Take a look at the former freshman phenoms who have their eyes set on stardom as they enter their sophomore seasons in the Big 12. Each of these players have previously received the distinction of being named to one (or more) of my weekly Freshman-15 lists, which highlighted the top freshmen throughout the 2024 season.

Bryson Washington

RS So. RB - Baylor

Unless you read Freshman-15 articles throughout the season, you probably haven’t heard of Washington until now. He was instrumental in Baylor’s late season run, with the Bears winning their final six games of the regular season. In those games, Washington found the endzone 11 times and failed to rush for over 100 yards only once. In what seems to be a wide open Big 12, Baylor have emerged as a contender, with Washington being one of the driving forces behind Baylor’s momentum.

The season started off slow for Washington, who did not appear in Baylor’s first three games of the season, but when he first saw action he rushed for over 100 yards against Air Force. Washington didn’t top 35 rushing yards in the next three games but finally found his footing against Texas Tech. Washington’s 123 yards and 2 touchdowns saw the Bears win their first of six straight, and from that point on you would be hard pressed to find many running backs who performed better than Washington down the stretch.

Perhaps this is a marketing problem, but Washington deserves more recognition than he has gotten up to this point. He is seventh in yards after contact among all returning running backs and is one of two returning running backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards in less than 200 snaps in 2024.

Washington will be heavily relied on as the focal point of Baylor’s running game and will be crucial in a potential push for a playoff spot. Baylor also returns starting quarterback Sawyer Robertson so the offense figures to be potent in 2025 after a strong finish to 2024. Washington is one of my favorite draft-eligible players for the 2026 NFL Draft, but as a redshirt sophomore will still have two years of eligibility after this season. With a big season, Washington could easily be an early Day 2 pick.

Isaac Wilson

So. QB - Utah

While he is not as notorious as his older brother, Wilson started seven games at quarterback as a true freshman. Overall, it was an up and down year for the Utah native, and Wilson struggled as the season went on.

Wilson made a Freshman-15 list due to his 3 touchdown performance against Utah State, his first start of the season. In the performance against their in-state rivals, Wilson showed off a live arm and relatively clean play, accounting for only one turnover-worthy play. Wilson completed over 60% of his passes against the Aggies despite 5 drops from his receivers, and only took one sack. It was an incredibly inspiring first start for Wilson. Unfortunately, the rest of Wilson’s season did not follow suit.

Overall, Wilson only logged two games in which he threw more touchdowns than interceptions. Wilson also completed at least 60% of his passes in only two starts, and logged the fifth highest turnover-worthy play rate among returning quarterbacks.

The offseason was tumultuous for both Wilson and the Utah program. Wilson entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of one of Utah’s worst seasons in recent years. In turn, Utah reached into the portal and secured the signature of former New Mexico dual threat quarterback Devon Dampier. After Dampier’s commitment, Wilson withdrew his name from the portal and returned to the Utah football program. It will be an uphill battle for Wilson as he must compete with Dampier for the starting job. While Wilson has untapped potential, I think he could benefit from learning for a year behind Dampier, who I see as the better quarterback as of now.

Jack Luttrell

RS So. S - Arizona

Heading into Week 8 of 2024, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders had never thrown two interceptions in a game in his career. By the time Arizona and Colorado heard the final whistle blow, Luttrell had picked off Sanders twice, becoming the first player ever to do so.

Luttrell worked his way into the lineup late in the season, with his first start of the season coming in Week 8 against Colorado. Luttrell logged two interceptions in the loss, as well as 7 tackles. Luttrell logged double digit tackles in two contests in 2024, against UCF and West Virginia. Lutrell’s final interception of the season came against TCU in Week 13. Pro Football Focus also credits Luttrell with 2 dropped interceptions throughout the season.

While Luttrell’s big performance against Colorado started off his season with a bang, the rest of the safety’s season was not as productive. Luttrell struggled with missed tackles down the stretch, with a 25.4% missed tackle rate, which puts him in the bottom 25 of returning safeties who logged at least 194 snaps.

