2025 College Football Awards and Honors

The 2025 college football regular season brought some truly impressive performances to the gridiron. News stars were born, while others shone brightly, with the ultimate goal being a national championship. While most aren’t able to achieve that goal, that doesn’t mean their individual performances should go unnoticed. The League Winners have come together to vote for First, Second, and Third-Team honors amongst some of the greatest college football players from the 2025 season.

College Football 2025 End of Year Awards and Honors

League Winners First-Team

In our inaugural year voting for end of year honors, meet your League Winners First-Team for the 2025 college football season.

Congratulations to our official First-Team offensive and defensive selections for the 2025 college football season. They truly encompass what it means to be a #LeagueWinner at the highest level. pic.twitter.com/oRXS7P7vKM

— The League Winners (@LeagueWinnersCF) December 6, 2025

The League Winners’ First-Team offense has two unique players in its category. UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love were the only players to receive unanimous First-Team votes from our staff. It speaks to their dominance on the gridiron in a year full of electric performances.

UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell and Notre Dame running Jeremiyah Love are the only players to receive unanimous First-Team votes from our voting staff.

Stay tuned for the official All-League Winners team, dropping tomorrow. 👀 pic.twitter.com/jzZms2eAqP

— The League Winners (@LeagueWinnersCF) December 5, 2025

The official First-Team offense is as follows.

• Julian Sayin, Quarterback – Ohio State
• Jeremiyah Love, Running Back – Notre Dame
• Ahmad Hardy, Running Back – Missouri
• Skyler Bell, Wide Receiver – UConn
• Makai Lemon, Wide Receiver – USC
• Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver – Ohio State
• Eli Stowers, Tight End – Vanderbilt
• Francis Mauigoa, Offensive Tackle – Miami (FL)
• Spencer Fano, Offensive Tackle – Utah
• Beau Stephens, IOL – Iowa
• Keylan Rutledge, IOL – Georgia Tech
• Logan Jones, Center – Iowa

Notes: Skyler Bell is the only Group of 5 player in the First-Team offense. Ohio State and Iowa are the only programs with two players represented in this offensive grouping.

The First-Team defense have their share of standouts, too. Led by Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, the defense is a s tar-studded cast of the best players in college football.

The official First-Team defense is as follows.

• Kayden McDonald, Defensive Line – Ohio State
• Landon Robinson, Defensive Line – Navy
• David Bailey, Edge Rusher – Texas Tech
• Rueben Bain Jr., Edge Rusher – Miami (FL)
• Sonny Styles, Linebacker – Ohio State
• Arvell Reese, Linebacker – Ohio State
• Jacob Rodriguez, Linebacker – Texas Tech
• Leonard Moore, Cornerback – Notre Dame
• Mansoor Delane, Cornerback – LSU
• Caleb Downs, Safety – Ohio State
• Dillon Thineman, Safety – Oregon

Notes: Navy’s Landon Robinson is the only Group of 5 player featured in the First-Team defense. Ohio State dominated this grouping, with four members. Meanwhile, Texas Tech had two players featured.

Not to be left out is our special teams’ honor recipients.

• Tate Sandell, Kicker – Oklahoma
• Evan Crenshaw, Punter – Troy
• Kaden Wetjen, Returner – Iowa

League Winners Second-Team

Like those in the First-Team, The League Winners Second-Team selections have showcased elite traits, with production to match for the 2025 season.

The official Second-Team offense is as follows.

• Diego Pavia, Quarterback – Vanderbilt
• Caleb Hawkins, Running Back – North Texas
• Cam Cook, Running Back – Jax State
• Malachi Toney, Wide Receiver – Miami (FL)
• Wyatt Young, Wide Receiver – North Texas
• KC Concepcion, Wide Receiver – Texas A&M
• Kenyon Sadiq, Tight End – Oregon
• Trevor Goosby, Offensive Lineman – Texas
• Carter Smith, Offensive Lineman – Indiana
• Will Jeffcoat, IOL – Army
• Shadre Hurst, IOL – Tulane
• Jake Slaughter, Center – Florida

Notes: The Group of 5 had five members in this grouping, with representatives from North Texas, Jax State, Army, and Tulane. Most notable here is Caleb Hawkins, the Mean Green’s true freshman running back.

The official Second-Team defense is as follows.

