Sports Illustrated’s 2025 College Football All-Americans: Full First and Second Teams

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza leads the way on offense, while Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez tops the defensive selections.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza makes Sports Illustrated’s All-American First Team in 2025. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The regular season in college football has come to a close and what a campaign it was. Before that gives way to a controversial College Football Playoff and an intriguing slate of bowl games, here are Sports Illustrated’s annual college football All-American teams for 2025.

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First-Team Offense

Position	Player	Team
QB	Fernando Mendoza	Indiana
RB	Jeremiyah Love	Notre Dame
RB	Emmett Johnson	Nebraska
WR	Jeremiah Smith	Ohio State
WR	Makai Lemon	USC
TE	Eli Stowers	Vanderbilt
OL	Spencer Fano	Utah
OL	Francis Mauigoa	Miami
OL	Logan Jones	Iowa
OL	Emmanuel Pregnon	Oregon
OL	Keylan Rutledge	Georgia Tech

QB: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The Hoosiers were an excellent CFP-caliber team a year ago, but the marriage of the former Cal quarterback with Curt Cignetti has turned the program into a bona fide national title contender following a still unfathomable Big Ten title. Mendoza led the country in touchdown passes, threw just six interceptions and was the second-most-efficient quarterback in the nation on his way to being a well-deserved Heisman finalist. 

RB: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Irish may have been left out of the playoff field, but it wasn’t the fault of Love, who was phenomenal once again between the tackles in ripping off long run after long run. He finished the season with a whopping 6.89 yards per carry despite facing a constant stream of stacked boxes and managed to find the end zone 21 times. 

RB: Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

Few did it all like Johnson did for the Cornhuskers this season, often carrying his team’s offense for long stretches with his ability to make defenders miss and keep moving the chains. His 151 yards from scrimmage each game led the country on top of scoring 15 touchdowns.  

WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

Smith makes difficult plays look routine with ease, somehow following up his incredible freshman season with even better numbers as the top option in the Buckeyes’ passing game. The maestro of one-handed catches finished seventh in FBS in receiving yardage despite limited snaps in blowouts and continued to rewrite the school record books with 11 touchdowns in the regular season.

WR: Makai Lemon, USC

There was no shortage of highlight-reel catches for Lemon, who had a knack for coming down with the ball even if it wasn’t within the typical catch radius for someone his size. He matched Smith with 11 touchdowns, led all Power 4 conference players in receiving yards and took the Trojans’ offense to another level in 2025.

TE: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Diego Pavia’s best friend with the Commodores in 2025 was a former quarterback in Stowers, whose athleticism made him a mismatch for nearly every defense this season. He led all tight ends in receiving yards, found the end zone a variety of ways and was key to opening up plenty of running lanes.

OL: Spencer Fano, Utah

A square block of granite at tackle, nothing got past Fano in helping lead the Utes to 10 wins on the back of a vastly improved offense. He earned Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year honors, was Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded lineman in 2025 and paved the way for several historic performances in the run game from his tackle spot.

OL: Francis Mauigoa, Miami

Mauigoa was the best offensive lineman in the ACC by a solid margin and the prototype for what you look for in a tackle. He not only helped keep Canes QB Carson Beck upright and was a downright mauler in the run game, but also showcased his athleticism with an impressive touchdown reception this season.

OL: Logan Jones, Iowa

Jones was PFF’s highest-graded center this season by a solid margin and once again anchored the Hawkeyes’ offensive attack from his spot up front. He didn’t draw a single holding flag during the season in addition to helping set numerous high-water marks for the team on the ground.

OL: Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

On top of being the definition of a road-grader coming at you with all of his 320 pounds, Pregnon was among the best pass blocking guards in the country this season. He helped the Ducks get back to the playoff and rank in the top 10 in scoring offense, too.

OL: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

Everybody who plays on the offensive line for Brent Key is going to be tough, but Rutledge takes that to another level with his grit and tenacity on every snap. He’s PFF’s highest-graded guard in the ACC and helped pave the way for many of QB Haynes King’s 15 rushing touchdowns.

Second-Team Offense

QB: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
RB: Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
RB: Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
WR: Malachi Toney, Miami
WR: Skyler Bell, UConn
TE: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
OL: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
OL: Carter Smith, Indiana
OL: Iapani Laloulu, Oregon
OL: Ar’maj Reed Adams, Texas A&M
OL: Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

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First-Team Defense

Position	Player	Team
DL	David Bailey	Texas Tech
DL	Cashius Howell	Texas A&M
DL	Kayden McDonald	Ohio State
DL	Landon Robinson	Navy
LB	Jacob Rodriguez	Texas Tech
LB	Arvell Reese	Ohio State
LB	Bryce Boettcher	Oregon
DB	Caleb Downs	Ohio State
DB	Louis Moore	Indiana
DB	Leonard Moore	Notre Dame
DB	D’Angelo Ponds	Indiana

DL: David Bailey, Texas Tech

A surprise addition to the portal late in the spring, Bailey has been everything the Red Raiders hoped he could be and more. He has a chance to add to his 13.5 sacks (second in FBS) in the CFP and is perhaps the most difficult defender in the country to deal with given his array of moves off the edge. 

