ESPN ranks Top 10 offensive players at mid-point of College Football season

We’ve officially reached the mid-point of the 2025 College Football season.

This season has already gone off the rails, as players with major preseason expectations (Texas‘ Arch Manning and Alabama‘s Ryan Williams) have disappointed while lesser-known players such as Indiana‘s Fernando Mendoza and Missouri‘s Ahmad Hardy have exploded onto the national landscape.

With six games down and six games to go, ESPN has ranked the top-10 offensive players in all of college football this season. The full list is below:

1. OL Francis Mauigoa (Miami)

Miami junior offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa has been named the best offensive player in all of college football by ESPN. Mauigoa, who is a projected First Round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, anchors an O-Line blocking for a Hurricane offense averaging 264.2 passing yards and 163.8 points per game.

The Hurricanes are 5-0 to open the season with strong wins over No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 18 USF, Florida and No. 18 Florida State. Miami is up to No. 2 in the AP Poll Rankings for the first time since 2017 and looks to be on the fast track to make the ACC Championship Game for the first time since 2017 (and second time in program history) and the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

2. QB Jayden Maiava (USC)

USC junior quarterback Jayden Maiava has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in all of college football this season for a Trojan team that has opened the season with a 5-1 record. Maiava has excelled under quarterback-guru Lincoln Riley in his first season as a starting quarterback. Through six games, the Palolo, HI native boasts 1,852 passing yards (third most in NCAA), 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

He was strong in the Trojans’ dominant 31-13 win over No. 15 Michigan on Saturday, passing for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Makai Lemon has been instrumental in Maiava’s success. Lemon averages one touchdown per game and has totaled at least 90 receiving yards in five of six games. Maiava and Lemon are one of the best QB/WR duos in all of college football this season.

3. QB Ty Simpson (Alabama)

Things started off rough for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson this season, but he has been the best quarterback in the SEC since the Tide’s season-opening loss to Florida State. Since that loss, Alabama has won five consecutive games (including three straight against ranked opponents). Through six games this season, Simpson has thrown for 1,678 yards, 16 touchdowns and just one interception. In their three games against ranked opponents, Simpson boasts seven touchdowns to just one interception.

“There’s things he can keep getting better at, just staying within himself,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said about Simpson. “That’s really the key with him, just stay within himself and not try to do too much. When he does that, he stacks plays, he stacks first downs. Sooner or later, we’re in the end zone. I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

4. RB Ahmad Hardy (Missouri)

Missouri sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy, who transferred from Louisiana-Monroe, has been one of the biggest impact transfers in all of college football this season. Hardy was instrumental in the Tigers’ 5-0 start to the season, rushing for 730 yards and nine touchdowns. His season took a bit of a hit on Saturday against No. 8 Alabama however, as he was held under 100 rushing yards for the first time this season (52 yards on 12 carries).

Although the Tide bottled him up a bit, he stills ranks second in all of college football with 782 rushing yards. He’s also tied for the second-most rushing scores in the sport this season (nine) and has already cemented himself as one of the most talented running backs in program history. He’ll have a chance to bounce back next weekend at Auburn.

5. QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)

Many thought Indiana would be one-and-done following its appearance in last season’s College Football Playoff. This could not have been farther from the truth however, as the Hoosiers knocked off No. 3 Oregon 30-20 in Eugene on Saturday and have catapulted to No. 3 in the AP Poll Rankings for the first time in program history. Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been instrumental in this 6-0 start, as he’s passed for 1,423 yards, 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season.

“I couldn’t have done it without our fantastic offense,” Mendoza said following the win over Oregon. “They never said it was gonna be easy. We came in here, we handled adversity fantastically and we rose to the moment. When the offense is on the field and we need a game-winning drive, we did it. When the defense needed a stop, we did it.” He’s currently projected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft.

6. QB Carson Beck (Miami)

Following a disappointing ending to his Georgia career last season, quarterback Carson Beck is experiencing a career resurgence under offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson and the Miami Hurricanes. Leading one of the best offenses in college football, Beck has passed for 1,213 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He absolutely dominated No. 18 Florida State prior to Miami‘s bye-week, passing for 241 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the 28-22 win.

Beck is surrounded by an extremely talented receiving core, led by freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney and senior wide receivers CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion. The Hurricanes are outscoring opponents 175-68 and look to be on their way to the College Football Playoff, which Beck never played in for the Bulldogs.

7. RB Cam Cook (Jacksonville State)

TCU transfer running back Cam Cook is putting up video game numbers this season for Jacksonville State. Through six games this season, Cook is leading all of college football with 832 rushing yards. He’s found the end zone seven times and is averaging 5.9 yards per rush. He is the main focus of the Gamecock offense, as he rushes the ball an average of 23.6 times per game.

Cook is coming off a monstrous performance against Sam Houston State, in which he rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-27 win over the Bearkats. In this day and age of the Transfer Portal, Cook could very well make his way back to Power-Four football next season after dominating in Conference-USA.

8. QB Demond Williams Jr. (Washington)

Sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is one of the most exciting young players in all of college football. He has been stellar for the Huskies, boasting 1,628 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception this season. He’s also rushed for 382 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Washington has opened the season with a 5-1 record, with its lone loss coming to No. 1 Ohio State.

“He is special,” head coach Jedd Fisch said. “And we’ve known that for a lot of years now. So it’s great to have Demond continue to be who we think we are.” Fisch called Williams special after a dominant performance against Rutgers last Saturday, where he passed for 402 yards (and two touchdowns) and rushed for 136 yards (and two more touchdowns) in a 38-19 win over the Scarlet Knights.

9. RB Justice Haynes (Michigan)

Although he has been dealing with an injury, Michigan running back Justice Haynes has been stellar this season for the Wolverines. Haynes, who transferred from Alabama prior to the season, boasts 705 yards and eight touchdowns in six games this season. His 705 yards are fifth most in the country and leads the Big Ten Conference.

“I feel sorry for the team that let him go, but I’m glad he’s here,” head coach Sherrone Moore said following Michigan‘s win over Wisconsin. “Another 100 yard rushing game, and he just continues to perform at a high level. And I don’t know if we had the 50 yard run we’ve had, that streak might be ended, but another 100 yard game, we’re proud of that.”

10. WR Danny Scudero (San José State)

Once again, a San José State wide receiver is dominating college football. Wide receiver Nick Nash ranked second in college football in receiving yards last season, and sophomore wide receiver Danny Scudero leads college football in receiving yards this season. Through six games, Scudero has hauled in 50 receptions for 845 yards and eight touchdowns.

Scudero’s strong play isn’t quite however resulting in wins, as the Spartans are just 3-3 this season. The San Jose native is coming off a monstrous performance, in which he caught 10 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. His team however lost to Wyoming 35-28.