• Ezra Christensen, Defensive Lineman – New Mexico State
• Damonte Smith, Defensive Lineman – Middle Tennessee
• Cashius Howell, Edge Rusher – Texas A&M
• Akheem Mesidor, Edge Rusher – Miami (FL)
• Red Murdock, Linebacker – Buffalo
• Jaxton Eck, Linebacker – New Mexico
• Byrun Parham, Linebacker – UConn
• Chris Johnson, Cornerback – San Diego State
• Hezekiah Masses, Cornerback – California
• AJ Haulcy, Safety – LSU
• Nick Andersen, Safety – Wake Forest

Notes: More than half (6) of the Second-Team’s recipients are from the G5, and are accountable for both the DL and LB positions. California continues their yearly trend of having good defensive back play, as Hezekiah Masses finds himself on this list after his impressive 2025 season.

Finally, our Second-Team Special Teams unit.

• Kansei Matsuzama, Kicker – Hawaii
• Jack Stonehouse, Punter – Syracuse
• Jadarian Price, Returner – Notre Dame

League Winners Third-Team

Our final major grouping is the Third-Team honors for the 2025 college football season. Like those mentioned before them, these players have also put together exceptionally productive seasons.

The official Third-Team offense is as follows.

• Byrum Brown, Quarterback – South Florida
• Jadan Baugh, Running Back – Florida
• Kewan Lacy, Running Back – LSU
• Danny Scudero, Wide Receiver – San Jose State
• KJ Duff, Wide Receiver – Rutgers
• Camden Brown, Wide Receiver – Georgia Southern
• Michael Trigg, Tight End – Baylor
• Keagen Trost, Offensive Lineman – Missouri
• Trevor Lauck, Offensive Lineman – Iowa
• Olaivavega Ioane, IOL – Penn State
• Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL – Oregon
• Cole Best, Center – South Florida

Notes: The South Florida Bulls hold two members in the final team honors. In a unit with many talented players, the Third-Team Offense shows a great blend of upperclassmen talent with underclassmen making plays, too.

The Third-Team Defense is as follows.

• AJ Holmes Jr., Defensive Lineman – Texas Tech
• Will Echoles, Defensive Lineman – Ole Miss
• Clev Lubin, EDGE – Louisville
• Adam Trick, EDGE – Miami (OH)
• Mac Harris, Linebacker – South Florida
• Xavier Atkins, Linebacker – Auburn
• Owen Chambliss, Linebacker – San Diego State
• Brice Pollock, Cornerback – Texas Tech
• D’Angelo Ponds, Cornerback – Indiana
• Bishop Fitzgerald, Safety – USC
• Jakari Foster, Safety – Louisiana Tech

Notes: Like many of the other units here, there is a nice blend of G5 and P4 college football talent.

Our Third-Team Special Teams unit is as follows.

• Nico Gramatica, Kicker – South Florida
• Hunter Green, Punter – San Diego State
• Da’Realyst Clark, Returner – Kent State

True Freshman Team

Not only did The League Winners give our primary honors, but we also wanted to acknowledge the elite true freshmen from the 2025 college football season.

• CJ Carr, Quarterback – Notre Dame
• Caleb Hawkins, Running Back – North Texas
• Jeremiah Koger, Wide Receiver – South Florida
• Malachi Toney, Wide Receiver – Miami (FL)
• Kaelan Chudzinski, Tight End – Boston College
• Michael Carroll, Offensive Lineman – Alabama
• Dontrell Glover, Offensive Lineman – Georgia
• Giakoby Hills, Offensive Lineman – Temple
• Sidney Stewart, Defensive Lineman – Maryland
• Zahir Mathis, Defensive Lineman – Maryland
• Luke Ferrelli, Linebacker – California
• Mason Posa, Linebacker – Wisconsin
• Jessiah McGrew, Defensive Back – FIU
• Graceson Littleton, Defensive Back – Texas
• Brandon Finney Jr., Defensive Back – Oregon

Notes: Running back Caleb Hawkins and Malachi Toney are the only freshman to make both a true freshman and team honors.

Other Notes

The Ohio State Buckeyes led with the most players being selected to either the First, Second, Third or Freshman teams with six total honorees.

Behind Ohio State was both Miami (FL) and South Florida, who had five recipients. Trailing the Florida schools were Notre Dame, Iowa, and Texas Tech, who each had four players.

Only five players had at least six First-Team votes given to them. Skyler Bell and Jeremiyah Love were previously mentioned. Joining them in this distinction is Ahmad Hardy (Missouri), David Bailey (Texas Tech), and Caleb Downs (Ohio State).

In terms of conference leaders, the top five conferences are as follows. The Big Ten led all conferences with 23 total selections. Rounding out the top five was the SEC (18), the ACC (12), the American (8), and the Big 12 (6).