With Arizona looking to gain their footing in the Big 12, Luttrell will be asked to be a leader on the defense after becoming a mainstay in the secondary.

Jordan Seaton

So. OT - Colorado

The recruitment of the former 5 star offensive tackle saw a multitude of teams think they had a chance to land Seaton’s signature. In the end, it was head coach Deion Sanders who secured the commitment of his son’s blindside blocker. Seaton was scrutinized for his decision, but he silenced the critics with a great freshman campaign that saw him be named a Freshman All-American.

The masses wanted to blame Colorado’s offensive line for many of their offensive struggles in both 2023 and 2024. While the accusations were warranted in Sanders’ first year at the helm, they did not hold the same credibility in 2024. Sure, the offensive line as a whole was not a top unit in the country, it was far improved compared to the 2023 group. Seaton played a big part in that and did everything he could to keep his quarterback on his feet.

According to Seaton’s profile on the team website, Seaton was the first true freshman to start the season opener at offensive tackle in Colorado history, and the first to do so in the Big 12 since Kelvin Banks did at Texas in 2022. The IMG Academy product allowed just 3 sacks all season, and did not allow a sack in 11 games in 2024. Seaton was flagged 15 times throughout the season, which is something he will have to work on, but with a year of experience under his belt I expect Seaton to cut that number down handily.

Joseph Williams

So. WR - Colorado

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders had to replace his top three pass catchers after the 2024 season, and while the Buffs have multiple young stars on their hands at wide receiver, Sanders reached into the portal and nabbed the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year.

Williams was a big-play threat anytime he saw the ball come his way, averaging 19.6 yards per catch, which ranks 5th in the nation amongst returning wide receivers with at least 30 receptions in 2024. Williams lined up exclusively out wide, which will complement the talents of Dre’lon Miller and Omarrion Miller, with Dre’lon lining up in the slot and Omarrion out wide. The trio of Williams and the Millers all measure in above 6 feet tall and should form matchup nightmares against Big 12 secondaries.

As a threat near the sidelines, Williams brings excellent body control and physicality to dominate defensive backs downfield. Williams possesses excellent jump ball skills and tracks the ball well. Whether it was a jump ball in stride or a back shoulder throw down the sideline, what Williams lacked in separation he made up with the ability to make 50/50 situations into 64/36 situations, according to PFF.

Williams has a clear path to playing time, with both Omarrion and Dre’lon Miller slated to start alongside him. The only potential competition for a starting role comes from freshman wide receiver Quanell Farrakhan Jr. I expect Williams to not only start but potentially lead the team in yards and touchdowns.

Kyran Duhon

So. EDGE - Oklahoma State

Amidst UTEP’s 3-9 season in 2024, Duhon was a bright spot on the Miners defense. Duhon was named to the Second Team All-Conference USA, and ranked second on the team and in the conference with 7 sacks. Duhon began his freshman campaign as a rotational piece and started in five of UTEP’s last six games, including against Tennessee, when Duhon logged a sack.

Duhon’s stats may appear pedestrian, but considering his low snap count and talent level around him, Duhon took advantage of every opportunity presented to him.

In his first season in Stillwater, Duhon has the chance to capitalize on a defense ravaged by departures, with only three returning starters Oklahoma State has the third lowest amount of returning starters amongst Power 4 teams with four. Duhon will likely make his presence felt as a run defender first and foremost, but given his efficiency as a pass rusher in 2024 he could be in line for a productive year taking down quarterbacks.

Given the Pokes’ lack of proven depth on the defensive line, Duhon is in prime position to start come Week 1. There may be a slight adjustment period, as Oklahoma State’s schedule is much tougher than UTEP’s. Duhon’s performance against Tennessee offers hope that the edge rusher could turn out to make an instant impact.

