The 2025 NFL Draft declaration deadline is in the rearview mirror, which means the crop of prospects for April’s event is set. A total of 71 college players will forgo their remaining eligibility and test the professional waters.
While that’s a large number, it is down from previous years. Increasingly, college football stars are spurning the draft for at least another year with their respective teams. Name, image and likeness deals often allow players to make more money than late-round draft picks on rookie contracts.
Combine that with the opportunity to increase one’s draft stock, and it’s not hard to see why players are taking advantage of extra eligibility.
Cam Ward initially declared for the NFL Draft after a breakout 2023 season at Washington State but, after reconsidering, transferred to Miami. He developed into a Heisman Trophy finalist, led the Hurricanes to 10 wins and may very well go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With the deadline behind us, it’s an appropriate time to look at the top college football players who spurned the NFL Draft to come back for the 2025 season.
Banks is part of an impressive core of players returning to Gainesville in 2025, including other standouts like starting center Jake Slaughter. But Banks turned down a strong draft outlook — he likely would have heard his name called within the first few rounds — to run it back with the Gators. He’s a disruptive interior presence who finished the 2024 season with 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. At almost 6-feet-6 and 325 pounds, he also has ideal size to plug running lanes and hold up in the punishing SEC trenches.
Beck made 2024’s most monumental transfer decision, entering the portal after two years as Georgia’s starter. He immediately ranked as the top prospect in 247Sports’ Transfer Rankings and just as quickly committed to Miami, giving the Hurricanes one of the most battle-tested quarterbacks in the country. Beck had an up-and-down 2024 campaign, with 12 interceptions — tied for most in the SEC. But he still tossed for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns. Now he’s hoping to follow Ward’s path back to the NFL Draft’s upper echelon.
Brailsford anchored Alabama’s offensive line as its starting center after following coach Kalen DeBoer to Tuscaloosa via the transfer portal. He likely would have been one of the first interior offensive linemen off the board, but he instead opted to join a wave of Alabama players running it back for another year. He’ll get heavy consideration for preseason All-American honors at one of the most important spots on the field.
Davis has long been viewed as a high-caliber NFL Draft prospect, so his decision to play another year of college football and transfer to Washington came as a bit of a surprise. It’s a huge gain for the Huskies and coach Jedd Fisch, who mentored Davis at Arizona from 2022-23. The 6-4 Thorpe Award semifinalist earned second-team All-Big 12 honors with the Wildcats in 2024 after logging 44 total tackles and six pass breakups.
Kamara — who followed coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison ahead of the 2024 season — was the cornerstone of an Indiana defense that keyed the Hoosiers to an 11-win season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Kamara logged 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss en route to first-team All-Big Ten honors. He also led all Power Four defenders in quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Nussmeier flashed his high ceiling while waiting patiently behind eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. In 2024 his patience paid off. He finished second in the SEC with 4,052 yards passing and tied for the conference lead with 29 touchdowns through the air. He suffered through some lackluster moments, though, as his 12 interceptions also tied for most among SEC signal callers, and he struggled in losses against top foes like Texas A&M and Alabama. A more consistent year with the Tigers should see his stock recover quite well.
Several important Penn State players announced they will be back for another go around — including starting quarterback Drew Allar — but none are as important as Singleton. The former five-star prospect is often the straw that stirs Penn State’s offensive drink. He finished the 2024 season with 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 6.4 yards per carry. He scored all three of Penn State’s touchdowns in its 27-24 College Football Playoff loss to Notre Dame. He’ll be an early favorite for the Doak Walker Award while powering the Nittany Lions on the ground.
Stewart was the No. 7 wide receiver on CBS Sports’ NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, which would put him squarely in the Day 2 discussion, before he made the call to return to Eugene. Returning a player of that caliber is always a boon — especially when they come with a blue-chip pedigree like Stewart. The former Texas A&M transfer hauled in 47 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns, and there’s a sense that his best football is still ahead of him. He’ll have every chance to shine as a featured option in Oregon’s explosive offense moving forward.
A member of CBS Sports’ All-College Football Playoff Team, Styles flashed his tremendous versatility during the Buckeyes’ run to a national title. He finished the postseason with 24 total tackles, four for a loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. His standout efforts during the playoff shot him up draft boards, but he elected for another season in Columbus, where he’ll lead what’s shaping up to be another strong Ohio State defensive unit.
Taaffe went from former walk-on to legitimate draft prospect while starring on Texas’ defense in 2024, but he’s back for more. Taaffe has the coverage skills that coaches desire from a modern safety — as evidenced by his two interceptions and 12 pass deflections last season — but he’s also comfortable playing closer to the line of scrimmage and laying punishing hits on opposing ball carriers. Taaffe could follow in teammate Jahdae Barron’s footsteps as a potential Thorpe Award winner while significantly boosting his stock in 2025.
Williams became the first Clemson player since Sammy Watkins in 2012 to log a passing touchdown, rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown in the same season while starring as the Tigers’ most dynamic offensive threat last season. He also led the ACC with 11 touchdowns receiving and had three multi-touchdown games.
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