- Cade Klubnik is the Heisman pick: Both Max and Dalton pick the Clemson quarterback to take home college football’s most prestigious individual award in 2025.
- Jeremiah Smith is the Biletnikoff frontrunner: The Ohio State receiver is the obvious choice for the Biletnikoff Award as the best player in college football.
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Estimated Reading Time: 20 minutes
Week 1 of the college football season is here.
Before the games get underway, here are the PFF College Football Show’s picks to win every major award.
Heisman Trophy/Maxwell Award (Best Player)
Max: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
There may not have been a more improved quarterback in college football this past season than Klubnik. After placing 102nd among FBS signal-callers in 2023 with a 63.9 PFF passing grade, he ranked fifth in 2024 (87.7). Only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders threw more touchdowns than the junior (36). Klubnik also ranked fifth in big-time throws (28).
The top quarterback recruit in the 2022 class is finally starting to live up to the hype and has the potential to take a loaded Clemson roster to the promised land as a senior.
Dalton: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Klubnik returns to Clemson in 2025 after proving himself an elite college quarterback last season. He’s in an incredible position to win these awards after throwing 36 touchdowns compared to six interceptions last season. He’s also a credible threat on the ground who racked up nearly 600 yards rushing.
Clemson also has arguably the easiest road to a conference championship among Power Four schools and should be a national title contender. The Tigers' schedule is favorable, as they will face just four teams that ranked inside the top 60 in PFF coverage grade last season — Duke, Louisville, SMU and South Carolina.
Chuck Bednarik Award/Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Best Defensive Player)
Max: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs is the top returning player at his position for the second year in a row, joining an exclusive list of players who have done so.
Top-Returning Players by Position for Multiple Years in PFF’s Rankings
| Name | Position | School | Seasons |
| Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson | 2019, 2020 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | CB | LSU | 2020, 2021 |
| Brock Bowers | TE | Georgia | 2023, 2024 |
| Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State | 2024, 2025 |
Lawrence, Stingley and Bowers went on to become top-15 picks in their respective NFL drafts, an achievement that Downs seems poised to accomplish next April. In fact, he projects as the top player in the 2026 NFL Draft right now.
Downs, who transferred from Alabama last offseason, has been the most valuable safety in college football over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 91.7 PFF overall grade in that span ranks second among all FBS safeties, and his 91.2 PFF coverage grade places third. Downs is also a fantastic run defender, having recorded 35 run-defense stops and an 88.5 PFF run-defense grade since 2023.
He is an incredibly versatile player who can thrive at free safety, at slot cornerback, in the box and even at punt returner.
Dalton: EDGE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
The one caveat to predicting Caleb Downs to win this honor is that a safety has never won the Bednarik Award in its 30-year history. Only two safeties have won the Nagurski Award, though one was Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts just two years ago.
Stewart is a worthy candidate who may be the best pass rusher in college football this season as a true sophomore. After posting an elite 91.4 PFF pass-rush grade and collecting the third-most regular-season pressures in the SEC last year, Stewart is ready to dominate opposing offensive lines in 2025.
Davey O'Brien Award (Best Quarterback)
Max: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Dalton: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Klubnik owns the highest PFF passing grade among qualified returning quarterbacks (87.7). His 28 big-time throws from 2024 also lead all returners, and he lowered his turnover-worthy play rate to an excellent 2.3% last season. With his top three receivers and basically all of his offensive line returning, Klubnik is the safest bet to have a massive statistical season.
Doak Walker Award (Best Running Back)
Max: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish’s elite run game and stellar defense led the team to the national championship game this past season, and the former should still be present in 2025 thanks to Love.
The sophomore was the second-most valuable running back in college football in 2024, according to PFF WAA, and his 91.0 PFF overall grade ranked fifth. Love’s 38% forced missed tackle rate placed second among Power Four running backs this past season, and his 6.9 yards per carry ranked third. His fantastic athleticism allows him to run through or hurdle defenders, making him a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
Dalton: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Love is more than talented enough to win this award, and Notre Dame’s quarterback situation isn’t as stable as it was last season. That means Love should get greater volume this season despite the Fighting Irish's excellent depth at running back.
