2024 BREAKOUT PLAYERS
We are eight weeks away from the start of the college football season and not even three weeks until College Football 25 comes out. It’s time to start looking ahead to the 2024 players that will become a household name in college football season. Today we’ll look at breakout players that are draft eligible and non-eligible players. Even though the draft eligible players could still come back to college, like many have already in the NIL era of college football. Some of these players have already made a name for themselves, but I expect even more of a break out in 2024. For example, Noah Fifita is our first player and he had an amazing freshman season at Arizona. But I expect there to be even more national talk about Fifita and a few of his Arizona teammates this season.
DRAFT ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
—OFFENSE
Quarterback:
Noah Fifita, Arizona — Fifita already had his mini-breakout season last year but the Arizona Wildcats are going to be a force this season. Led by Fifita, Arizona will have a top offense in the Big 12 (that feels weird) and make noise Nationally. Last season Fifita took over the starting role in the 4th game of the season and threw for 2869 yards and 25 TDs. I expect those numbers to go up significantly now that he is the Day 1 starter.
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss — Many people wondered who the starting QB would be for Ole Miss at the beginning of last season, but Dart won the job and never looked back. This season, his 3rd starting for Ole Miss, has the chance to explode for Dart. Lane Kiffin and the Rebels were hot in the SEC last season and another big year from the offense could put them near the top of the conference and playing for a National Championship.
Running Back:
Marcus Carroll, Missouri — The Georgia State transfer rushed for 1350 yards and 13 TDs last season and now he joins the Tigers in the SEC. Mizzou brings back a talented offense and its only real hole is at running back. That hole was filled with Carroll from the transfer portal. Carroll should fill in nicely for Cody Schrader - who rushed for 1627 yards in Missouri’s offense last season.
Damien Martinez, Miami — Damien Martinez has had the privilege of rushing behind a very good Oregon State offensive line for two seasons. Luckily, he should have a good one at Miami too. Tucked away in the PAC-12, not many people have had the luxury of watching Martinez play yet. That will change this season and he should be able to showcase his vision, balance and contact strength. Martinez rushed for 2167 yards in two seasons with the Beavers, he should easily surpass 3000 yards for his career this season.
Receiver:
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona — Another Arizona Wildcat, and not the last one. McMillan stands out at receiver, partly because he is 6-foot-5, partly because of his 1402 receiving yards last year. Duplicating those numbers will be hard but a full season with quarterback Noah Fifita will help too. The pair makes for one of the top QB/WR duos in the country and both should have a big breakout this season.
Nic Anderson, Oklahoma — The Oklahoma offense was impressive last year and Nic Anderson was a big part of that with his big plays. Anderson averaged 21 yards per reception last season and even though Dillion Gabriel has moved on to Oregon, Anderson should see even more targets this year.
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford — Another big time player that didn’t see much east coast love. Things will change this year with Stanford playing in the *checks his notes* ACC. Ayomanor had a breakout game in 2023 against Colorado where he torched the Buffalos for 13 catches, 294 yards and three TDs. I need to go back and watch the tape on that one to see how much of that was against Travis Hunter. Regardless, Ayomanor is already on the draft radar and could be a breakout name to watch this season in college football.
Isaiah Bond, Texas — The Alabama transfer is joining the Texas Longhorns this season, one of the hottest offenses in college football, that feels weird to say. Last season the Alabama offense struggled to get things going, especially in the passing game. Bond should begin the season on an offense that is clicking on all cylinders. Texas QB Quinn Ewers is back for his senior season after throwing for 3479 yards. The good news for Bond is that Ewers and Texas are replacing almost all of their skill positions - which may make Bond WR1 for Texas.
Tight End:
Luke Lachey, Iowa — Lachey received a lot of preseason attention last year but suffered a season ending injury in his third game. Once again Lachey is receiving preseason attention but we all hope we get to see him play this year. The Iowa offense desperately needs a big weapon like Lachey.
Oscar Delp, Georgia —Filling the shoes of Brock Bowers might be impossible but Delp has already done it on a short term basis. With Bowers and Ladd McConkey moving on to the NFL, Georgia needs a new No. 1 target - that might become Delp. Even if he isn’t the No. 1 receiving option, Delp should see a surplus of targets in Georgia’s offense.
