Sun Devils' Fall Camp Preview: Offense
A high number of returning players should alleviate any concerns about the prospects of the Sun Devils’ offense, now faced without enjoying the services of All-American RB Cam Skattebo. Here’s our detailed examination of this unit.
Note: All positions are listed by seniority
Quarterback
RS-SR Jeff Sims
RS-SO Sam Leavitt
RS-FR Christian Hunt
FR Cameron Dyer
When the Sun Devil coaching staff raved about the massive potential of Sam Leavitt prior to the 2024 season, many questioned the validity of those claims. However, over the course of last season, Leavitt went from a virtual unknown with a high ceiling to the premier quarterback in the Big-12 Conference and a bona fide Heisman Trophy contender.
Following his transfer from Michigan State, Leavitt claimed the starting spot over returning starter Trenton Bourguet and fellow transfer Jeff Sims, and though it took a few games for his full skill set to be on display, as the season progressed, Leavitt definitively locked himself in as one of the top young quarterbacks in college football.
Statistically, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions while also rushing for 443 yards and five scores. Qualitatively, the Oregon native frequently showed the grit, the moxie, and the stones required to remain calm under immense pressure and to make critical plays at the most important times.
Turning the page from year one to year two at Arizona State, Leavitt has stockpiled preseason accolades and expectations as he was named a Preseason All-Big 12 selection for 2025 and the Preseason Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year, while he is widely regarded as one of the prime preseason candidates for the Heisman Trophy.
Now that Leavitt is no longer an unknown though intriguing commodity, and that proverbial pendulum has swung to where he is widely recognized across college football, and opposing teams are well aware of what he accomplished on the field in 2024. Naturally, it is of utmost importance that Leavitt avoids any measure of “sophomore slump” and continues to articulately refine his game in hopes of reaching the lofty expectations placed upon him for 2025.
A potentially underrated aspect of ASU’s 2025 offense is the veteran presence of its backup quarterback, Jeff Sims, who started at Georgia Tech and Nebraska prior to transferring to ASU and started for the Sun Devils at Cincinnati in place of Leavitt last fall.
An athletic quarterback with 26 career collegiate starts, Sims provides a valuable presence behind Leavitt and could potentially be used as a situational player even when Leavitt is in the lineup.
With Leavitt and Sims firmly entrenched as QB1 and QB2, the most significant question to be answered among the quarterbacks this fall likely involves determining which player will be the team’s third quarterback.
Four-star dual-threat quarterback Cameron Dyer suffered an injury that is expected to keep him out of action, so the battle likely will primarily be contested between returner Christian Hunt and true freshman Michael “Butter” Tollefson. Hunt brings an old-school professional prototype size (6-6, 225) to the position, while Tollefson is a more versatile athlete who can utilize his athleticism to create an impact.
Running Back
RS-JR Raleek Brown
JR Kyson Brown
JR Kanye Udoh
RS-FR Jason Brown, Jr.
As it pertains to Sun Devil football in 2025, there is no question that is being asked louder or more frequently than the curiosity of how Arizona State will attempt to replace the iconic Cam Skattebo at running back.
Though there truly is no replacing Skattebo or the truly legendary season he had in 2024, ASU, guided by highly accomplished position coach Shaun Aguano, has a deep and talented group of rushers with a chip on their collective shoulders entering fall camp.
Kyson Brown, Skattebo’s primary backup last season, showed incredible growth from his freshman to sophomore seasons, and he has every tool needed to be ASU’s next great running back.
Last season, he rushed 73 times for 351 yards (4.8 avg.) with two touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 189 yards with a score. His role almost undoubtedly will increase dramatically in 2025, but it remains to be seen if he will earn a substantial bulk of the action or if others in the position group will create more of a “by committee” approach for the Sun Devil run game.
Sun Devil fans entered last season eager with anticipation to see former five-star prospect and USC transfer Raleek Brown in action, but injury issues forced that excitement to be deferred to the 2025 season as Brown appeared in just two games for the Sun Devils last season.
An electric athlete with all-purpose abilities few on the roster can match, the dynamic Brown could potentially be a breakout candidate in the Sun Devil offense in 2025.
Likely the highest profile transfer in terms of college accomplishments that ASU acquired this offseason, Kanye Udoh made his way to Tempe from Army prior to the spring semester after rushing for over 1,100 yards for the 12-win Black Knights in 2024.
Udoh rushed 99 times for 524 yards (5.3 avg.) with a touchdown in 2023 and then ramped up his productivity even more as a sophomore, carrying 179 times for 1,117 yards (6.2 avg.) with 10 touchdowns in 2024. He registered just two receptions for three yards in his two seasons with Army, though that can’t be considered a true stain upon his abilities, as the Black Knights historically throw the ball only a few times a game.
Many eyes will be on how Udoh has adjusted since arriving in the spring, and if he will overtake the competition and emerge as ASU’s top running back to start the season, or if he will fill more of a complementary role.
With the trio of Kyson Brown, Raleek Brown and Udoh likely to be the core group to receive the bulk of the carries, the main question that remains is whether the workload will be rationed among the runners in a generally equal fashion or if ASU will stick to its recent annual theme of one running back earning the majority of the reps.
