CFB Recruiting: 10 Class of 2025 Commits Their Teams Could Use Right Now
Brad Shepard@@Brad_ShepardFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 11, 2024CFB Recruiting: 10 Class of 2025 Commits Their Teams Could Use Right Now0 of 10
LSU running back pledge Harlem BerryCredit: 247Sports
The 2024 college football season just kicked off for everybody a little more than a week ago, and already, some teams’ glaring weaknesses are rearing their ugly heads.
Boy, wouldn’t it be nice if you could go to the recruiting restaurant, put in an order and have a player committed to you delivered to your team right away? Several programs would utilize that capability.
As it is, though, these ’25 recruits are simply “verbal commitments” right now, subject to decommit from these respective schools at any point in time. So, not only are we living in a fantasy world with this exercise, but also in some cases, these guys may not wind up playing for the programs we project them hypothetically helping.
Recruiting’s all a guess unless you’re a can’t-miss like Jeremiah Smith, though, right? So something like this is all in good fun.
To be on this list, you’ve got to be a player we believe is a difference-making talent committed to a school with the major need. Let’s take a look at 10 dudes who their respective teams sure could use right now.
Andrew Marsh, Michigan, Wide Receiver1 of 10
Credit: 247Sports
Michigan’s biggest weakness is one that most everybody could have predicted entering the season, and that’s finding a championship-caliber quarterback.
Following JJ McCarthy’s departure to the NFL, neither Davis Warren nor Alex Orji has proven he’s the answer yet in a lackluster 1-1 start that included a narrow win over Fresno State and a dismantling at the hands of Texas.
But Jadyn Davis is on the roster, and the only quarterback committed for ’25 is 3-star Carter Smith. So, we’re going to give the Wolverines another playmaker on the perimeter. Lord knows they could use one to help out tight end Colston Loveland.
Andrew Marsh looks like he could step into that vacancy a year from now, and Michigan could use him right now. The 6’1″, 175-pound receiver doubles as a track star in Fulshear, Texas, and that athletic ability is tantalizing.
Marsh is the nation’s No. 63-rated overall player and the ninth-rated receiver, and though Michigan still would need to find somebody to consistently get him the ball, coach Sherrone Moore could get him the ball in space and let him do his thing. The Wolverines’ top receiver (Semaj Morgan) has just seven catches for 53 yards through two games.
It’s far too early to get down on the Wolverines, but injecting another playmaker would never be a bad thing.
Ari Watford, Clemson, EDGE2 of 10
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If you’re wondering what to think about Clemson right now, the membership into that club is free.
Georgia steamrolled the Tigers in Atlanta in Week 1, but the Dawgs may be the nation’s top team. Clemson could have named its number against a not-awful Appalachian State team in the second week, but competition will ramp up from the Mountaineers.
One thing that is obvious so far, though, is coach Dabo Swinney needs more firepower off the edge. The Tigers have amassed just a single sack through two games, and even though the defensive line has looked strong in spots, the ability to get to quarterbacks must improve.
Clemson always has grown men coming off the ends toward quarterbacks, and somebody who fits that mold is 2025 edge-rusher Ari Watford, who could have named wherever he wanted to play next year.
The 4-star from Norfolk, Virginia, already has a college-ready body at 6’5″, 220 pounds with the frame to add another 30 pounds of bulk. But his speed off the edge is something you can’t teach, which is why he’s just outside the top 50 recruits (No. 51) and the third-rated edge-rusher.
Watford also gives Clemson a massive pledge from the fertile Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which is a hotbed every season. He’s the premiere edge from the area and one of the top in the nation.
This is not a deep cycle for the position, which usually has a bunch of difference-makers, which makes Watford’s pledge to the Tigers even better. He is a guy who can fortify that need next season, and he could do the same this year if allowed.
Ben Hanks Jr., Florida, Cornerback3 of 10
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As frustrating as the early season has been for the Florida Gators, they have some future glimmers of offensive hope with quarterback DJ Lagway and receiver Eugene Wilson III. They’ve just got to continue to upgrade all over the place.
The secondary struggled in a Week 1 embarrassment to long-dormant rival Miami, which had its way with the Gators. Coach Billy Napier needs more and more weaponry back there to combat the pass, and he’s getting a jewel in Ben Hanks Jr.
Hanks is a Gators legacy, and Napier has done a great job keeping those commits in the family.
The 6’1″, 170-pound Hanks is a rangy defensive back who could have played anywhere across the ACC and SEC and is still coveted by plenty of teams, including the hometown Hurricanes. But he seems set on Florida right now, which is big news for Napier.
The Gators are currently 112th in passing defense nationally, allowing more than 264 passing yards per game. Even though they’ve piled up some quality prospects on the back end, that talent hasn’t translated into shutdown numbers on the college level.
