Every few years, a college football coach gets the opportunity to make the jump to the NFL. Some succeed, some flame out, and some return to the college ranks without missing a beat. The cycle is constant, and the next wave of candidates is already taking shape. With several programs producing elite-level coaches who have proven they can recruit, develop, and win at the highest level of the sport, NFL front offices are paying attention.

Here are six college football coaches who seem like the most likely to make the leap in the next five years.

Dan Lanning, Oregon

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has compiled a record of 48-8 while leading the Ducks, racking up two College Football Playoff wins and a Big Ten championship along the way. Lanning vaulted to the top of the sport while adapting to the modern college football landscape quicker than anybody else. At only 40 years old, he has a long career ahead of him, giving him plenty of time to test the waters in the NFL and potentially return to college football if things don’t work out. His age and track record make him one of the most attractive candidates for any franchise looking to go the college route.

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame

Marcus Freeman is an obvious choice because of how much NFL interest he’s received over the past few years. He has a record of 43-12 with three College Football Playoff wins and a national title appearance. Freeman’s rapid success has caught the attention of the pros. His leadership abilities and ability to connect with players are constantly brought up as his strongest traits. Considering the number of times he has been linked to openings like the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears, it feels like an inevitable outcome sometime in the next five to 10 years that he makes that jump.

Rhett Lashlee, SMU

Lashlee has made a steady climb through the coaching ranks, earning a great reputation as the offensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes from 2020-2021. Since taking over as head coach for SMU in 2022, Lashlee has done a lot of great things. He has accumulated a 38-16 overall record, and he is only getting better. Lashlee is still only 43 years old, so he has a solid career trajectory still in front of him. We have seen the NFL prioritize offense-minded head coaches in the past. There is a lot to love about Lashlee in that same profile. 

Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Steve Sarkisian has a record of 48-20 at Texas, but the recent trajectory tells the real story. He’s gone 35-8 over the last three years with two College Football Playoff wins, a semifinal appearance, and two playoff berths. Sarkisian has multiple years of elite offensive production at the college level under his belt. He’s also the only coach on this list with NFL experience, having served as the Raiders quarterback coach in 2004 and the Falcons offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2020. That prior NFL experience gives him a significant edge over the other names on this list when it comes to convincing a front office he can handle the professional game.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State

After taking over a poor Sun Devil program in 2023, Dillingham has been one of the biggest risers amongst the top head coaches in the country. He is a young coach who brings an innovative offensive mind and has done some tremendous work as a quarterback developer over the last few years. Arizona State took a slight step back in 2025, despite a lot of things going against the program, including a long string of injuries. I am still very much buying stock in Dillingham and his future. I’m not sure there are a lot of college head coaching jobs that could pull Dillingham away from his alma mater, but perhaps the NFL could. 

Brian Hartline, USF

This last one is the most intriguing of the group. Brian Hartline at USF isn’t going to get an NFL head coaching opportunity in the next couple of years, but hear me out. He’s been a rapidly rising coach who became the best wide receiver coach in college football before landing his current gig. He’s likely not going to get the Ohio State job because it doesn’t look like Ryan Day is jumping to the league or retiring anytime soon. Hartline lasted in the NFL as a wide receiver for a long period of time, playing from 2009 to 2015. He also fits the mold of the tight-clothes-wearing, looks-maxing, offensive-minded coach that seemingly every single franchise is hiring these days.

One thing is for sure: the pipeline from college football to the NFL sideline isn’t slowing down. All six of these coaches have the profiles, the résumés, and the ambition to eventually make the leap. It’s not a matter of if one of them gets a shot, but when.