He ranks among the top 10 returning running backs in PFF rushing grade, yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt and missed tackles forced. If Notre Dame returns to the College Football Playoff, Love will be one of the biggest reasons.
Biletnikoff Award (Best Receiver)
Max: WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Smith was the most valuable receiver in college football in 2024, according to PFF WAA. His 89.8 PFF receiving grade ranked third and is more than four points higher than any other returning wideout. He also led the Power Four with 15 receiving touchdowns while trailing only Tetairoa McMillan in receiving yards (1,311).
Smith is an athletic freak at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds with an incredibly refined skill set for someone who turned 19 years old in November.
Dalton: WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Smith put together arguably the greatest season we’ve ever seen from a true freshman wide receiver. He dropped just one pass in 2024, his first career target. He was the only receiver in the nation with perfect deep and intermediate PFF receiving grades. He’s already unstoppable from anywhere on the field. As long as Ohio State’s quarterback is functional, Smith should be the best receiver in the country.
John Mackey Award (Best Tight End)
Max: TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Once a four-star quarterback recruit, Stowers has made the transition to tight end look seamless. No returning tight end in college football has been as valuable as him over the past two seasons, according to PFF WAA.
The New Mexico State transfer is an elite athlete, placing above the 99th percentile in PFF's Game Athleticism Score. That movement ability makes him especially dangerous after the catch, as Stowers ranked third among Power Four tight ends with 13 forced missed tackles and fourth in yards after the catch (373) this past year.
Dalton: TE Jack Endries, Texas
Endries transferred from California to Texas this offseason after earning an 85.4 PFF receiving grade last season, ranking eighth in the FBS. He also totaled the 11th-most receiving yards among tight ends and dropped just one pass. Steve Sarkisian understands how to use tight ends efficiently, and the Longhorns have a very young receiving corps. Endries is poised for a big season in Austin.
Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman)
Max: DI Peter Woods, Clemson
Woods spent most of his sophomore season playing out of position at edge defender, yet he still earned an impressive 83.3 PFF overall grade. Over his first two years of college football, he is both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF WAA.
Woods leads all returning Power Four interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win rate (14.9%) since 2023. His combination of power and agility, at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, makes him a nightmarish matchup for opposing offensive linemen.
Dalton: DI Peter Woods, Clemson
The last two defensive tackles to win this award, Georgia’s Jordan Davis and Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat, produced incredible results in run defense and solid, but not incredible, marks as pass rushers. Woods could fit that same mold if his production from the past two seasons holds steady.
The good news, on top of his already elite run defense, is that there are underlying signs that he is improving as a pass rusher. His pass-rush win rate is excellent, and his ability to line up anywhere on the front will continue to be an asset.
Rotary Lombardi Award (Best Lineman)
Max: DI Peter Woods, Clemson
Dalton: T Spencer Fano, Utah
Before Kelvin Banks Jr.‘s win last season, an offensive lineman hadn’t taken home this award in nearly 30 years. Fano could make it two in a row if he dominates like he did last season.
His 92.7 PFF overall grade and 93.6 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024 led all offensive tackles. He also fared well in pass protection, notching a 79.5 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing just one sack. Strangely, his worst pass-blocking game came in Week 1 against Southern Utah. After that, Fano was a top-15 pass blocker in the nation.
Rimington Award (Best Center)
Max: C Jake Slaughter, Florida
Slaughter was the only Power Four center to earn 80.0-plus PFF grades as a pass blocker and a run blocker in 2024. Even more impressive is that he faced a murderer’s row of defensive tackles, including Walter Nolen, Alfred Collins, Shemar Turner, Deone Walker, Omarr Norman-Lott and Joshua Farmer — all of whom were selected in the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Slaughter’s 85.8 PFF overall grade since 2023 trails only Jackson Powers-Johnson among Power Four centers. He moves very well at 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds, allowing him to dominate in a zone-blocking scheme.
