John Canady

Top College Football QBs 2025: Power Rankings Insight

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<a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaaf/article/top-10-ohio-state-buckeyes-returning-for-another-championship-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 10 Ohio State Buckeyes Returning For Another Championship Run</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/caleb-downs/63885">Caleb Downs</a> spent one season at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State following the retirement of legendary head coach Nick Saban. In his first season with the Buckeyes, the talented safety played a pivotal role in the team's secondary, leading OSU's stout defense on a run to become National Champions in college football's first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. Running it back another season with Ohio State, Downs will have the opportunity to help his squad compete for back-to-back championships while proving he's a top prospect in next year's NFL Draft.
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1) Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes

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<a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaaf/article/top-10-wrs-for-the-2025-college-football-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ranking the Top College Football Wide Receivers for 2025</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/michael-taaffe/41220">Michael Taaffe</a> may be one of the most inspiring college football stories. The safety joined the Longhorns as a walk-on before earning a scholarship after quickly impressing the coaching staff. In his third season with Texas, Taaffe put together a career season racking up 78 total tackles, ten pass defenses, two sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. The playmaker seemed poised to enter his name into the NFL Draft following the season. Still, after Texas' heartbreaking loss in the CFP semifinals, he opted to return for his senior season due to "unfinished business." Taaffe will be vital to the Longhorns secondary heading into next season.

2) Michael Taaffe, Texas Longhorns

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<a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaaf/article/cfb-top-10-oregon-ducks-returning-for-another-college-football-playoff-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 10 Oregon Ducks Returning For Another College Football Playoff Run</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/dillon-thieneman/26377">Dillon Thieneman</a> spent two years at Purdue, where he proved to be one of the top safeties in the league despite being on one of the worst teams in the nation. The versatile defender has recorded 100+ tackles in each of his two seasons with the Boilermakers, and following a horrid 1-11 season for Purdue, Thieneman opted to hit the portal, where he quickly found a home with the Oregon Ducks. From the worst teams in the Big Ten to one of the best, the safety can put his name on the map under Dan Lanning in 2025.

3) Dillon Thieneman, Oregon Ducks

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<a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaaf/article/top-25-college-football-quarterbacks-for-the-2025-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ranking the Top College Football Quarterbacks for 2025</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/keon-sabb/19492">Keon Sabb</a> began his college journey at Michigan before transferring to Alabama for his sophomore season. The former four-star recruit has shown plenty of flashes throughout his first two campaigns and seems destined to have a big season next year to solidify himself as a top secondary player in the 2026 NFL Draft. Continuity is key to development, and Sabb will have all the keys to success with the Crimson Tide next season.

4) Keon Sabb, Alabama Crimson Tide

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<a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaaf/article/20-breakout-cfb-stars-to-know-for-the-2025-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breakout College Football Stars to Know for the 2025 Season</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/kendal-daniels/47866">Kendal Daniels</a> spent three seasons at Oklahoma State, serving as one of the top leaders on the Cowboys. The safety hit the portal, and he was looking to use his final season of eligibility to compete for something bigger, which led him down the road to join Oklahoma and Brent Venables's defense. Daniels offers a unique skillset that allows him to line up in multiple positions on the field within different coverages. He'll have a chance to prove why the Sooners quickly recruited him to the SEC once he entered the portal.

5) Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma Sooners

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/xavier-nwankpa/39636">Xavier Nwankpa</a> has stood out in the Iowa Hawkeyes secondary over the last couple of seasons. Many believed the talented safety could be an intriguing prospect in this year's NFL Draft class, but the six-foot-two defender opted to run it back one more year in college. Heading into the 2025 season, Nwankpa will be a name to watch.

6) Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/rod-moore/45289">Rod Moore</a> entered the 2024 season looking to prove he could be the consistent playmaker the Wolverines hoped he could be in their secondary. However, after a knee injury ended his season before it began, the safety opted to return another year to prove his latest setback won't stop him from playing at a high level in 2025. The potential is there; he just has to put it together. He has a solid chance to do precisely that this coming season.
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7) Rod Moore, Michigan

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Not many people may know <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/dq-smith/33399">DQ Smith</a>, but he has the talent and potential to make a name for himself in 2025. The Gamecocks' safety had a breakout year in 2023, and he entered the 2024 season with high expectations. Smith didn't take the expected steps, but with a more significant role expected in the coming year, look for Smith to have a bounce-back season for South Carolina.

8) DQ Smith, South Carolina 

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/jalen-catalon/41182">Jalen Catalon</a> put together a monster season for UNLV this past year, racking up 96 total tackles, five interceptions, four pass defenses, two sacks, and a forced fumble. The versatile safety used his strong year to test his value in the transfer portal, where he quickly found a home in the SEC with Missouri. As a key piece for the Tigers' secondary, Catalon is in line for another big season in 2025.