Sam Leavitt

RS So. QB - Arizona State

The former Michigan State quarterback made an instant in impact in Tempe as a redshirt freshman, winning a big 1 championship and making the College Football Playoff. Leavitt became one of four freshman to lead his team to the playoffs, joining Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence alongside Nico Iamaleava. While Leavitt failed to win a playoff game, the Sun Devils were a 4th-and-13 stop away from taking down Texas in the quarterfinals.

Leavitt was as effective as they come, thanks in part to star running back Cam Skattebo, averaging 8.1 yards per attempt and 4.7 yards per carry. Leavitt’s ability to deal damage as both a passer and a runner added another element to head coach Kenny Dillingham’s offense that made the Sun Devils a threat against any defense. Texas entered their playoff matchup with Arizona State with one of the top defenses in the country before being pushed to the edge by Leavitt and Co.

The most impressive part of Leavitt’s game was his ability to make smart decisions and protect the football. Leavitt did not put the ball on the ground a single time all season, and only threw 6 interceptions. When you dig deeper, the advanced stats show that Leavitt was actually unlucky with how many turnovers he had. Leavitt had a turnover-worthy play rate of 1.1%, the second-best rate amongst all returning quarterbacks. In total, Leavitt accounted for 5 turnover-worthy plays, despite having 6 interceptions. Leavitt’s ability to protect the football and make smart decisions as a freshman undoubtedly propelled the Sun Devils to a playoff appearance.

There is no doubt that Leavitt will be the starter in 2025, but the loss of Skattebo to the draft will alter the offense. Leavitt is receiving reinforcements, however, with Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh arriving to lead the backfield and star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson returning from injury after missing the Sun Devils’ postseason run. The biggest question for Leavitt come next January will be whether or not he should enter the 2026 NFL Draft, as he will be eligible with two years of college eligibility left.

Sione Moa

So. RB - BYU

It wasn’t the biggest year for Moa statistically, but that is due to the presence of star running back LJ Martin. Moa operated as a rotational back, but has his chance to shine against Kansas State in Week 4, rushing for over 70 yards and a touchdown on 5.1 yards per carry.

Moa’s build allows him to bowl people over, bringing a physical running style to the running back room. Moa was seldom used in passing situations, only being targeted five times all season. Moa brought in all five passes, but is primarily utilized as a pure runner.

With the departure of redshirt senior running back Hinckley Ropati, 69 carries are up for grabs. Moa was third on the team in total carries and looks to take a lion’s share of the unclaimed carries. This should help Moa further establish himself as a key contributor in the BYU offense.

With the return of Martin, quarterback Jake Retzlaff and wide receiver Chase Roberts, BYU is aiming for a conference championship berth in 2025. While they couldn’t get the job done despite a strong start in 2024, Moa’s development as a complimentary back will be crucial in order to keep the offense humming down the stretch. Martin will be the starter, no doubt, but Moa should impress as BYU’s RB2.

Tyler Mercer

RS So. OL - Kansas

One of the more underrated moves in the portal, Mercer leveraged his fantastic redshirt freshman season at North Texas into a move to Kansas, where he will likely learn behind starting center Bryce Foster before taking over the starting role in 2026. Mercer possesses the versatility to slide in anywhere on the interior, and could even push for a starting role this summer.

Mercer was thrown into the fire at North Texas after injuries ravaged the starting lineup along the offensive front. But when Mercer went in, he didn’t look back. Mercer turned in top performances week in and week out, not allowing any sacks or hits. Unfortunately, he only started six games and played in eight due to injuries keeping him out of a few contests.

I believe Mercer’s talent and technique will allow him to play this season, but with Foster penned in at center, Mercer will likely only find playing time at guard. Regardless, the addition of Mercer was a high-upside acquisition by head coach Lance Leipold, who reeled in a future all-conference caliber offensive lineman.

The next article will cover the Big 12 and their rising sophomore stars, which include a star quarterback, a pair of explosive running backs and multiple instant-impact transfers. With the Big 12 title race seemingly wide open, these players could dictate the landscape of the entire conference.

Super Sophomores - Big 12