Offensive Line:
Earnest Greene III, Georgia — Greene took over as the starting left tackle for the Bulldogs last season and will once again be the anchor to one of the best offensive lines in the country. Greene has already started to pop up on draft boards and could be one of the top offensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Parker Brailsford, Alabama — A new face is T-Town. Brailsford followed head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington and is already one of the top centers in the nation. Alabama will help Brailsford become more of a household name and Brailsford will help the transition at Alabama.
Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona — A third Arizona Wildcat (so far)! Savaiinaea is the third Wildcat on the breakout list and could be a future first-round pick. The right tackle was huge for the Wildcats and their development as the season went on. Protecting Fifita allows him to get the ball to McMillan and that makes this trio of stars one of the best in the country.
—DEFENSE
EDGE/End:
Landon Jackson, Arkansas — Landon Jackson is becoming one of my favorite players. Jackson went viral as a high school prospect for an awkward drill and now he is silencing the laughter. The LSU recruit turned Arkansas transfer has seemed to find his home and can build off his 6.5 sacks in 2023. Not many people come built like Jackson, 6-foot-7, 282 pounds, with the ability to move like he does.
Ethan Burke /Trey Moore, Texas — The Texas defensive line was outstanding last season with Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat taking most of the attention, rightfully so. This season the defensive line needs to step up on the outside to fill in for their losses on the interior. Burke had a quiet 5.5 sacks last season and the addition of Trey Moore from UTSA and his 14 sacks should be the answer to who is going to step up. The pass rush duo is set for a big season, even if they can't replicate their 19.5 sacks from last year.
Mykel Williams, Georgia — The Georgia defense is always one of the top units in college football. They produce talent year after year and they routinely have one of the lowest scoring defenses. Their outstanding prospects rarely produce statistically though. Williams may be a first round pick someday but he has a career high of 4.5 sacks. He may not produce big numbers this year but he is going to be a star on one of the top defenses playing in the national spotlight every Saturday. Mykel Williams is a name we will be hearing a lot this fall.
Defensive Line/Tackle
Mason Graham, Michigan — Interior defensive line is seeing a boom right now. Many reached to find the next Aaron Donald and then gave up trying. Now teams are realizing that finding a Chris Jones, Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons or Christian Wilkins is pretty good too. Graham has a long road ahead of him before he will reach that status but he very well could someday. Graham will be the anchor of the Michigan defense this season and Michigan fans should feel very good about that.
Linebacker:
Jay Higgins, Iowa — An All-American by almost every outlet and the leader of one of the best defenses in the country. If that’s not enough of a reason to get to know Higgins then maybe his 171 tackles in 2023 will convince you. Iowa was a joke for most of last season because of their offense but their defense was no joke. The Hawkeyes will once again have a top defense and hopefully the offense steals attention away for good reasons - not for their lack of scoring 25 points per game.
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion — One of the top tacklers in each of the last two seasons, Henderson is one of the most productive linebackers of all time. In 2022 he recorded 186 tackles and backed that up last year with 170 tackles. Sheesh. Henderson plays at Old Dominion and might not get the “breakout” season he deserves but he is a name we should all be talking about.
Corner:
Tacario Davis, Arizona — I don't think I’ve ever had four players from the same team on a breakout list but here we are. Much like his team mates, Davis is hard to overlook. He stands at 6-foot-4 and was one of the hottest names in the transfer portal. Arizona fans can sleep easy though because Davis has removed his name from the portal and will return for at least one more season.
Daylen Everette, Georgia — The Georgia secondary lost three very important players and now someone needs to carry the torch. Luckily for Georgia, Kirby Smart is one of the best recruiters ever and has a loaded crop of talent waiting for their moment. The moment is now for Daylen Everette - one of the few returning starters in the Georgia secondary.
Safety:
Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa — Jay Higgins will lead the defense at Iowa but Nwankpa is a stud at strong safety too. The linebacker/safety pair is a top duo on defense and Nwankpa should have the breakout season this year. His 42 tackles and one interception are just the tip of what he’s capable of.
NON-DRAFT ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
—OFFENSE
Quarterback:
Nico Iamaleava, Sophomore, Tennessee — Iamaleava made a name for himself already when he hit it big with his NIL deals. Now he’s looking to make a name on the field. Tennessee has had a prolific offense under head coach Josh Heupel. Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton have been relatively high draft picks and neither of them came in with the buzz that Iamaleava has. If he can live up to even some of the hype, Iamaleava will be an All-SEC quarterback soon.