Hanks is a guy who is talented enough and has been around the game at the highest level (his father, Ben, played in the NFL after his days in Gainesville), so he could be able to step right in and be in the rotation. Florida needs guys who can change games back there.
Deuce Knight, Notre Dame, Quarterback4 of 10
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In a cruel twist of fate, the recruit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish could use the most right now may not even wind up in South Bend next year.
According to Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente, Irish QB pledge Deuce Knight has visited the Plains the past two weekends. Without a doubt, he saw the Tigers’ need for an impact quarterback after Payton Thorne looked pedestrian in a home loss to California.
But, then again, so does Notre Dame.
The nation’s No. 29-rated overall player and fifth-rated quarterback is a 5-star talent who hails from Lucedale, Mississippi, which is a whole lot closer to Auburn than Notre Dame, but coach Marcus Freeman still has been able to hang onto his pledge for a while.
After this past weekend’s stunning setback to Northern Illinois, the Irish have questions all over the field. But Duke transfer Riley Leonard simply hasn’t gotten it done through the two games against A&M and the Huskies. At least injecting Knight’s immense talent would shake things up.
Don’t forget, though, that even if Knight decides to play for Hugh Freeze in the SEC, the cupboard isn’t bare for the Irish. CJ Carr is standing on the sideline, and he was one of the top signal-callers in the ’24 class. How long before Freeman sees what he can do?
He may just be a lot better than the production at the position so far, even if he doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing yet.
Harlem Berry, LSU, Running Back5 of 10
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Just like last season, the LSU Tigers are flinging the ball around with the best of them after Jayden Daniels went pro and was replaced by Garrett Nussmeier.
The running game, though, continues to be a mixed bag on the Bayou.
Coach Brian Kelly has young talent in the room like Kaleb Jackson and a veteran in Josh Williams, but it was a big blow when senior and leading rusher John Emery Jr. was lost for the year to injury. But he only had 61 yards on 10 total carries before getting hurt.
LSU has a major impact back coming in for the ’25 class in Harlem Berry, the nation’s second-rated running back, who will team with the country’s top overall player in QB Bryce Underwood to give the Bayou Bengals a terrific 1-2 punch in the future.
Berry’s burst is needed now, though.
The 5’11”, 175-pound runner from Metairie, Louisiana, is a do-it-all dynamo who can run away from defenders in the open field, split out and catch passes and wreak havoc in space. Whether or not he’s an every-down runner right now or not, he would be a force in this high-octane offense.
Berry would be the most talented player at the position on LSU’s team right now, and even though the Tigers have to wait for a year for his ability, they’re already excited about him filling a major need.
Linkon Cure, Kansas State, Tight End6 of 10
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This year’s Kansas State Wildcats have a lot more explosive talent than you’d expect from the program. It’s been since back in the Bill Snyder heyday that they were able to lure top-tier athletes.
Guys like dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson and the running back tandem of DJ Giddens and Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards give them some players. But they are still lacking in receiving weaponry, and the inability to consistently move the ball downfield nearly bit them in a closer-than-expected Week 2 win at Tulane.
Case in point: leading receiver Jayce Brown has just six catches for 88 yards through two games, and Giddens (a running back) is the second-leading receiver. Johnson needs some guys who can help move the chains.
There aren’t many better in the ’25 class than 5-star tight end Linkon Cure, a 6’6″, 220-pound walking mismatch.
Players rated as highly as Cure simply don’t commit to the Kansas schools, but Chris Klieman got a commitment from a jewel everybody wanted. He isn’t going to Oregon or Alabama or Texas A&M. He isn’t even going to be a Jayhawk (where his brother played).
He’s heading to that “other” Manhattan.
That’s massive news for the Wildcats, who can use a player of his caliber right now. They use their tight ends as well as anybody, and though Cure has some work to do in strength and conditioning to get better in the run game, it’s not a stretch to see him as a major contributor right now.
If K-State keeps Cure in the fold, he’ll be a cure to the pedestrian perimeter in the Little Apple.
Matthew Outten, Penn State, Wide Receiver7 of 10
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If you’re sick of hearing about how James Franklin needs to do a better job recruiting wide receivers to Penn State after the Nittany Lions have been inconsistent at the position year-in and year-out, well, so are their fans.
It doesn’t keep it from being true.
During an impressive Week 1 win at West Virginia, it appeared Penn State would be much better at stretching the field this season. But it was an issue in a sweatier-than-hoped, one-possession win over Bowling Green in the second week.
There just simply aren’t enough difference-makers there, and quarterback Drew Allar must be better.
