Breakout Candidates for the 2025 Season

Here are 10 players on a power four conference roster that have the potential to breakout in 2025

Every college football season, there are a group of players that step into spotlight of stardom. With today’s landscape of the sport with NIL and the Transfer Portal, there are more and more players looking to explode on to the scene to either get to a bigger school or to the NFL.

Here are 10 players in the power four that are breakout candidates for the 2025 season.

Jaden Greathouse - Jr. WR - Notre Dame

Expectations are sky high for Jaden Greathouse. Greathouse moved into a major contributing role in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship last season, making huge catches in important spots.

He finished the 2024 season with 42 catches for 592 yards and four touchdowns. The Fighting Irish will have a new starting quarterback in 2025 after one season from Riley Leonard and the expectation is that redshirt freshman CJ Carr will be the starter in the fall. Greathouse will be one of Carr’s top targets along with Virginia Cavaliers transfer Malachi Fields.

Greathouse could be on his way to a 1,000 yard season and could help the Notre Dame offense improve to a whole new level.

DJ Lagway - So. QB - Florida

After starting half of the games for the Florida Gators in 2024, former No. 1 overall quarterback prospect DJ Lagway is poised for a breakout season in 2025. With the experience last season along with a whole offseason of development, expectations are for Lagway to be a star and dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate.

The sophomore completed 60% of his passes for 1915 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lagway did throw nine interceptions, so, the turnovers will have to decrease this fall.

His potential raises not only the floor but the ceiling with him on the field. The Gators will have one of the more tougher strength of schedules this season but if Lagway can live up to the expectations, great things will be coming from the program in Gainesville.

Dylan Stewart - So. EDGE - South Carolina

Sophomore edge rusher Dylan Stewart made himself known for the South Carolina Gamecocks, after logging 6.5 sacks in 2024. Stewart help lead the Gamecocks to a nine win season and could of easily made the College Football Playoff if a couple of results changed.

With 2024 SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Kennard off to the NFL, Stewart could blossom to be one of (if not) the best pass rushers in the entirety of college football.

Sammy Brown - So. LB - Clemson

The expectations as a whole for the Clemson Tigers are high, especially on the defensive side of the ball. One of the players on that side of the ball to watch for this fall is sophomore linebacker Sammy Brown.

The former five star recruit had a very solid season in 2024, logging 80 combined tackles, 12 for loss and five sacks. Now with Tom Allen as the defensive coordinator, Brown could breakout to be a defensive superstar for the Tigers. The expectations are for the sophomore to be an All-American when its all said and done at the end of the season.

Dylan Edwards - Jr. HB - Kansas State

The rushing attack for the Kansas State Wildcats did not go the way it hoped in 2024 but the potential is there in 2025. Alongside sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson is junior running back Dylan Edwards.

Edwards, who has shown his explosive speed for Colorado and now K-State, rushed for 546 yards on 74 carries and five touchdowns. Now with DJ Giddens off to the NFL, Edwards will be elvated to the starting role and could breakout. For the Wildcats offense, Edward could find himself with over 1,000 all-purpose yards.

Demond Williams Jr. - So. QB - Washington

As the primary backup to starting quarterback Will Rogers, Demond Williams Jr. showed flashes of greatness with his strong arm and mobility as a freshman. Williams’ performance in the Sun Bowl stood out, completing 26 of 32 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns.

The potential is high for the sophomore and could be a major x-factor for Head Coach Jedd Fisch’s offense in 2025. With a top receiver in junior Denzel Boston returning for another season along with former Penn State junior wide receiver Omari Evans and former Arizona junior wide receiver Kevin Green Jr.

Williams’ has the possibility of finishing as a top five quarterback in the Big Ten conference at the end of the season.

Vincent Shavers Jr. - So. LB - Nebraska

The former three-star linebacker prospect found himself on the field as a contributor for a top-20 overall defense for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Sophomore linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. could be a breakout star for the Blackshirts in 2025 as he is expected to have an increased role for the linebacker core.

Shavers appeared in all 13 games and started in two games, combining for 25 total tackles and one forced fumble. He was all over the field when he was on it and with the probabilty of having a starting role, he is a player to watch this fall.

KJ Bolden - So. Safety - Georgia

KJ Bolden was an immediate impact as a true freshman for the Georgia Bulldogs. Bolden combined for 59 total tackles, one sack and an interception. He did get a bit overshadowed by other talent on the Bulldogs defense but could be a superstar for the Bulldogs in 2025.

Expectations for former five-star defensive prospects that go to Georgia are always high, but Bolden could become one of the most complete defensive backs in not only the SEC but in the country by the end of the season.

Cam Coleman - So. WR - Auburn

Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams dominated the true freshman ranks at the wide receiver position but there was a third to the elite trio, which was Auburn Tigers’ Cam Coleman.

Coleman was overshadowed due to poor quarterback play but now with the potential of former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold transferring in, Coleman could be in line for a breakout season.

He finished the 2024 season with 37 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Now looking at the 2025 season, Coleman could be in line for being a 1,000 yard receiver for the Tigers this season.

Koi Perich - So. DB - Minnesota

Minnesota Golden Gophers coach PJ Fleck has had some great defensive backs in his time in Minneapolis, and he has another one in Koi Perich. The sophomore logged 46 combined tackles, three for loss, along with five interceptions and a forced fumble.

The performance made him nominated to the All-B10 First Team and was a Freshman All-American for multiple outlets.

Now looking to the 2025 season, Perich has the chance to, once again, finish as one of the top safeties in the Big Ten and Nationally.