Jackson Arnold, Sophomore, Oklahoma — Taking over for Dillon Gabriel is going to be tough but Arnold has already proven he is capable. With 69 pass attempts last season, Arnold completed 63.8% of his passes and threw for 563 yards - pretty impressive for a true freshman. Oklahoma also has two very good receivers in Deion Burks and Nic Anderson. Oklahoma shouldn’t miss a beat with Arnold at QB.
Running Back:
CJ Baxter, Sophomore, Texas — Texas coined the phrase DBU in the early 2000’s and even though they may have lost that title, they might be RBU now. The longhorns have churned out some first-class talent at running back. Baxter is next in the line of Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, Jonathan Brooks and Keilan Robinson - who were all drafted into the NFL. As a true freshman Baxter rushed for 659 yards despite being RB2 on his own team. Steve Sarkisian’s streak of 1000 yard rushers will continue with Baxter.
Jahiem White, Sophomore, West Virginia — The story of Jahiem White can be told with one stat. He led his team in rushing yards despite being third on the team in carries. And West Virginia had a solid running game last year. White and his 7.7 yards per carry should be RB1 this year. If he shows more of what he saw last year he will have his big breakout this year.
Jeremiyah Love, Sophomore, Notre Dame — Notre Dame took a hit when it lost Joe Alt and Audric Estime but Irish fans have to feel good about Love making his debut in 2024. Even though he had limited carries (71) he still showed big play ability running the ball, catching and even on a few returns. As a full time starter and RB1 for Notre Dame he should break 1000 yards and have a breakout season.
Receiver:
Zachariah Branch, Sophomore, USC — Branch may have had his moment last year but I also think there is more to come with him. In 2023 he had 31 catches for 320 yards and 2 TDs - not much of a breakout. However, Branch had 442 kick return yards, 332 punt return yards and two TDs. He may have a bigger role as a receiver this season and Lincoln Riley will definitely find a way to get him the ball often.
Kevin Concepcion, Sophomore, NC State — Concepcion was already a freshman All-American last season and now he has Grayson McCall getting him the ball this year. If McCall and Concepcion can develop their timing and relationship this offseason, NC State could have a scary offense in the fall.
Johntay Cook II, Sophomore, Texas — Texas put two receivers into the NFL this spring, leaving a spot for Cook to take over as WR1. He will have to compete with fellow breakout candidate, Isaiah Bond, but even if Cook is WR2 in the Texas offense he should be on everyone’s radar.
Tight End:
Benjamin Brahmer, Sophomore, Iowa State — The 2023 freshman All-American had an impressive first year. The 6-foot-7 tight end will be a favorite target for quarterback Rocco Becht and he might be an All-American in 2024. With 28 catches and 352 yards, Brahmer has already proven he can be productive.
Luke Hasz, Sophomore, Arkansas — A broken collar bone shortened his season but Hasz still managed 16 catches and three TDs in less than five games. With a full season Hasz has All-SEC potential. The Razorbacks are limited on offense and Hasz has to be productive for them to produce on offense.
Offensive Line:
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Sophomore, Alabama — As of now, I have Kadyn Proctor playing for Alabama. Proctor has had a snip-snap-snip-snap offseason by entering the portal and then landing back at Alabama. Regardless of where he plays, Proctor is a top tackle in 2024 and a name to watch for the 2026 NFL Draft. Kalen DeBoer knew he had to get Proctor back on campus and he somehow pulled it off.
Cayden Green, OT, Sophomore, Missouri — Another top tackle that landed in the transfer portal this offseason. Green started at Oklahoma last season and is now set to be the starting left tackle at Mizzou. The former five-star recruit joins an explosive offense with talent at every position. If Green and the Missouri offense live up to expectations everyone will be asking who their starting left tackle is.
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Sophomore, Miami — Mauigoa was one of the best freshmen last year and a bright spot for the Hurricanes offense. Miami is loading up through the transfer portal and bringing in even more offensive talent. Maybe Mauigoa and Miami will finally be back this year - after all it happened for Texas.
—DEFENSE
EDGE/End:
Rueben Bain, Sophomore, Miami — The 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year had 7.5 sacks and there might be more to come from him in 2024. At 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, Bain can play in almost any defensive front. Another year of development and being a little more comfortable at the college level could result in a double digit sack season for Bain in 2024.