Help is on the way, though, in 6’0″, 200-pound Portsmouth, Virginia, receiver Matthew Outten. Is he an instant-impact player? Well, his No. 341 ranking doesn’t say so, but he is a 4-star player, and his film looks strong.
The Nittany Lions would love any talent who can plug in and play, and Outten has the body and the ability to impress coaches when he gets on campus and do big things. He is the highest-rated PSU commit in the ’25 class at the position, and when you take into consideration just one pass-catcher (Harrison Wallace) has eclipsed 100 receiving yards so far, he needs help.
Maybe the Lions will be better this year at what has been a struggle the past couple, but they haven’t consistently shown it yet.
Michael Fasusi, Oklahoma, Offensive Tackle8 of 10
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One of the two easiest selections on this entire list is giving Oklahoma its prize prospect for the 2025 recruiting class a year early.
If you could insert Michael Fasusi into the Sooners’ offensive front and he was ready to play, it would help solve the biggest woe on coach Brent Venables’ roster.
The 6’5″, 295-pound Lewisville, Texas, offensive tackle has cornerstone ability at the position. He’s the nation’s No. 12-rated overall player and the third-rated prospect at the offensive tackle position. In our estimation, he’s second, trailing only Tennessee pledge David Sanders, Jr.
Fasusi is big, athletic and is a force to be reckoned with along the offensive front. That’s music to the ears of Venables and the Sooners faithful.
For two straight seasons, the offensive front has given OU fits, and with Jackson Arnold under center, the redshirt freshman needs more time to process plays and get into a rhythm. He simply doesn’t have it right now, because he is oftentimes running for his life.
Against Houston this past weekend, the line’s inability to protect Arnold led to a lack of consistency on offense and a narrow 16-12 win.
OU has allowed six sacks, which is second-most in the SEC. The Sooners are 79th in rushing, 109th in passing and are a woeful 131st out of 133 teams with a 19.2 percent third-down conversion rate. Even against Temple, the O-line was disappointing.
Fasusi wouldn’t magically fix all that, but he is a special talent and a plug-and-play road-grader on the offensive front who assuredly would make things better right now, just like another offensive lineman we’ll discuss in a little while on another blue-blood program’s roster.
Michael Turner, Baylor, Running Back9 of 10
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Baylor coach Dave Aranda is trying to navigate his way around hot-seat talk, but even more than that, he’s trying to get the Bears back to their winning ways. It’s been a miserable couple of seasons in the win column.
After losing 23-12 to Utah, Baylor sits at 1-1, and the Bears are still trying to find some offensive skill-position weaponry to go with transfer quarterback DeQuan Finn, who is having to do a lot on his own so far.
The Dawson Pendergrass/Richard Reese combination hasn’t been dreadful, combining for 223 rushing yards through two games so far. But the best player in Aranda’s 2025 class would be too talented to keep off the field.
Michael Turner is a 5’11.5″, 200-pound running back from North Richland Hills, Texas, with a tailor-made physique ready to step onto the field. He is a terrific all-around running back who was coveted by some of the top teams in the nation, and he is the No. 170-rated overall player and 12th-rated running back.
Aranda is going to utilize his playmakers, especially at that position, so while there will undoubtedly be a lot of attention spent by coaches in trying to flip Turner from a program with uncertainty at the top, Baylor has a great playmaker if it can hang onto him.
Turner is the type of player who will play right away, if not start. He would upgrade the position in a big way this year.
Solomon Thomas, Florida State, Offensive Lineman10 of 10
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Things are bleak in Tallahassee right now as the Florida State Seminoles took an 0-2 record into a bye week before this weekend’s tougher-than-though tilt with Memphis.
As coach Mike Norvell said when asked about his piddling offense, “there have been issues,” according to On3’s Dan Morrison.
That’s an understatement. In losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, the ‘Noles (a preseason top-10 team) couldn’t consistently move the ball. Transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei hasn’t been good at all, and there are other, major issues.
Florida State’s inability to run the ball and protect Uiagalelei sees the blame focused squarely on an offensive line that has struggled. Much like Oklahoma, there don’t appear to be a bunch of in-house answers.
The Seminoles do have a commitment in ’25 from one of the nation’s best, though, in 5-star Solomon Thomas, a 6’4″, 315-pound bruiser who can play any number of positions along the offensive front but likely projects as an interior lineman.
He is the nation’s top lineman on the inside, and if he was in Tallahassee, he would be tough to keep off the field. With LSU and Florida set to get visits and Georgia and Miami in the mix, the ‘Noles are going to have a lot on their hands keeping him in the fold.
But as of now, there aren’t any worries.
“It’s very strong,” Thomas told Noles247’s Dane Draper recently.
If they could only get him there now, it would ease any concerns of him going elsewhere or help solve the O-line struggles they’re currently having.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