Dalton: C Jake Slaughter, Florida
The center position is quietly one of the most stacked in college football this year, with Logan Jones, Connor Lew, Connor Tollison, Brady Small and Brady Wilson, among others, returning to school. However, Slaughter should’ve won this award last year and could win it this year as the pivot in Florida’s high-flying offense.
Slaughter let up just one sack last season, and that came at the hands of eventual first-round pick Walter Nolen. Additionally, among Power Four centers to play at least 300 snaps last season, Slaughter’s 15.3% Impact run-block rate — his rate of positively graded run blocks — ranked third, behind Jones and Tollison. He also earned negative grades at a significantly lower rate than those two.
Ted Hendricks Award (Best Defensive End)
Max: EDGE Collin Simmons, Texas
Simmons was a top-15 overall recruit and has somehow already exceeded expectations. The Texas native was the sixth-most valuable edge defender in college football in 2024, according to PFF WAA. He trailed only Abdul Carter, Jack Sawyer, Mike Green, Josaiah Stewart and JT Tuimoloau in that metric. Simmons ended up winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, given to the best true freshman in America.
His 18.6% pressure rate was a top-15 mark in college football, and he contributed in the run game to the tune of a 73.4 PFF overall grade. Simmons’ elite combination of bend and advanced pass-rushing moves is reminiscent of Von Miller.
Dalton: EDGE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Stewart was the best pass rusher on an outstanding South Carolina defense as a true freshman last season. His 91.4 PFF pass-rush grade ranks third among all returning edge defenders, and he should improve on an already solid 16.6% pass-rush win rate. Stewart’s body is still developing, but there were several games last season where he was simply unblockable. Expect that trend to continue in 2025.
Butkus Award (Best Linebacker)
Max: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Hill was a five-star recruit and immediately lived up to that billing, starting as a true freshman. He is constantly around the football, whether as a run defender, as a pass rusher or in coverage. Since 2023, his 32 coverage stops are tied for the most among FBS linebackers and his 10 sacks and five forced fumbles are tied for the most among Power Four linebackers. Hill racked up 127 plays where he made first contact on a ball carrier in that same span, the most of any returning Power Four linebacker.
He is a versatile athlete who wears many hats for the Longhorns’ defense — and could find his way into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dalton: LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State
Romaine is the highest-graded linebacker returning to college football this season. He’s an elite run defender with fantastic vision that he uses to read opposing offensive lines. His 90.7 PFF run-defense grade was the fourth best in the nation last season. He also racked up 22 pressures across 95 reps as a blitzer and earned a solid 72.6 PFF coverage grade.
Romaine is the captain of what should be another solid Kansas State defense. He’ll be a big reason the Wildcats compete near the top of the Big 12 once again.
Jim Thorpe Award (Best Defensive Back)
Max: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Dalton: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs was a finalist for this award last year but was narrowly beaten out by Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, who was subsequently selected in the first round of this year’s draft.
Downs is arguably the best defensive player returning to college football this season. His 91.7 PFF overall grade since the start of 2023 ranks second in the FBS, behind SMU’s Isaiah Nwokobia. Downs’ 1,807 snaps since then lead the nation. Among an extremely talented group of safeties returning to college football, Downs reigns supreme.
Paul Hornung Award (Most Versatile Player)
Max: S/WR Koi Perich, Minnesota
The Golden Gophers lost Tyler Nubin, one of college football’s best safeties, to the NFL and immediately found a viable replacement in Perich. The true freshman’s five interceptions this past season trailed only Xavier Watts among FBS safeties. His 88.9 PFF overall grade ranked seventh, and he was one of only seven safeties in college football who earned 80.0-plus PFF grades both in coverage and run defense.
Perich doubles as a dangerous return man and will be playing some wide receiver, as well.
Dalton: RB Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
The diminutive Reid is one of the most dynamic players returning to college football. He was the only running back in the nation to eclipse 500 receiving yards in the 2024 regular season. That, along with his nearly 800 rushing yards, made him a terrific dual threat.
