Offensive Players to Watch in College Football during the 2024 Season
Estimated 9 minute read
The 2024 college football season is almost upon us, which means that our collective weekends will be filled watching top billed games with the best players in the country. Other fans will be up all night watching Big 10/Mountain West/ACC after dark. I’ve compiled a list of 9 players who fans should be watching, from award winners, breakout candidates, and under the radar veterans.
All recruiting information from 247Sports
#1 Mikey Keene, QB - Fresno State
Class: Junior
High School Stars: 3
High School Rating: 80 (2021)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 83
Mikey Keene enters his fourth year of college football and second as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback with the potential to lead his team to the College Football Playoff. Lots of attention has been given to fellow Mountain West contender Boise State, who brought in a transfer portal haul and returned running back Ashton Jeanty. The Bulldogs will likely be favored in every conference game this season and avoid Boise State in the regular season, putting them in an excellent place to make a run to the Mountain West Championship Game. In 2023, the former UCF transfer threw for 2,476 yards (4th in the Mountain West), 24 touchdowns (2nd), and 10 interceptions (3rd most). As a sophomore Keene’s upside was present throughout the season. The good was good and the not so good was bad. After shredding Week 1 Big 10 foe Purdue for 366 yards and 4 touchdowns, posting a 92 ESPN QBR and 84.8 PFF Grade, Fresno State needed 2 overtimes to beat FCS opponent Eastern Washington a week later. Fresno State beat Arizona State, Boise State, and UNLV, with Keene accounting for 566 passing yards and 7 touchdowns in those three wins before fading down the stretch. During the final 3 weeks of the regular season, all Bulldog losses, Keene tossed only 1 touchdown and 358 yards, earning QBRs of 27.5, 14.6, and 23.1 and PFF Grades of 66.9, 64.2, and 63.4. Keene’s obvious upside gives Fresno State the chance to make a run at the newly expanded College Football Playoff.
“We’re trying to Kobe Bryant, not John Stockton... We’re trying to score 81 points, not trying to get 14 assists.”
#21 Makhi Hughes, RB - Tulane
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 84 (2022)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 210 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 90
Which freshman generated the most rushing yards in 2023? It was Tulane’s Makhi Hughes, who finished 2023 with 258 carries (7th in the nation, 1st in the AAC) for 1,378 yards (9th and 1st) and 7 touchdowns. Hughes’s career has mirrored that of former Green Wave standout Tyjae Spears to date. Both lost their freshman seasons to an ACL tear and were eased back into the running back rotation as redshirt freshmen. The power back only became the Wave’s starting back in Week 5 against UAB, serving as a backup to begin the season. Hughes lacks Spears' speed but has real power, generating 964 yards after contact, good for 6th in the nation in 2023. Hughes should be Tulane’s lead back from Week 1 in an offense where he may find more space in 2024.
#3 Dylan Edwards, RB - Kansas State
Class: Sophomore
High School Stars: 4
High School Overall Rating: 92 (2023)
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 170 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 85
Dylan Edwards broke out in a major way to begin 2023, catching 5 passes for 135 yards and 3 touchdowns in Colorado’s season opening win at TCU. Throughout the season, Edwards found fewer chances to showcase his game breaking speed as Colorado consistently fell behind during Pac-12 play. As a true freshman Edwards carried the ball only 75 times on 392 offensive snaps while being asked to pass block 57 times. Like most collegiate running backs, Edwards struggled when asked to pass protect. As a receiver he finished 2023 with 36 receptions for 299 yards and 4 touchdowns - 135 yards and 3 touchdowns came in his Colorado debut. At Kansas State, he’ll join a more talented roster than the 2023 Colorado team and will join junior running back DJ Giddens and sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson to lead the K-State offense. Giddens rushed for 1,226 yards in 2023, good for 4th in the Big 12. Johnson, who rushed for 225 yards and 6 touchdowns in a part time role at quarterback, will call the signals in 2024 after 2023 starter Will Howard transferred to Ohio State during the offseason. At Kansas State, Edwards should find much more room behind a stronger offensive line and dynamic teammates.
“(Edwards is) probably the home run threat that we were missing, whether it’s in the backfield, out of the backfield, in the return game. I’m excited for Dylan because he gets to come back home because K-State is home for him.”
#10 Joey Hobert, WR - Texas State
Class: Senior
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 82 (2020)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 86
Joey Hobert started his career at Washington State, transferring to Utah Tech and then again to Texas State before the 2023 season. As a 2023 Biletnikoff Award Watch List member and second team All Sun Belt team, Hobert has had some buzz throughout his Texas State career. 2024 will be Hobert’s 2nd year with the Bobcats and head coach GJ Kinne’s 2nd year at the helm. Kinne brought 71 new players into Texas State’s program in year one, second only to Colorado. Hobert finished 2023 with 76 catches (4th in Sun Belt) for 895 yards (8th) and 8 touchdowns (4th), while lining up in the slot on 92.5% of his snaps. Kinne and Hobert lost quarterback TJ Finley to the portal but snagged former James Madison standout Jordan McCloud. On paper, McCloud looks to be an upgrade at the position, posting a 70.5 ESPN QBR and 84.0 PFF grade in 2023. By contrast, in his lone season as the Bobcats’ starter, Finley earned a 62.3 QBR and 75.4 PFF grade. The increased upside of Texas State’s offense with McCloud at the helm provides Hobert a higher ceiling in 2024.
