Introducing the initial 2025 On300
On3 has released its initial On300 football prospect rankings for the 2025 cycle. The On300 builds upon the initial Top 100 Watchlist, which was released last August.
We’ve spent the past month combing through hundreds of rising juniors in formulating these early rankings. With that said, this release is very much a long-term projection.
We’re about two years out from the final rankings for the 2025 cycle. There’s a ton of football left to be played. Prospects are at different stages in their physical development at this early juncture. Ages of top prospects in the 2025 cycle range from 15 to 17 years old. Naturally, many prospects will look quite different physically over the course of the next year. Some physically develop later than others. Perhaps most importantly, the pool of prospects in the 2025 cycle will expand greatly over the next two years. Hundreds of FBS prospects have yet to emerge. It’s possible, if not likely, there are future top 100 prospects who have yet to see varsity action or even started playing football altogether.
This ranking is a long-term projection based on the relatively limited amount of information and sample size we have available. Varsity contribution is a key driver, with the understanding that some may get opportunities later than others. There’s also considerable fluidity among the position groups. Certain positions like running back and wide receiver tend to take shape a little earlier than spots that require physical development, like the offensive line. Many future linebackers may be playing another position, like defensive back. There are a number of wide receivers who could grow into tight ends. As a result, early rankings typically have a higher incidence of skill players as opposed to releases later in the process.
With that said, let’s take a look at some storylines surrounding this initial 2025 On300.
Five initial 5-stars
The top five prospects in the 2025 On300 debut as five-stars for On3.
Quarterback Bryce Underwood debuts as the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 cycle for On3. Underwood has separated as the top quarterback prospect early on due to his considerable physical ability and play on Friday nights. The Belleville (Mich.) signal caller checks in at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, with a 10-inch hand. He’s a big-armed passer and plus athlete. The physical gifts have transferred over to the field seamlessly over the past two seasons, with Underwood leading Belleville to back-to-back state titles. There is a legitimate ‘wow factor’ a number of plays from his sophomore video. The ball jumps out of Underwood’s hand. He has the ability to drive the ball with palpable velocity to all levels. Underwood is among the more productive passers in the cycle, completing 65% of his passes for 2,751 yards and 37 touchdowns last fall. He’s a dangerous runner with the ability to pick up chunks of yards on the ground. There are also some encouraging signs of playmaking feel and ability to make high-level improvisational plays. Like any young quarterback prospect, Underwood will have to continue developing to hit his ceiling, which looks to be very high. Underwood has visited in-state Michigan, LSU and Penn State so far in 2023. The Wolverines currently lead in his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
Defensive lineman Elijah Griffin checks in at No. 2. The 6-foot-3.5, 270-pounder has shown explosive athleticism that is eye-popping for a rising junior. Griffin has the frame and size of a future interior defensive lineman but the high-end twitch of a top pass rusher. He has been dominant over the past two seasons at Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian Prep and had a big sophomore campaign, tallying 30 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. Griffin has also shown his explosion and strength in track and field, recently going over 50 feet in the shot put. The new five-star has visited Alabama, South Carolina and in-state Georgia dating back to the fall.
There is not a current skill prospect who is more athletic and productive than wide receiver Ryan Williams (No. 3). The Alabama commit was absolutely dominant as a sophomore while leading his Saraland (Ala.) High team to a state title. Williams’ 2022 stat-line was absurd for any player, let along a sophomore. He caught 88 passes for 1,641 yards and 24 touchdowns, ran for 700 yards and 15 touchdowns on 57 rushes (12.3 yards per carry), returned two punts for touchdowns and passed for a score. Williams is not just dominant on Friday nights – he was the On3 MVP at Under Armour’s Atlanta camp last month after a stellar showing where he scored around 10 touchdowns in 1-on-1’s and posted the fasted 40-yard dash on hand (electronic 4.41). He’s also a track star and has a shot at winning state in four events. So far in 2023, Williams has posted a scintillating 10.49 second mark in the 100 meters along with 21.28 seconds in the 200 meters, a 48.19 400 meter mark and a 6-8 high jump. At 6-foot, 160-pounds, Williams will need to continue adding mass and strength to his frame, but there are few if any who can rival his resume as a football player and verfied athlete to this point. He committed to Alabama on October 8, 2022.