Reid can further improve his chances of winning this award if he continues his production as a punt returner. Among players with at least 10 punt returns last season, Reid ranked 19th in PFF punt-return grade and 24th in punt-return average while scoring a touchdown against Kent State in Week 1.
Lou Groza Award (Best Placekicker)
Max: Dominic Zvada, Michigan
Zvada’s 93.3 PFF kicking grade in 2024 ranked third at the position and is the highest among those returning to college football. He missed only one field goal on 22 attempts and was a perfect 7-for-7 on 50-plus yard tries.
Dalton: Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss
Carneiro did an outstanding job kicking for Western Kentucky’s high-flying offense over the past two seasons. In 2024, he led the Group of Five and ranked fifth in the nation with a 92.6 PFF field-goal grade. His 94.7% rate of successful kicks tied him for fourth among qualified kickers.
Ray Guy Award (Best Punter)
Max: Brett Thorson, Georgia
Thorson was PFF’s All-American punter last year, so it’s only right that he enters 2025 as the favorite for the Ray Guy Award. His 93.7 PFF punting grade was 4.5 points higher than any other FBS punter last season, and his average hang time of 4.53 seconds was easily the best mark in college football.
Dalton: Brett Thorson, Georgia
After a 2023 season in which he did not allow a single punt to be returned, Thorson was easily the highest-graded punter in the nation. He was a finalist last year while leading the FBS in hang time and ranking fifth in net yards per attempt. He should be the clear favorite for this award.
Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award (Best Return Specialist)
Max: Keelan Marion, Miami (FL)
Marion transferred to Miami from BYU this offseason and was PFF's All-American return specialist last season. He returned two kickoffs for scores in 2024, the most of any Power Four player.
Dalton: Zavion Thomas, LSU
One way to rack up return stats is to have opportunities to do so, and even with Barion Brown transferring in from Kentucky, Thomas should be LSU's primary return man.
Thomas’ 38 combined kick and punt returns last season were the third most in the FBS, behind 2024 Rodgers Award winner Kaden Wetjen from Iowa and Arizona’s Jeremiah Patterson. He also recorded his second career kick return touchdown in LSU’s bowl game versus Baylor.
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award (Best Freshman)
Max: QB Bryce Underwood, Michigan
Underwood made waves in November when he flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan, thanks in part to a reported “Godfather” NIL offer from the Wolverines.
And it makes sense why Sherrone Moore was so desperate to keep him in the state. Since the Rivals’ Industry rating began in 2004, no quarterback recruit has ranked ahead of Underwood (99.87). And Michigan had the fourth-worst team PFF passing grade in 2024 (54.3), starting three different signal-callers.
Underwood has elite physical tools, from his arm talent to mobility, and was the first true freshman to be featured on the cover of the EA SPORTS College Football video game. He had a 50-4 career record in high school with two state championships and broke the Michigan high school record for career passing yards and touchdowns. He’s expected to be the savior of the Wolverines’ program and should start Week 1 under center. Underwood enters Ann Arbor with some of the highest expectations ever seen for an incoming true freshman.
Dalton: WR Dakorien Moore, Oregon
Due to a combination of graduation and injury, Oregon’s four leading receivers in 2024 will not suit up for them in 2025. That leaves the door wide open for the nation’s top wide receiver prospect to take a leading role.
Moore’s high school film is loaded with highlight-reel-worthy contested catches and dynamic plays after the catch. Those two aspects of his game, despite his relatively average size, give him a toolbox reminiscent of Stefon Diggs. Moore will be a crucial piece for quarterback Dante Moore and the Ducks’ passing game. If he lives up to the hype, Oregon can still compete at the top of the Big Ten standings.
Burlsworth Trophy (Best player who started career as a walk-on)
Max: S Michael Taaffe, Texas
Taaffe began his career as a walk-on with the Longhorns before ramping up into one of the best safeties in college football. He was the fourth-most valuable safety last year, according to PFF WAA, and trails only Ohio State‘s Caleb Downs among returning safeties. Taaffe has five interceptions and 11 forced incompletions over the past two seasons, top-25 marks among FBS safeties.
