Paul Finebaum Didn’t Hesitate to Name the Best Player in College Football originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
There’s no doubt that there are a lot of talented players to watch out for in the upcoming 2025 college football season, whether it’s young players trying to create a legacy or older guys looking to build off previous success.
Having a lot of talent always comes with expectations, and ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum already revealed that Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning faces the most pressure of anybody, but that doesn’t necessarily earn him the label of top player in college football.
In fact, Fnebaum made that clear during a Wednesday episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” when he was asked whether Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith holds the true title of “best player,” to which the answer was simple.
“That he is, he’s so good, Greeny, you know, doing the draft, where he would have gone last year, it’s incredible he has to stay in college with all the convoluted rules, “Finebaum said. “The biggest issue they had last year with Chip Kelly calling the plays was getting him the ball enough. Remember, in the Michigan game, he didn’t get the ball enough in the Texas game. I think that will change this year, but he is without a doubt the best player in the game.”
.@finebaum believes “without a doubt” that OSU’s Jeremiah Smith is the best CFB player in the country 😯 pic.twitter.com/YZwv8fQpAZ
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 23, 2025
Of course, Smith exploded onto the scene in 2024 for the Buckeyes while being a major piece to their national championship run, appearing in 16 games, accumulating 76 receptions, 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as just a true freshman.
Finebaum isn’t the only one who believes Smith would have been selected early in the 2025 NFL Draft if eligible, either. Analyst Dan Orlovsky even stated, “He would easily be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft,” back in January.
Being called the best player in college football so early could also be seen as him essentially reaching the high expectations he’s had since high school, as Rivals Industry Rankings placed him as the No. 1 player in the nation as part of the 2024 recruiting class.
Now, it will remain to be seen if Finebaum’s high praise holds up and whether Smith continues to impress in his sophomore season, as ESPN BET even ties him for the second-best odds (+900) to win the Heisman Trophy.
Related: Texas Receives Exciting Message From Nation’s No. 1 QB
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.