Across the last seven seasons, no backup running back at Arizona State has reached 80 carries for the year, and in five of those seven seasons, ASU’s backup running back failed to reach 55 or more carries. The last time the Sun Devils had a second-string rusher (not counting quarterbacks) who exceeded 100 carries was Kalen Ballage, who accomplished the feat three straight seasons from 2015-17. Last season, Kyson Brown ranked second among Sun Devil running backs with 73 carries on the year.
A former four-star rusher from the 2024 class, Jason Brown, Jr., showed spurts of impressive potential last fall in the limited time he received before redshirting. Brown made one game appearance last year – the opener against Wyoming – and rushed four times for 33 yards (8.3 avg.). Though he brings blue chip credentials to the position group, it may be difficult for Brown to crack inside the top three rotation this season.
Joining the program as true freshmen in 2025 are Grayson Rigdon and Demarius Robinson. With the depth ahead of them at running back, it is a logical expectation that both might see some scattered action in 2025 and ultimately redshirt.
Robinson carries an experience edge over his classmate as he enrolled at ASU in the spring and participated in spring practices, showing impressive flashes in his initial weeks in the program. A three-star runner out of the state of Oklahoma, Robinson chose ASU over a list of offers, including Big 12 foes in Houston and Kansas State.
Rigdon, who chose ASU over offers including Arizona, California, Houston and NC State, brings an incredibly intriguing backstory to Tempe as he played six-man high school football up until his senior season in which he rushed for 2,071 yards with 39 touchdowns on the way to guiding his team to a state championship, while he also ranked fifteenth in the nation among high school basketball players in 2024-25 by averaging 35.1 points per game.
Wide Receiver
RS-SR Coben Bourguet
RS-SR Malik McClain
RS-JR Jalen Moss
RS-JR Jordyn Tyson
JR Akim Lanieux
RS-SO Derek Eusebio
RS-SO Noble Johnson
RS-FR Jaren Hamilton
RS-FR Zechariah Sample
FR Chance Ables
FR Uriah Neloms
The last year for Jordyn Tyson has been nothing short of a meteoric rise, as this time last year, he was a high-potential but potentially injury-prone receiver, but here in 2025, he is a preseason All-American and one of the premier wide receiver prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
After catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns last season despite missing the final two games, Tyson quickly has become a household name across college football and with a year under his belt partnering with quarterback Sam Leavitt, Sun Devil fans wait with eager anticipation to find out what is in store for Tyson’s second year on the field for ASU. Like Leavitt, Tyson was named a 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 selection.
During the early transfer portal window, ASU grabbed three wide receivers in Jalen Moss (Fresno State), Noble Johnson (Clemson), and Jaren Hamilton (Alabama).
Moss brings considerable experience and 103 receptions over two seasons with Fresno State, while Johnson and Hamilton both were four-star prospects out of high school. Members of this trio very likely could be the ones called upon to fill the shoes of Xavier Guillory and Melquan Stovall, with Moss as the most likely to pair with Tyson as the team’s top two receivers.
Former Penn State and Florida State transfer Malik McClain could be in line for a key role among ASU’s wide receivers this season after he uniquely redshirted during the regular season but was a key contributor in ASU’s two postseason games. McClain’s height and experience should be significant assets as he looks to end his college career on a high note.
Derek Eusebio and Zecheriah Sample both return from last year’s roster and will work this fall to earn even greater roles in 2025. Eusebio has had several practice highlights during his first two years in Tempe and famously took his first collegiate reception the distance last fall against Arizona, while Sample has outstanding speed and the potential to be a dynamic performer.
Also returning is Coben Borguet, the longest-tenured offensive player on the entire roster, who will work this fall to make the most out of his final season of eligibility in Tempe.
One of the few post-spring transfer additions made by ASU, Akim Lanieux, who initially was headed to Northern Illinois from the junior college level before opting to attend ASU, brings a 6-foot-6 frame to the offense.
Lanieux, who last season for his JUCO team was listed at 6-7, 190 pounds and now is labeled on ASU’s website at 6-6, 200 pounds, could use his size to be an immediate redzone and jump ball target if he is able to quickly acclimate to the FBS level.
Last season, he appeared in nine games and caught 20 passes for 378 yards with two touchdowns and though those numbers might not jump off the page, his JUCO team’s pass offense appears to have struggled quite a bit in 2024 as the team averaged just 116.0 passing yards per game with a mere five touchdowns on the year compared to eight interceptions that were thrown.
A quartet of true freshmen, including Chance Ables, Cory Butler, Jr., Harry Hassman, and Uriah Neloms, will compete for action this fall as well. Hassman, who possesses highly intriguing downfield speed, made more than a few attention-grabbing plays during spring practices.
ASU TE Chamon Metayer
Tight End
RS-SR Cameron Harpole
RS-SR Chamon Metayer
RS-SO Coleson Arends
RS-FR Jayden Fortier
RS-FR James Giggey
FR AJ Ia
A position group that, for an extended period of time at ASU, was essentially a non-factor for the Sun Devil offense in terms of statistical productivity, the tight ends for Arizona State in 2025 could be as talented and stockpiled a collection as ASU has had at the position in many years.