9) Jalen Catalon, Missouri

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/sage-ryan/51370">Sage Ryan</a> spent the season as a full-time starter for LSU, totaling 43 tackles, four pass defenses, three forced fumbles, one interception, and a sack. Ryan entered the portal after the season concluded, and Lane Kiffin quickly jumped at the chance to sway the SEC safety to Ole Miss. Now, as part of another talented secondary group, Ryan will have the opportunity to show NFL scouts he's a top safety prospect ahead of the following offseason.
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10) Sage Ryan, Ole Miss

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/zechariah-poyser/47541">Zechariah Poyser</a> has a standout season during his freshman year at Jacksonville State, totaling 77 tackles, eight pass defenses, and three interceptions. The talented safety quickly entered the transfer portal following the end of the season, looking to cash in on his strong season, where he quickly found a home at Miami. Now, the defender will get the chance to show the nation why he's a top secondary player against ACC competition next year.

11) Zechariah Poyser, Miami

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/jahron-manning/63706">Jahron Manning</a> put together a career year for Old Dominion, racking up 84 total tackles, three pass defenses, three interceptions, and 0.5 sacks. The safety transferred to Mississippi State looking to be the key piece in the secondary that the Bulldogs have desperately been seeking to compete with the top offenses in the conference. Heading into next year, Manning will be a name to watch.

12) Jahron Manning, Mississippi State

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/tmac-cooley/16956">Tamarcus Cooley</a> entered the transfer portal following NC State's bowl game and quickly became a top option for teams looking to land a safety. After a strong season for the Wolfpack, Cooley had multiple offers, but Brian Kelly and the Tigers managed to persuade the ACC defender to make the transition to the SEC. Cooley can increase his draft stock with a big year at LSU.

13) Tamarcus Cooley, LSU

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/king-mack/49454">King Mack</a> began his college career at Penn State before transferring to Alabama in 2024. However, the defender quickly realized that the grass wasn't greener on the other side, which led to him transferring back to the Nittany Lions this offseason, as he'll likely be slotted into the team's starting lineup on the secondary. If he can finally put it all together, Mack could be one of the more underrated off-season additions.

14) King Mack, Penn State

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/bishop-fitzgerald/16992">Bishop Fitzgerald</a> spent two seasons at NC State after joining the Wolfpack following standout seasons at the JUCO level. Fitzgerald quickly proved he belonged, and after entering the transfer portal, teams made it a priority to recruit the safety. Ultimately, Lincoln Riley landed the experienced veteran, and he'll be a major key for the Trojans' defense next season.
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15) Bishop Fitzgerald, USC

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/isaac-smith/31140">Isaac Smith</a> put together a monster season this past year as a sophomore. The versatile safety totaled 127 tackles, three pass defenses, and a forced fumble for Mississippi State. Heading into 2025, Smith has the opportunity to build on his breakout year and prove to NFL scouts he's a top safety in next year's draft class.

16) Isaac Smith, Mississippi State

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/kamari-ramsey/36407">Kamari Ramsey</a> spent two seasons at UCLA before transferring to USC before the 2024 season. In his first year with the Trojans, the defender put together a career year, racking up 60 total tackles, five pass defenses, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Looking to continue his development, Ramsey opted to forego the NFL Draft and suit up for the Trojans for another season, where he'll be a key piece in Lincoln Riley's secondary.

17) Samuel Omosigho, Oklahoma

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/samuel-omosigho/21254">Samuel Omosigho</a> put together a solid sophomore season for Oklahoma this past year, totaling 40 tackles, one pass defense, and a forced fumble. Although the stats aren't flashy, the defender has the talent to be one of the top safeties next season, especially with another strong off-season. Omosigho is a raw talent, but if he can put it all together, he could be a difference-maker for Oklahoma in 2025.

18) Kamari Ramsey, USC

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/randon-fontenette/34331">Randon Fontenette</a> started his college career at TCU before transferring to Vanderbilt after one season. The safety put together a breakout season with the Commodores, proving he has the talent to be one of the best defenders in the nation next year. Fontenette proved his versatility by totaling 72 tackles, seven pass defenses, 3.5 sacks, and an interception in 2024, and entering next season, he has everything he needs to put his name on the map.

19) Randon Fontenette, Vanderbilt

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<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/joenel-aguero/22599">Joenel Aguero</a> is entering his third season at Georgia, and like the rest of the Bulldogs, the safety has high expectations entering his junior year. The defender is set to have an increased role in Kirby Smart's defense, and if he can match the expectations he enters the season with, Aguero will be a top safety in college football in 2025.

20) Joenel Aguero, Georgia

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As the college football season looms, the top returning players enter next season looking to make a statement. Here's a look at the top safeties ahead of 2025.

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