TJ Parker, Sophomore, Clemson — Clemson had to rebuild their defensive line after losing a ton of talent. Much like they’ve done before, they did it. Parker had 5.5 sacks his freshman season but his 12.5 tackle for loss might have been more impressive. Parker’s ability to play against the run and pass is rare for someone their first year on campus. Get used to hearing about Parker - and his team mate Peter Woods.
Defensive Line/Tackle:
Peter Woods, Sophomore, Clemson — Woods is the second half of the Clemson duo and was equally impressive. Woods took over for Bryan Bresee - both at his position and his number - and quickly left his mark on the Clemson defense. Playing in the trenches isn’t easy to do as a freshman in the ACC but Woods sure made it look that way at times.
Linebacker:
Anthony Hill, Sophomore, Texas — Hill made numerous big plays for the Texas defense as a reserve player. With an increased role in 2024 Hill should have even more opportunity to make big plays. His potential as a pass rusher could propel him into 2026 draft talk this season.
Taurean York, Sophomore, Texas A&M — The Freshman All-American and 12-game starter had one hell of a freshman season in 2023. York and Edgerrin Cooper made for one of the most fearsome linebacker duos in the SEC. Now Cooper is gone to the NFL and York is stepping into a leadership role with the Aggies defense. I’m eager to see how the young linebacker develops and becomes more comfortable as the game slows down and he speeds up.
Kam Robinson, Sophomore, Virginia — Much like Taurean York, Kam Robinson quickly became one of the best linebackers in his conference his freshman season. Robinson earned the starting role his second game into his college career and was an immediate force with 11 tackles. The 6-foot-2, 227 pound linebacker will most definitely have a bigger role this season and that should result in even more production and more attention coming his way.
Corner:
Caden Jenkins, Sophomore, Baylor — A 7-game starter in 2023, Jenkins won the job and isn’t giving it back. Jenkins was a ballhawk as a freshman with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries - one of those fumble recoveries was returned for a 72-yards touchdown! His athletic ability jumps off the screen and he still has at least two more seasons to show off his talent.
Malik Muhammad, Sophomore, Texas — A lot of the sophomores on this list already had a great freshman season. And while Muhammad did have a solid freshman year he didn’t see as much action as some of the others. This season should be his true breakout season as he earns more playing time after starting two games in 2023. His biggest play came in one of the Longhorns biggest games when he recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown against Oklahoma. More big plays are on the way for Malik Muhammad in 2024.
Safety:
Dillon Thieneman, Sophomore, Purdue — Caleb Downs stole most of the attention last year and he will get a lot more this year. But his fellow BIG Ten safety, Dillon Thieneman, is equally impressive. Thieneman recorded an outstanding 106 tackles as a freshman - an unreal number! BUT, the amazement doesn’t stop there - Thieneman also had SIX interceptions. I’m not sure I’ve seen a more impressive freshman season and honestly not enough people are talking about his play. It will be hard for him to duplicate those numbers but he is about to be a big name in the BIG Ten.
Khalil Barnes, Sophomore, Clemson — Barnes is another excellent sophomore safety who has a knack for creating turnovers. His three interceptions and three forced fumbles were a great start to his college career. As a full time start in 2024, Barnes will be a focal point for the young Clemson defense.
INCOMING FRESHMEN
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State — Don’t be surprised if Sayin is starting for Ohio State by season's end. This kid is too good to keep off the field and his receivers already see it.
Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska — Raiola and Sayin and both very impressive but Raiola might be the Day 1 starter in Lincoln. I’ve been waiting for a savior of Nebraska football and this kid might be it.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State — Smith is already living up to the recruiting hype and has already shown off his one hand catch ability in the Spring game. Smith and Sayin are going to be a deadly combination - the only question is if it is this year or next.
Cameron Coleman, WR, Auburn — Coleman is already enrolled at Auburn and making himself known. Auburn lacks receiver talent and the five-star recruit could emerge as WR1 for the Tigers very soon.
Jaylen Mbakwe, CB, Alabama — Alabama lost two starting corners to the NFL but we can always count on Nick Saban to reload his roster. And even though Saban is gone he has still set up the corners with future gold. Mbakwe will have a tough time earning a starting job in the Alabama secondary but should see significant playing time.