- Jeremiah Smith leads all wide receivers: The Ohio State star was the most valuable wideout in the nation as just a true freshman.
- Cade Klubnik led all quarterbacks: The Clemson signal-caller was the fourth-most-valuable quarterback in college football last year.
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PFF has the largest football stats database in the world, but two metrics stand above the rest for evaluating college football’s top players: PFF grades and Wins Above Average (WAA). PFF grades measure a player’s performance on a play-by-play basis, while WAA quantifies their overall value to their team.
Here’s a look at the latter, highlighting the most valuable returning players at each position heading into the 2025 season.
Quarterback: Cade Klubnik, Clemson (1.04 WAA)
Klubnik was the fourth-most-valuable quarterback in the nation last season, trailing only Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart and Kyle McCord. Few signal-callers showed more growth year over year. After ranking 102nd among FBS quarterbacks in 2023 with a 63.9 PFF passing grade, Klubnik surged to fifth in 2024 at 87.7. Only Ward and Shedeur Sanders threw more touchdowns than his 36, and he tied for fifth in big-time throws (28).
The former No. 1 quarterback recruit from the 2022 class is finally living up to the hype. With a loaded Clemson roster around him, Klubnik has a real shot to take the Tigers back to the promised land as a senior. He enters 2025 as PFF’s top-ranked quarterback.
Running Back: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (0.45 WAA)
Love was the second-most-valuable running back in the country last season, trailing only Cam Skattebo. His 91.0 PFF overall grade ranked fifth nationally, while his 38% forced missed tackle rate was second among Power Four backs. He also averaged 6.9 yards per carry, good for third in that group.
Love’s rare athleticism allows him to power through tacklers or hurdle defenders, making him a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He enters his junior year as the top-ranked running back in America.
Wide Receiver: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (0.75 WAA)
Smith was the most valuable receiver in the nation last season, and he did it as a true freshman. His 89.8 PFF receiving grade ranked third nationally and was more than four points higher than any other returning wideout. He also led the Power Four with 15 receiving touchdowns and finished second in receiving yards (1,311), trailing only Tetairoa McMillan.
At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Smith is an athletic freak with a remarkably refined skill set for someone who turned 19 in November.
He isn’t just the best returning receiver in college football; he’s the best returning player, period.
Tight End: Tanner Koziol, Houston (0.34 WAA)
While at Ball State in 2024, Koziol ranked as the fourth-most-valuable tight end in the country, trailing only Tyler Warren, Harold Fannin Jr. and Oronde Gadsden II. His 94 receptions were second among tight ends behind Fannin and Warren — both top-70 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft — and his 840 receiving yards ranked fifth at the position.
At 6-foot-7, Koziol is a mismatch nightmare in 50-50 situations. His 26 contested catches last season were nine more than any other tight end in college football. A top-five returning tight end nationally, he’ll look to carry his dominance to Houston in 2025.
Offensive Tackle: Spencer Fano, Utah (0.22 WAA)
Fano was the fourth-most-valuable tackle in the nation last season, trailing only top-10 pick Kelvin Banks Jr. and Army’s Connor Finucane and Lucas Scott. He ranked first among all FBS tackles in PFF grade (93.0), driven largely by his dominance in the run game. The Utah native’s 93.6 run-blocking grade was the best in the country—more than three points higher than the next closest tackle. Fano also held his own in pass protection, earning a 79.5 pass-blocking grade that ranked among the top 30 Power Four tackles.
Offensive Guard: Paolo Gennarelli, Army (0.24 WAA)
Gennarelli was the third-most-valuable guard in the FBS last season, trailing only his teammate Bill Katsigiannis and Clay Webb. He posted an 81.6 run-blocking grade that ranked 10th among FBS guards and surrendered just one pressure on 109 pass-blocking snaps.
Center: Brady Small, Army (0.31 WAA)
Small was the most valuable center in college football last season—and he did it as only a sophomore. His 88.4 PFF grade ranked second among all players at the position, as did his 86.8 run-blocking grade.
Interior Defender: Bernard Gooden, LSU (0.20 WAA)
With the 12 most valuable defensive tackles from last season now gone, Gooden enters 2025 as the most valuable returning player at the position despite ranking 13th in 2024. The former USF standout tied for eighth among FBS interior defenders with 35 pressures and posted an 87.2 run-defense grade, a top-15 mark at the position. He’ll now look to help revive an LSU defense that has struggled in recent years.
Edge Defender: Colin Simmons, Texas (0.27 WAA)
Simmons was the sixth-most-valuable edge defender in college football last season, trailing only Abdul Carter, Jack Sawyer, Mike Green, Josaiah Stewart and JT Tuimoloau — all five of whom were selected in the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Simmons capped his breakout campaign by winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top true freshman.
His 18.6% pressure rate ranked among the top 15 nationally, and he also performed well in the run game, earning a 73.4 grade against the run. Simmons pairs elite bend with a refined arsenal of pass-rush moves, drawing comparisons to Von Miller. He enters 2025 as PFF’s top-ranked returning edge defender.
Linebacker: Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame (0.28 WAA)
Bowen ranked as the ninth-most-valuable linebacker in college football last season. He’s been a highly reliable tackler throughout his career, missing just 6.3% of his attempts, the seventh-best rate among 297 linebackers since 2023. A physical presence in the middle, the rising junior will be tasked with stepping into a leadership role in 2025 following Jack Kiser’s departure.
Cornerback: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame (0.62 WAA)
Moore was the third-most-valuable cornerback in the nation last season — and he did it as a true freshman. He trailed only two top-20 NFL Draft picks in Travis Hunter and Jahdae Barron. Moore thrived in Notre Dame’s man-heavy scheme, earning an 82.5 PFF grade in man coverage that ranked third among all cornerbacks.
The former three-star recruit is a smooth 6-foot-2 athlete who mirrors receivers at an elite level. In 2024, he allowed just 16 catches on 42 targets in single coverage. Moore enters 2025 as the top returning cornerback in college football.
Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State (0.53 WAA)
Downs was the most valuable safety in college football last season and enters 2025 as the top returning player at his position for the second year in a row — joining an exclusive group of players (Trevor Lawrence, Derek Stingley Jr. and Brock Bowers) who have achieved that feat. All three previous players went on to become top-15 NFL Draft picks, a path Downs appears poised to follow next April. Downs currently projects as the top overall player in the 2026 draft and the best defensive player in the country.
The Alabama transfer has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons, per PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 91.7 PFF grade during that span ranks second among FBS safeties, while his 91.2 coverage grade is third. Downs is also an exceptional run defender, recording 35 run stops and an 88.5 run-defense grade since 2023.
At 6-foot and 203 pounds, Downs is one of the most versatile defenders in the nation, capable of excelling at free safety, slot corner or in the box. He’s also a dynamic punt returner, adding yet another layer to his all-around impact.
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