The 2025 College Football Playoff officially kicks off on Friday night with a first-round Playoff game between No. 9 Alabama and No. 8 Oklahoma in Norman. The Crimson Tide (10-3), which made the CFP despite a lopsided loss to No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game two weeks ago, is seeking to avenge its Week 12 loss to the Sooners (10-2) in Tuscaloosa.
The rest of the first round will kickoff on Saturday, beginning with a noon ET kick between No. 10 Miami and No. 7 Texas A&M in College Station. But before the 2025 Playoffs formally gets underway, ESPN experts Bill Connelly, David Hale, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg parsed through the rosters of all 12 CFP qualifiers to determine the Top 50 overall players in this year’s field.
And while there were plenty of elite players left out, as was the case with this year’s CFP field, ESPN’s criteria focused on identifying the best overall players with the chance to make the biggest impact on the Playoffs this season. WIth that in mind, check out ESPN’s list of the Top 50 overall players in this year’s College Football Playoffs below:
To little surprise, the newly-crowned Heisman Trophy winner tops ESPN’s list of most impactful CFP players, especially after Mendoza guided the top-ranked Hoosiers to an undefeated regular season, their first Big Ten title in nearly six decades, and the No. 1 overall Playoff seed. Mendoza led the FBS with 39 total touchdowns to go along with more than 3,200 total yards of offense this season.
ESPN: “The Heisman Trophy winner has to top the list. Mendoza was a force for Indiana, as the Hoosiers took the next step from playoff Cinderella in 2024 to the No. 1 team in the country entering the 2025 postseason.”
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While Mendoza has all the awards, there’s no bigger name in college football right now than Smith, the Buckeyes’ superstar wideout who has dominated since first arriving on campus in Columbus last year. Smith led the Big Ten with 80 receptions for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
ESPN: “If we’re ranking based on talent alone, there’s a good argument that no player comes close to matching Smith’s ability. … Smith commands double-teams constantly, draws the attention of everyone’s best corner, and has every defensive coordinator he faces scheming to slow him down.”
The Red Raiders senior linebacker and converted QB was the big winner during award season, claiming the Bednarik, Butkus, Lombardi and Nagurski awards as college football’s top defensive player this season. Rodriguez enters the CFP with 117 takcles, 11 for loss, and seven forced fumbles with the opportunity to create even more chaos for Texas Tech.
ESPN: “Arguably the best defensive player in the country in 2025, Rodriguez dominated in all areas for Texas Tech this season. … And as if it wasn’t enough to dominate on defense, Rodriguez even got into the action on offense, rushing twice and scoring both times.”
While Rodriguez shut down the middle of the field for the Red Raiders, Bailey made things easier by created heavy pressure in the backfield with a Power Four-leading 13.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, 13 hurries and 65 total quarterback pressues on the season.
ESPN: “One of the best pash rushers in the country, Bailey led all Power 4 players in sacks with 13.5. … The Red Raiders’ defensive front was its best weapon, and no one on that D-line created more havoc in 2025 than Bailey.”
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The Buckeyes redshirt freshman rose to the challenge this season after being handed the keys to Ohio State’s potent offense, and has done nothing but impress since. Sayin leads all FBS with a 78.4 completion percentage with a chance to eclipse the NCAA record of 77.5% set by Oregon’s Bo Nix in 2023.
ESPN: “From beating Texas in Week 1 to blossoming into a Heisman finalist by year’s end, Sayin never appeared overwhelmed by the moment, racking up an eye-popping stat line that included 31 touchdown passes, only six interceptions and a nearly 79% completion percentage.”
The Aggies senior pass rusher and former Bowling Green transfer finally broke out in his second season in College Station to lead the SEC with 11.5 sacks and finish fourth in the league with 14 tackles for loss. Howell also added five quarterback hurries, six pass breakups and a forced fumble this season.
ESPN: “If the Aggies are going to make a deep run, it probably will be because of the chaos created up front by Howell & Co.”
A star since leading Alabama with 107 tackles as a true freshman, Downs remains one of college football’s best all-around defensive players. Downs has directed the Buckeyes’ No. 1 ranked defense each of the past two seasons while locking down things in the backend of the secondary.
ESPN: “Downs picked off two passes this season, which is far more impressive than it sounds, because despite playing 322 snaps in coverage, opposing QBs targeted him only 20 times.”
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The heart of the Bulldogs’ defense the past few years, Allen continues to be a tackle machine after racking up 85 total tackles this season, including eight for loss, four pass breakups, 3.5 sacks, two QB hurries and two forced fumbles.
ESPN: “Perhaps the most fierce player on the Dawgs’ defense, Allen is a machine in the middle for Georgia, racking up 85 total tackles, including eight for a loss.”
While his 2025 stats — 37 total tackles, 7.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks — might not support the hype, Bain remains one of the most feared defensive players in all of college football by creating havoc for opposing quarterbacks even if he’s not necessarily getting home everytime.
ESPN: “Bain’s motor is unrivaled, and the attention he commands at the line of scrimmage opens up lanes for others on Miami’s front.”
The former NC State transfer has been a revelation in College Station, pairing with fellow transfer WR Mario Carver to give Aggies QB Marcel Reed a two-headed monster on the outside. Concepcion finished tied for the SEC lead with nine receiving scores with three more touchdowns, including two as a returner.
ESPN: “No incoming transfer this season has affected two phases of the game as much as Concepcion, who won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.”
11. Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
12. Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
13. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
14. Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon
15. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
16. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
17. Carter Smith, OT, Indiana
18. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
19. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
20. Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama
21. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
22. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
23. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
24. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
25. Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
26. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
27. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
28. Louis Moore, S, Indiana
29. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
30. Taylor Wein, EDGE, Oklahoma
31. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
32. Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
33. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
34. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
35. Teitum Tuioti, OLB, Oregon
36. Wayne Knight, RB, James Madison
37. Romello Height, OLB, Texas Tech
38. Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss
39. A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
40. Sahir West, EDGE, James Madison
41. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
42. Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
43. R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
44. Austin Siereveld, OT, Ohio State
45. Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M
46. Carson Beck, QB, Miami
47. Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana
48. Alonza Barnett III, QB, James Madison
49. Isaiah Sategna III, WR, Oklahoma
50. Shadre Hunt, OG, Tulane