He is at his best when playing free safety for Texas, where his football IQ and range truly shine.
Dalton: S Michael Taaffe, Texas
Taaffe has gone from a former walk-on to the heart and soul of an outstanding Texas secondary.
In his first year as a full-time starter in 2024, he earned an outstanding 88.8 PFF coverage grade while leading all Power Four safeties with eight pass breakups. He enters the 2025 season as PFF’s fourth-ranked safety, behind Caleb Downs, Koi Perich and Dillon Thieneman.
Joe Moore Award (Best Offensive Line)
Max: Alabama
For the second straight year, the Crimson Tide have the top offensive line in PFF's rankings. They’re the only school in the country to feature three offensive linemen who made the top 10 of my positional rankings: left tackle Kadyn Proctor, center Parker Brailsford and right guard Jaeden Roberts.
Proctor is my No. 3 offensive tackle in college football and has put up elite tape against elite competition. Across three career games against Georgia and South Carolina, the former five-star recruit owns an elite 90.4 PFF pass-blocking grade with only one pressure allowed on 96 pass-blocking snaps.
Brailsford is the second-most valuable returning Power Four center since 2023, according to PFF WAA, and is my No. 7 interior offensive lineman in the country. Roberts placed 10th on that list and has a 77.8 PFF run-blocking grade since 2023, 10th among Power Four guards.
Alabama's line will feature a couple of unproven players at right tackle and left guard in Wilkin Formby and Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry, but the above trio is good enough for the unit to be the favorite for this award.
Dalton: Iowa
Iowa carried the Power Four’s highest-graded offensive line last season. The Hawkeyes enter the season as PFF’s sixth-ranked offensive line and may get a chance to show off in pass protection as well as the run game with Mark Gronowski installed as their new quarterback.
Under first-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester, Iowa’s offensive line quickly displayed a mastery of his outside-zone run schemes. That unit is led by right tackle Gennings Dunker and center Logan Jones. Dunker finished last season with a 90.2 PFF run-blocking grade, second best among all tackles, while allowing just two sacks. Jones was the highest-graded center in the Power Four last season.
The Hawkeyes also return guards Beau Stephens and Kade Pieper, the latter of whom dominated across a small sample of 108 snaps last season. Year two under Lester could be a dominant one for the Hawkeyes’ offensive line.
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (Best Coach)
Max: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Swinney said recently that he believes this year’s version of the Tigers will be the first college football team to go 16-0. While that may be difficult, Clemson does enter the year as the No. 1 team in PFF’s preseason top 25 and features the best offense and the third-best defense in college football.
Dalton: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
In recent years, this award has gone to the coach who outperformed expectations more so than the one who led the nation’s best team. Utah is coming off its first losing season since 2013, but there is reason to believe that the team can compete in the Big 12 if quarterback Devon Dampier plays as well as he did last year at New Mexico. If the Utes win the Big 12 and/or make the playoff, Whittingham would be a prime candidate for this award.
Frank Broyles Award (Best Assistant Coach)
Max: DC Kane Wommack, Alabama
Even though Nick Saban is no longer in charge, the Crimson Tide still have an elite defense. Alabama placed second in PFF’s defensive line and secondary rankings. The Crimson Tide also took the eighth spot in PFF's linebacker unit rankings.
Alabama is also the only school in college football that features a top-10 player at every defensive position. With head coach Kalen DeBoer coming from an offensive background, Wommack should receive plenty of praise while leading what projects to be the best defense in college football.
Dalton: OC Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State
Kotelnicki brought his penchant for creativity and explosive plays with him to Penn State from Kansas last season and has a chance to improve his offense even further. The Nittany Lions ranked 10th in PFF offensive grade and ninth in EPA per play last season.
Penn State returns Drew Allar for his third season as their starting quarterback, as well as arguably the best running back duo in the country in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. As long as their slew of transfer wide receivers produces, the Nittany Lions should once again carry an elite offense.
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