Naeem Offord (No. 4) emerged as On3’s top 2025 defensive back prospect over the course of the rankings process. For starters, he has plus size, length and athleticism. Offord is around 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a 6-foot-7 wing-span. He was among the top athletes at Under Armour’s Atlanta camp, posting an outstanding 11’1″ broad jump (the best any event this year) and an electronically-timed 4.59 second 40-yard dash where he pulled up midway through. The physical gifts transfer over to the field, where Offord is a two-way playmaker for Birmingham (Ala.) Parker. He showcases ball skills and big-play ability as a wide receiver and overall offensive weapon. While Offord is not tested often at corner, he was very polished in defensive back drills for a rising junior and looked to be a loose, fluid mover. Alabama and Auburn are out in front according to his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
Zayden Walker (No. 5) looks like the top EDGE prospect early on. Walker was an explosive presence on both sides of the ball, leading Ellaville (Ga.) Schley County to a state title appearance as a sophomore. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has outstanding play strength and is a violent finisher. He flashes high-end on-field athleticism with noticeable first step quickness and the ability to chase down plays in backside pursuit. We also see the athleticism on offense, where he doubles as a dangerous running back. Florida State, Florida and in-state Georgia are in the mix according to his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
Offensive tackle David Sanders (No. 6), defensive lineman Armondo Blount (No. 7), EDGE Ari Watford, safety DJ Pickett (No. 9) and wide receiver Caleb Cunningham (No. 10) follow up the group of five-stars and round out the top ten.
Strong group of skill prospects
In addition to Bryce Underwood and Ryan Williams, there looks to be a very promising group of top skill talent early on in the 2025 cycle.
At quarterback, Carter Smith (No. 14), George MacIntyre (No.16), Cutter Boley (No. 30) and Akili Smith Jr. (No. 39) check in as initial top 50 prospects. Smith had a breakout junior season at Fort Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot, showing high-end functional athleticism and playmaking ability. He doubles as one of the top 2025 baseball prospects in the state of Florida. MacIntyre is a tall, quick-armed passer with encouraging improvisational skills. Like Smith, MacIntyre is a two-sport standout, starring in basketball. Boley has shown one of the stronger arms in the cycle with the ability to drive the football as well as any 2025 passer we’ve evaluated. Smith is a taller passer at around 6-foot-6 and had a productive sophomore season, throwing for over 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns. He is the son of former Oregon star and NFL quarterback, Akili Smith.
We’re bullish on the top group of running backs in the 2025 cycle, led by Ousmane Kromah (No. 11), Harlem Berry (No. 13) and Donovan Johnson (No. 19). Kromah is a big, workhorse back with high-end size, burst and physicality. He’s a grown man and runs like it. Kromah rushed for 1,504 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore. Berry looks like the most electric running back in the 2025 cycle to this point. He has outstanding burst and long speed, which should not be a surprise given he’s a state champion sprinter. The field vision is also advanced. Berry rushed for 2,237 and 37 touchdowns as a sophomore. He could push for the top back in the cycle with continued physical growth. Johnson is a big, twitched up athlete at 6-foot-0.5, 207 pounds. From a pure physical perspective, he is among the more impressive running back prospects in high school football, regardless of cycle. He worked as a reserve at IMG Academy last fall but has the ability to be a headliner with more touches.
After Williams, wide receivers Caleb Cunningham (No. 10), Jaime Ffrench (No. 15), Andrew Marsh (No. 24), Adrian Wilson (No. 26) and Phillip Bell (No. 29) check in as top 30 prospects. Cunningham is a big outside receiver who is a bouncy athlete and doubles as a gifted basketball player. Ffrench is a nimble technician who has impressed in multiple settings. Marsh is a strong-handed wideout with big play ability as a separator and at the catch point. Wilson is one of the taller wideouts of the group and has shown signs of potentially elite ball skills. Bell is arguably the top route-runner of the group with considerable technical polish.
Deep cycle in key states
Four states —Texas, Florida, Georgia and California — typically produce the most NFL Draft picks. That quartet also accounts for the majority of the top prospects in the 2025 On300. 34 of the top 50 and 61 of the top 100 are from one of the four states.
Georgia accounts for 10 of the top 50, including two five-stars and 16 of the top 100. Texas has the most prospects in the top 100 with 17, seven who are in the top 50. Florida checks in with eight prospects in the top 50 and 13 in the top 100. 2025 looks to be a bounce back cycle for California. The state has quality depth early on, with nine prospects in the top 50 and 15 in the top 100.
Checking the early commits
Twelve prospects within the On300 are currently committed:
WR Ryan Williams (No. 3) – Alabama
CB Jontae Gilbert (No. 25) – Ohio State
LB Jaden Perlotte (No. 45) – Georgia
DL Justus Terry (No. 53) – Georgia
OT Jaelyne Matthews (No. 74) – Penn State
OT Micah Debose (No. 78) – Georgia
RB Jabree Wallace-Coleman (No. 88) – Georgia
WR Winston Watkins Jr. (No. 91) – Colorado
WR Dallas Wilson (No. 104) – Oregon
QB Kevin Sperry (No. 127) – Oklahoma
IOL Brett Bordelon (No. 188) – LSU
IOL Charlie Hoitink (No. 202) – Stanford