from Colin Simmons (Texas) and Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) gave Stewart some hope to be a foundational piece for a unit that has simply not met expectations for far too long.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

12. Devin Sanchez, CB Ohio State

“A lot of eyes will be on the Ohio State Buckeyes secondary because of Caleb Downs, who may very well be the best player in college football. When people are there to watch Downs, they’ll end up seeing another freshman in the secondary that’s bound to make some big time plays in Devin Sanchez. Ohio State will be competing for a National Championship, and having a true freshman as a potential key part of that (especially after winning one last year) is going to be something that gets the voters attention, even if huge statistical numbers may not be there.” – Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports Oklahoma Sooners

13. Iose Epenesa, EDGE Iowa

“If the last name looks familiar, yes this is the younger brother of former Iowa star defensive end AJ Epenesa. Already standing at 6’3″, 260 pounds, the younger Epenesa already has the frame to play early for the Hawkeyes. He is a powerful pass rusher, and an even better natural athlete than his older brother. The Iowa fanbase is expecting immediate contributions from this rare five star signee.” – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame Fighting Irish

14. Husan Longstreet, QB USC

“If there is one thing that we’ve seen from head coach Lincoln Riley, it’s a willingness to make a change at quarterback for a true freshman. He did so pretty quickly, replacing Spencer Rattler with Caleb Williams. With Jayden Maiava likely currently slated as the starting quarterback, the next five star quarterback in Longstreet could get the call during the season. Longstreet could thrive early and often in Riley’s quarterback friendly offense. Especially with dynamic receivers in Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane shining for him on the outside.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

15. Travis Smith Jr., WR Tennessee

“The Tennessee Vols desperately need playmakers to step up around transfer QB Joey Aguilar. Travis Smith Jr. was already taking significant first team reps when Mike Matthews missed time in camp and that should continue even after he returns. There’s an underrated path to Smith Jr. being the best Vols pass catcher by year’s end given his size, speed, ball skills, and limited talents ahead of him at the moment.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

That’s all folks! We hope you enjoyed the College Football Freshman of the Year draft. Make sure to let us know what we got right and wrong wherever you follow us on social media.

We’ll be back with more College Football coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!