DL: Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

If you see a blur in maroon chasing down the quarterback, that’s Howell. He’s fourth in the country with 11.5 sacks and seems to create a game-changing play or big third-down stop every Saturday. 

DL: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

The Buckeyes finished the regular season allowing only 10 total touchdowns and just eight points per game in 2025, with McDonald being the key to all of that talent operating at peak efficiency. It’s hard to be underrated on a team like Ohio State and with a defense that is putting up historic numbers, but the big fella in the middle of all the action certainly is one of the best in the country.

DL: Landon Robinson, Navy

It’s not often a service academy produces somebody of Robinson’s size, speed and agility but he’s one of the best around who lovingly earns the label as a “freak” in the middle of the Midshipmen’s defense. He was named the American Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and is one of the best nose guards to ever come through the academy. 

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

If there was a defensive award to win this season, chances are Rodriguez took it home. The Butkus Award winner as the top linebacker in the country who doubled as the Nagurski Award recipient as the best defensive player in the sport, Rodriguez doesn’t let anything get past him and also provides some incredible leadership for the Red Raiders on and off the field. 

LB: Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Overshadowed on last season’s national championship squad, Reese has been the breakout player of the year for the Buckeyes after being handed starting duties in 2025. He has imposing size at 6' 4" and has a knack for getting into the backfield with 10 tackles for loss this season.

LB: Bryce Boettcher, Oregon

A local kid from Eugene, Ore., Boettcher has developed into a playmaker who makes everything work for the Ducks’ defense. He notched 104 tackles to help Oregon go 11–1, recorded both an interception and a forced fumble in the same game earlier this season and even managed to find the end zone for a rushing touchdown. Boettcher simply has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. 

DB: Caleb Downs, Ohio State

What can’t the ultimate defensive chess piece do? The answer is nothing. He knows opposing offenses better than some players on the other team and often calls things out for teammates before they’re barely out of their stance. He’s been the best defensive player in the game for two seasons running now. 

DB: Louis Moore, Indiana

Moore seems to appear when quarterbacks least expect him to pop up, one reason why he is second in the country with six interceptions this season. He’s not the biggest or the fastest safety out there, but he is among the savviest and a key reason why the Hoosiers are the No. 1 seed this season.

DB: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

There are some opposition quarterbacks who willingly throw near Moore, which ranks way up there in terms of bad ideas you can have on the football field. He’s PFF’s highest-graded cornerback and is tied for fourth with five interceptions (one a pick-six)—notable given how often teams wisely barely look toward his side of the field when dropping back.

DB: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana

Even with all the good players that Indiana has found on defense, Ponds is the spark that always seems to find a way to come up with a big play. He’s not afraid of locking down a No. 1 receiver all on his own and seems to get a hand on passes if he’s not able to fully pick them off.

Second-Team Defense

DL: John Henry Daley, Utah
DL: Taylor Wein, Oklahoma
DL: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
DL: Christen Miller, Georgia
LB: CJ Allen, Georgia
LB: Aiden Fisher, Indiana
LB: Taurean York, Texas A&M
DB: Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
DB: Michael Taaffe, Texas
DB: Hezekiah Masses, Cal
DB: Mansoor Delane, LSU

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First-Team Specialists

Position	Player	Team
K	Tate Sandell	Oklahoma
P	Brett Thorson	Georgia
KR	Jadarian Price	Notre Dame
PR	Kaden Wetjen	Iowa
AP	KC Concepcion	Texas A&M

K: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma

Sandell has a great shot at being the Sooners’ first Lou Groza Award winner with his booming leg proving to be key to several of the team’s wins this season. He’s missed only a single kick and has made all seven field goals from beyond 50 yards. 

P: Brett Thorson, Georgia

Thorson doesn’t get to punt as often as he’d like given how good the Bulldogs’ offense can be, but he booms them to flip the field when he does get a chance. He’s extremely accurate when needed and has the art of the great bounce down perfectly as one of the best punters around.

KR: Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Price has been good enough to show up in a number of different spots on All-America teams but has truly thrived bringing back kicks in 2025. One of the two he took all the way back to the house proved to be a key spark in the win over USC in October. His 37.5 average ensures most teams limit his opportunities to ever touch the ball during a game.

PR: Kaden Wetjen, Iowa

Wetjen may well be the best return man in Big Ten history and yet some teams still wind up kicking to him. He leads FBS in punt return average and has taken three all the way back this season, too.

AP: KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

Some players have speed, some have quickness, a select few can easily show you that they have both. Concepcion has been the Aggies’ most dynamic receiver this season in addition to his return duties and always seems to find a dozen ways to make an impact on the game.

Second Team Specialists

K: Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaiʻi
P: Grayson Miller, Oklahoma
KR: Caullin Lacy, Louisville
PR: Ryan Niblett, Texas
AP: Wayne Knight, James Madison

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