#17 Chris Brazzell II, WR - Tennessee
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 87 (2022)
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 200 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 82
Brazzell II appeared in two games as a true freshman in 2022, grabbing 1 reception for 11 yards in a blow out against Alcorn State. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Brazzell led 11-2 Tulane (he did not play in their bowl game) in receptions (44) and yards (711) while snagging 5 touchdowns, earning a spot on the third team All-AAC. After Tulane’s coach, Willie Fritz, took the head coaching job at Houston, Brazzell transferred to Tennessee for the 2024 season. His 6’5” frame, catch radius, strength, and quickness was a mismatch for AAC defenses. Brazzell’s overall production in the passing game was depressed by Tulane’s run-heavy offense. Willie Fritz’s Green Wave ran on 58.8% of snaps in 2023. Of Brazzell’s 616 on field snaps, 335 were pass attempts. Of these, 298 (89%) had Brazzell split out wide in the formation. Brazzell, whose father, Chris Brazzell played wide receiver in both the NFL and CFL, should fit nicely in Tennessee’s offense. In 2023, Tennessee had a much more balanced attack than Tulane. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is known for an up-tempo and explosive offense, attempting passes on 51.6% of offensive snaps in 2023. Brazzell is a good fit for the Tennessee offense needing to replace receiver Ramel Keyton, who lined up out wide on 415 snaps in 2023. Bru McCoy’s return to the offense gives Tennessee a productive wideout with the dynamic Squirrel White operating out of the slot. Heupel’s use of 3 and 4 receiver sets and ultra wide splits will give Brazzell a chance to dramatically exceed his 2023 production at Tulane.
“Been a great teammate, but he’s been a dynamic playmaker up until this point as we went through spring ball, and his best is still coming,”
#17 Marlin Klein, TE - Michigan
Class: Junior
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 88 (2021)
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 250 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 72
Michigan completed 70 passes to tight ends in 2023 - Colston Loveland snagged 45 of these while AJ Barner grabbed 22 receptions. Marlin Klein caught only 1 of these passes. Klein’s measurables are eye-catching. He’s currently listed at 6’6”, 250 lbs with a 9-7 broad jump and excellent speed. Originally from Germany, Klein transferred to go to school in Georgia. Although Klein remains firmly under Loveland on the depth chart, offensive coordinator Kirk Campell will be scheming to get Klein the ball in the passing game in 2024.
“Physically, trait-wise, he’s the best tight end I’ve ever been around, and I’ve been around Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Erick All, Luke Schoonmaker, even Colston Loveland”
#71 Riley Mahlman, OT - Wisconsin
Class: Redshirt Junior
High School Stars: 4
High School Overall Rating: 96 (2021)
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 308 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 87
Riley Mahlman plays RT across from NFL Draft Prospect LT Jack Nelson on the Wisconsin offensive line. It’s Riley Mahlman who has been grabbing scouts’ attention on tape as well, with EA’s College Football 25 rating him slightly higher than Nelson. According to PFF’s grading scale, Mahlman held superior overall, run blocking, and pass blocking grades to Nelson in 2023. Both Nelson and Mahlman have the potential to be elite pass blockers and above average run blockers this season. If both play to their abilities consistently, Wisconsin’s offensive line could be the strength of the offense after having an up and down 2023 season.
“It starts up front. Those two cornerstones with Jack (Nelson) and Riley (Mahlman) both have made incredible strides,”
#51 Mose Vavao, IOL - Fresno State
Class: Senior
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 80 (2020)
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 317 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 80
Mose Vavao is the 2nd Bulldog to make the cut here. The senior played 835 snaps in 2023, all at RG, while committing no penalties. Vavao improved throughout the season, allowing his only sack in 2023 in the Week 1 win against Purdue. During the final 3 weeks of the season, Vavao did not allow a pressure, hurry, hit, or sack. Vavao is moving inside to center for the Bulldogs in 2024 to anchor the offensive line. After taking a massive step forward from 2022 to 2023, Vavao has the potential to be a key part of Fresno State’s offensive attack looking to establish more consistency in 2024.
“He’s a stud and he’s our leader. That’s why we moved him to center. There’s no better guy to run the show for us. He’s a guy that I can count on for anything. If it’s a football thing or a culture thing within our room, he’s our guy.”
#72 Parker Brailsford, C - Alabama
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
High School Stars: 3
High School Overall Rating: 87 (2022)
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 275 lbs
EA Sports College Football 25 Rating: 92
Brailsford followed coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama this spring and is set to start at center for what is shaping up to be an elite front. Brailsford is already a star - he played 839 snaps at center and 137 at right guard in 2023 as a redshirt freshman for the Huskies. Washington’s offensive line won the Joe Moore Award as the top unit in the nation and reached the national championship game before falling to Michigan. At 6’2” and 275 pounds, Brailsford is one of the smallest centers in the nation and will need to transition to the SEC from the PAC-12. At Alabama he’ll be flanked by top 100 NFL draft prospects on either side in Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts. How Brailsford meshes with Booker, who is 6’5” and 352 pounds, and Roberts, listed at 6’5” and 316 pounds, will determine this unit’s ceiling.
“It’s fun seeing the pride that that unit is developing. Just walking into here just now and walking by them and some extra things that they’re doing, player-led, just because they don’t want to just get it right, they want to be great at it.”
