With the college football season fast approaching and plenty of marquee matchups on the way, our staff compiled a list of 15 players to watch from the nearby FBS teams. Of course, the quarterbacks are included—Kansas and K-State have solidified starters, while MU’s competition remains up in the air—but the list includes players on both sides of the ball expected to make a difference in 2025.
Here are some names to know… Kansas State Wildcats 1. Avery Johnson: The Wichita native failed to live up to the Heisman Trophy buzz he generated early last season, and K-State faded out of the Big 12 championship mix late in the year.
But he still delivered a fine sophomore season that featured 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns. Now that he is a junior, perhaps he is ready to make a big leap forward and guide the Wildcats to more than nine wins. 2. Dylan Edwards: K-State always seems to have a star running back.
The Wildcats have impressively gone from Deuce Vaughn to DJ Giddens and now Edwards. The Derby product seems ready for a massive season after he shined in the Rose Bowl with 223 total yards and three touchdowns. K-State will get him the ball in a variety of ways this year.
It will be fun to see what he does with all of those touches. Kansas State Wildcats running back Dylan Edwards (3) against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field on Dec. 26, 2024.
Mark J. Rebilas Imagn Images 3. Austin Romaine: No K-State defender has finished a season with 100 or more tackles since Elijah Lee in 2016.
Could Romaine end that streak this season? He came close last year and ended the campaign with 96 stops. He seems to have matured into K-State’s best overall player on defense. So much so that Chris Klieman thinks he has All-America potential. 4.
Taylor Poitier: Most assume the Wildcats will remain strong on the offensive line because they are always good up front. But it’s worth noting that K-State must replace three starters with a new position coach this season. That might not be easy.
Poitier can help with the transition. This will be his seventh season at K-State. He has prepared for it by getting in the best shape of his life. The offensive line will benefit if he goes out with a bang. 5. VJ Payne:The secondary is a question for K-State this season. After losing Jacob Parrish, Marquis Sigle, and Keenan Garber to the NFL, it’s fair to wonder how the Wildcats will hold up against pass-happy offenses in the Big 12. But there is internal optimism about these positions, because VJ Payne returns to anchor the unit as a safety.
He is the fastest player on the roster, and he could use that speed to his advantage in the form of big plays this season. Kansas Jayhawks 1. Jalon Daniels: After an up-and-down last season, all eyes are on sixth-year Kansas QB Jalon Daniels. He finished with 2,174 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 410 yards and six TDs. In the latter half of the season, he played his best football. Daniels returns in 2025 with NFL aspirations—and hopes of leading the Jayhawks back to a bowl game. Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) drops back to pass against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium on Nov. 30, 2024. Chris Jones Imagn Images 2. Emmanuel Henderson Jr.: Since Alabama transfer Emmanuel Henderson joined KU in January, the positive buzz from players and coaches has been nonstop. Henderson could be the best wideout Daniels has had in his tenure. Henderson told The Star he came to Lawrence seeking an opportunity to play more. At Alabama, he only played 199 total snaps on offense, accumulating five catches in three seasons with the Crimson Tide. 3. Leroy Harris III: The defensive end is another player who’s had significant buzz from coaches and players alike. Harris transferred from Chattanooga and was called a likely redshirt candidate by coach Lance Leipold back at Big 12 Media Days. Now, he could play a real role for the Jayhawks. He will be pivotal in helping stop the opposing run game, something he excelled in at Chattanooga. 4. Leshon Williams: Alongside Daniel Hishaw, Iowa transfer Leshon Williams will play significant snaps at running back for the Jayhawks. Williams is just two seasons removed from rushing for 821 yards and earning All-Big 10 honorable mention. He struggled with injuries last season, so he only played three games. If he can bounce back, he will make KU’s rushing attack all the more dynamic. 5. Jalen Todd: With the departure of star cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson to the NFL, sophomore defensive back Jalen Todd will get plenty of snaps. Todd played in six games last season, recording nine tackles and two pass deflections. Now, he’s a likely starter and will play a pivotal role in how KU’s new-look secondary performs. Missouri Tigers 1. Ahmad Hardy: Hardy is absolutely one of the most dynamic additions that coach Eli Drinkwitz picked up in the transfer portal. From a zero-star recruit to a 1,300-yard rusher as a true freshman last season, Hardy’s transition to a Power Four program is an exciting one to look forward to. 2. Zion Young: At SEC Media Days last month, Young—a likely standout at D-end—shared this sentiment about what the Tigers are building. “We’re really establishing a ‘Death Row’ defense,” he said. Young should be one of the top reasons for that. A returning starter, Young is a breakout candidate after posting 42 tackles last year. 3. Brett Norfleet: The returning starting tight end, Norfleet was never fully healthy last year. After opting to miss the Music City Bowl for shoulder surgery, Norfleet comes into 2025 finally healthy and on the watch list for the Mackey Award, given to the most outstanding TE in college football. Missouri Tigers tight end Brett Norfleet (87) runs with the ball during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 19, 2024. Jay Biggerstaff Imagn Images 4. Sam Horn: A two-sport athlete in Columbia, and in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, Horn is an interesting player to keep an eye out for. A recent draft selection by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Horn has found himself locked into a quarterback battle with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula. 5. Marquis Johnson: Mizzou’s receiving corps took a hit at the end of 2024, but Johnson is back—and he’s set to be a starter in 2025. One of the longest-tenured scholarship players on this roster, Johnson made 25 catches for 352 yards on top of his 18 kick returns last year. Johnson has large shoes to fill, but Drinkwitz has been complimentary of how he’s been doing it thus far in fall camp
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