Akylin (“AK”) Dear, Alabama
Dear is shaping up to be a stash who could be considered a breakout candidate for year one. For a player who has had relatively little fanfare, he was a very respectable recruit landing at Alabama. He is an explosive athlete who owns respectable high school production.
With the Jam Miller injury leading up to the regular season, Alabama needs some other running backs to step up. Dear brings a unique skill set, including a north and south speed back, and has adequate size for the position. Dear is more likely a future producer rather than an immediate contributor at Alabama, but we may see that stash pay off earlier than expected.
Shekai Mills-Knight, Ole Miss
Mills-Knight is joining an array of running backs at Ole Miss who are not necessarily proven assets at this point. As a talented athlete and capable prospect, Mills-Knight could be in store for an exciting late-season breakout if things break correctly for him. However, it is more likely that he has a complementary role in year one, with a larger role in year two and beyond.
Tory Blaylock, Oklahoma
Blaylock is a talented former 4-star recruit who could step up for Oklahoma sooner or later. He has impressed for Oklahoma leading up to the 2025 season, while the team has dealt with numerous injuries to the running back room. He has worked his way to a backup role for week one, though the depth chart is clearly affected with injury to start the 2025 season. Blaylock boasts speed and some receiving skills to be excited about. If he can develop consistency as an inside runner, he could become a fun college prospect.
James Simon, Texas
James Simon was not necessarily an impressive producer in high school, but his flashes certainly make for an intriguing prospect in a relatively unproven Texas backfield. Being an early enrollee, Simon has an advantageous experience within the offense. Given what we have seen from Texas in recent years, they should continue to be a high-powered machine. Simon may not play much immediately, but he could be worth keeping.
Jaylen McGill, UNC, and Omar Mabson II, Auburn
I combined two early declarees from separate teams, as both McGill and Mabson came to college a year earlier than expected. Mabson may have the immediate edge, as he has already been making some noise as an impressive back for Auburn. Mabson could seize the starting role by next season.
McGill instead typically goes under the radar, and both of these backs will partially because they reclassified to the 2025 class. Despite leaving high school early, don’t sleep on McGill as he is very physically built, strong, and seemingly ready to handle the physicality of college football. I am unsure if he will get many opportunities as a freshman, but based on his talent, McGill could easily be the long-term answer for UNC at the position.
Nolan James Jr., Notre Dame
James impressed in spring practices for Notre Dame as an early enrollee. This was a promising start, providing optimism that he could be the next Notre Dame running back in line. There are a few options ahead of him, but between health concerns or the reality that these backs will not be there forever, opportunity could eventually come James’ way. With some balance and burst, James is a fun running back prospect. With patience, James may prove to be a very valuable asset for rosters in the future.
Dierre Hill, Oregon
Hill is a talent who has not seen much hype in fantasy circles heading into 2025. He is an undersized back with great movement skills, and in some ways could be the next Bucky Irving-type running back. The talent ahead of him is much overstated, and he could quickly rise to a prominent role at Oregon as early as in 2026. A running back in the Oregon system has been proven to be a lucrative role, and may be worth a stash.
Jasper Parker, Michigan
Parker is one of my deeper sleepers at the running back position, and in my opinion should be stashed only in the deepest of C2C leagues. He is a perfect player to keep an eye on to see how his career unfolds. Parker is a talented back with competition ahead of him, but certainly has some intrigue as an explosive and determined runner. He lands in a nice situation for eventual production if he can earn a role at Michigan.
Quincy Porter, Ohio State
How does a five-star Ohio State wide receiver recruit not make the freshman breakout article? If not for two established starters in Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, Porter would be much more than a stash for me. He would likely find considerable playing time this year if not for the target competition at Ohio State, especially after impressing in the spring as an early enrollee.
Porter is a talented big-bodied wideout with good hands and a dominant high school production profile. He has some aspects of his athletic profile to round out, but if a wide receiver is going to develop, Ohio State is the perfect place for that growth to happen.
Kaliq Lockett, Texas
Diving deeper into the Texas wide receiver room, there are three more proven wideouts ahead of Lockett, but after that, Lockett could earn some playing time as a true freshman. After all, the guys ahead of him at Texas have not necessarily demonstrated themselves as consistently great players yet. Being one of the better wide receiver recruits in his class, Lockett certainly could make some impact in year one. If you are patient with him, you may ultimately have one of the most talented up-and-coming Texas wide receivers.
Talyn Taylor and CJ Wiley, Georgia
Taylor and Wiley fall into a similar situation as Lockett does at Texas (and I suppose Jaime Ffrench and Daylan McCutcheon, who are also freshman at Texas). Both Taylor and Wiley were respected high school talents in this recruiting class. They just happen to be dealing with a crowded and deep depth chart at Georgia, even if it is devoid of a true alpha receiver. Both Taylor and Wiley, as early enrollees, will have a jumpstart on at least earning a role in year one. It will just be difficult for them to become immediate fantasy forces and higher-end producers until later into their collegiate careers.
Jerome Myles, Texas A&M
Myles sustained a significant injury in 2024, as well as previously during his high school career. Another injury has now wiped out Myles’ 2025 hopes, as news just broke that he will miss the season. The checkered health history should raise some concerns about his profile despite reports that he was approaching full health for the 2025 season. He would have been dealing with an uphill battle for a starting role with an already promising starting wide receiver unit at Texas A&M for this season.
Now he will have to wait until 2026 to bounce back and make an impact. Myles brings a unique size and athleticism blend that the other wideouts at Texas A&M do not possess. In future years Myles could get his feet wet and show the flashes that made him a five-star wide receiver recruit. He will just need to stay healthy, which is looking increasingly questionable each year.
TaRon Francis, LSU
TaRon “Manchild” Francis is a great name, no doubt. The LSU wide receiver room has plenty of depth to relegate Francis to a minimal role. Do not let that deter you from taking a shot on Francis as a future stash. He possesses athleticism, physicality, and size that is tantalizing at the position. LSU is a proven school for wide receiver talent, and the future of that wideout room is uncertain at best. Take a shot on Francis as a future potential star.
-Aaron Wilcox (@aaronwilcox86)
