The most exciting recruit on each top-40 team

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  • Craig Haubert

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    Craig Haubert

    ESPN Staff Writer

    • National recruiting expert and expert for ESPNU
    • More than a decennary of assemblage and pro coaching experience.
    • Graduated from Indiana and Nebraska-Omaha
  • Billy Tucker

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    Billy Tucker

    Scouts, Football Recruiting

      • Recruiting coordinator for ESPN RecruitingNation.
      • Nearly a decennary of assemblage coaching experience.
      • Has been evaluating prospects astatine ESPN since 2006.

Sep 11, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

College shot teams crossed the state are acold from finished products this season, but the archetypal weeks of the 2025 slate are already giving them a amended consciousness of who they are -- for amended oregon worse.

At the aforesaid time, coaching staffs look the delicate balancing enactment of winning contiguous and looking ahead, knowing immoderate of the answers to weaknesses with their existent rosters mightiness travel from the 2026 people and beyond.

Recruiting isn't conscionable astir stockpiling talent; it's astir addressing aboriginal needs with the close benignant of fit. Here's a look astatine 1 interaction newcomer, immoderate blue-chippers and others who are inactive flying nether the radar, who could marque an interaction erstwhile they get connected field and assistance signifier what's adjacent for the apical programs successful the country. The bid is based connected current people rankings.

1. USC Trojans

Tomuhini Topui, DT

ESPN 300 rank: 74

Sitting atop the people rankings, determination is simply a batch to similar astir the Trojans, and 1 happening that's evident is the squad needs to amended successful the trenches. USC has shown betterment connected defense, but the summation of Topui would enactment USC connected par with different Big Ten powers. He is massive, speedy and almighty and tin beryllium a stout presence. As a section merchandise from Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei, this was a must-get.

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 23, 2025

2. Georgia Bulldogs

Kaiden Prothro, TE

ESPN 300 rank: 19

Whether Protho plays choky extremity oregon receiver doesn't truly matter, arsenic helium tin lend to the passing onslaught successful a assortment of ways. He possesses an outstanding blend of size, speed, agility and assemblage control. We similar his projection arsenic a pass-catching choky extremity successful Athens successful the mold of Brock Bowers arsenic a receiving threat. Prothro tin beryllium an impactful portion of Georgia's offense, which volition suffer Oscar Delp aft this season. Prothro, a five-star, is precise fluid arsenic well, and if not deployed arsenic a choky end, the 6-foot-6, 210-pounder with 4.57 verified velocity could play the extracurricular receiver position. Regardless of which presumption you slot him at, Prothro tin beryllium a playmaking people for the Bulldogs.


3. Texas A&M Aggies

K.J. Edwards, RB

ESPN 300 rank: 51

The tally crippled has not looked predominate successful College Station, but Le'Veon Moss should vigor up. The contented is helium graduates aft this season, arsenic does Amari Daniels. The duo combined for 1,426 yards past play and 18 touchdowns. Read Entire Article