Urban Meyer lists three college football players he is excited to watch in 2025

The 2025 season begins for just about everyone in the next 10 days. And former coach Urban Meyer, now an analyst with FOX Sports, has his eyes on three college football players this fall.

He was asked to highlight the three players he’s most excited about in a recent edition of The Triple Option podcast, and he delivered. The first may not surprise you.

“Julian Sayin was just named starting quarterback,” Meyer said, staying close to home with his former program. “He’s an Alabama transfer. And how the hell that happened, I don’t know. But the minute he walked on campus, I started hearing about him. They talked about the ball jumps out of his hand.”

Meyer himself has many contacts in Columbus, plus he’s been up there for a number of games. What he’s seen from the guy who will take the reins of the reigning college football national champions impressed him. With one caveat.

“I stood next to him, watched him through at one of the games we were there,” Meyer said. “He’s very slight, he’s not real big. I’m interested to see how the strength staff has developed him, because he was not very big.

“But he’s also throwing to the best player in the last decade in college football in Jeremiah (Smith). But they also have Carnell Tate. They also have a loaded receiver room again. The job that Brian Hartline’s done. New quarterback, two new coordinators, but the one guy I want to really see play, and we’re going to see it early and in person, and that’s quarterback Julian Sayin.”

Meyer moved a little further south in the college football world for his next pick. But it was almost equally close to home, as he went to Florida, another former program of his.

“Second guy is DJ Lagway,” Meyer said. “I’ll tell you what, you need to watch that Netflix, it talks about him. I’ve done some due diligence on him, asking some people up at Florida. He did all that as a freshman. And the jump you make between your first and second year is incredible. And he played great his freshman year, so I think this is the year the Gators are back, baby. You watch. The Florida Gators will be back.”

Given that his first two picks for the college football players he’s most excited to watch came from his former programs, the last pick Meyer made might surprise readers. He went up north.

Meyer’s picking the Michigan superstar recruit as someone to keep a close eye on. That said, he’s surprised by one thing.

“Then finally Bryce Underwood,” Meyer said. “I think I read somewhere that he is not named the starter, which is shocking to me. If the numbers that I’ve seen that they paid that player, the quarterback, the quarterback for the Wolverines, and not be starting… But he’s a guy that I watched high school film on and he has it all. So I can’t wait to watch him play.”