Returning to lead the group is Chamon Metayer, who in his first season as a Sun Devil proved to be a legitimate receiving threat as he earned Second-Team All-Big 12 recognition after catching 32 passes for 306 yards with five touchdowns last season.
A consistent and reliable contributor, Metayer caught at least one pass in every game last season and had a season-best five receptions on two occasions, first at Texas State and then at Oklahoma State.
Also coming back to the roster is Cameron Harpole, who saw limited reps as a pass-catching target but was a tremendously valuable part of ASU’s offense.
The group experienced a major boost to begin the 2025 calendar year with the transfer addition of former four-star recruit Khamari Anderson, along with the early enrollment of four-star AJ Ia, the crown jewel of ASU’s 2025 high school signing class.
Anderson, the No. 14 tight end from the 2023 class, spent the past two seasons at Kentucky and totaled six receptions for 40 yards. In his initial outings as a Sun Devil, he showed tremendous athleticism during spring practices and should be a contributor in his rookie year in maroon and gold.
The 6-foot-6 Ia most certainly passes the eye test and at times looked like a man among boys in spring practices, despite being in his first semester of college. Rated the No. 20 tight end in the nation for the 2025 class, few true freshmen tight ends at ASU since the legendary likes of Zach Miller have garnered as lofty of immediate expectations as those placed upon Ia after his illustrious high school career, combined with his efforts during the spring.
Not to be overlooked among the outstanding tight end depth is Jayden Fortier, formerly a highly intriguing high school signee from the state of Oregon who missed all of last season due to an injury suffered at the tail end of his high school career. Fortier had scholarship offers from the likes of Auburn, Oregon, and Utah before signing with Arizona State.
Rounding out the tight end group is Coleson Arends, who appeared in all 14 games last year, along with redshirt freshman James Giggey.
Offensive Line
GRAD Ben Coleman
RS-SR Josh Atkins
RS-SR Max Iheanachor
RS-SR Jimeto Obigbo
RS-SR Kyle Scott
RS-JR Jalen Klemm
RS-SO Sean Na’a
RS-SO Makua Pule
RS-SO Joey Su’a
RS-FR Brent Helton
RS-FR Wade Helton
RS-FR Terrell Kim
RS-FR Xander Ruggeroli
RS-FR Champ Westbrooks
FR RJ Lapuaho
FR Maki Stewart
ASU loses just one starting offensive lineman from last year, but it’s a significant one in the form of First-Team All-Big 12 center Leif Fautanu.
Fautanu’s departure has created a ripple effect that requires some shuffling along the offensive line, as veteran blocker Ben Coleman will replace Fautanu at center after playing left guard in 2024.
Coleman, a 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection and a 2025 preseason All-Big 12 pick, excelled at guard last year after missing the 2023 season due to injury. The former transfer from California is expected to be the line’s leading force during his final season of play at the college level.
At offensive tackle, starters Josh Atkins and Max Iheanachor return respectively at left and right tackle, but injury issues that kept Iheanachor off the field during spring practices enabled Jalen Klemm to see ample first-team reps. It seems likely that Atkins and Iheanachor will remain ASU’s top tackles, but as was the case last year with Emmit Bohle, Klemm could see ample action as the squad’s best third tackle.
Starting right guard Kyle Scott, one of the most notably improved players on the team last year, returns from last season and with Coleman’s shift from left guard to center, Sean Na’a, who saw ample action in 2023 as a true freshman before redshirting last year, and experienced Texas State transfer Jimeto Obigbo are among the primary candidates to start at left guard along with Scott.
Also competing for two-deep spots are Terrell Kim, Makua Pule, Xander Ruggeroli, Joey Su’a, and Champ Westbrooks.
Kim and Westbrooks were high school signees for ASU in 2024, and both redshirted last season, while Su’a transferred to Arizona State from Arkansas prior to last season, and Ruggeroli transferred in from Nebraska this offseason. Pule, formerly a walk-on from Gilbert’s Highland High School, saw ample action as a redshirt freshman in 2024 as he appeared in 13 games and often was used in the backfield as a fullback in short-yardage and red-zone situations.
Junior college transfer Doughless Teloma and twin Iowa State transfers Brent and Wade Helton will suit up for the first time at ASU this fall, and all three linemen are new additions who did not participate in spring practices at Arizona State.
Teloma was rated the No. 6 junior college offensive line prospect in the country by Rivals and the No. 44 overall JUCO recruit, and should add more competition at either guard spot. Both Helton brothers were three-star prospects out of Corona (Calif.) Centennial High School and spent their freshman seasons at Iowa State before transferring to ASU. Wade Helton stands a reasonable chance to be the backup center this year, and a player could anchor the front five in 2026 and beyond, while his brother Brent is likely to be slotted at one of the guard spots.
A five-man group of true freshmen, including Desean Bryant, Jr., Matai Jefferson, RJ Lapuaho, Manamo’ui Muti, and Maki Stewart, will also compete for action in their first fall camps at Arizona State.
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