IRVING, Texas (Sept. 3, 2025) – For the eighth year, the National Football Foundation has released its annual list of current student-athletes at all levels of the game who have already earned their undergraduate degrees, underscoring the game's commitment to academic achievement and reinforcing the belief that football develops leaders. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LIST OF GRADUATES
 
By the Numbers:

• 3,685 players take the field with diplomas in hand
• 302 schools report graduates competing on the field this season
• FBS schools average 16 graduates each, with 2,245 total FBS athletes 
• Every FBS team boasts a graduate*
• Every division of college football boasts graduates
• Northwestern and Virginia lead the nation with 34 graduates each
• Tennessee Tech sets FCS high mark with 32-degree holders
• 121 FBS schools report a double-digit number of graduates on their rosters
• The list includes 81 players who have been nominated for the Campbell Trophy ® either in 2024 or 2025.

*excludes service academies, who do not offer graduate programs
 
"This is proof that education remains at the heart of college football and that the game continues to shape leaders beyond the field, something we should celebrate just as much as the competition itself," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. The NFF compiled this list with the help of sports information directors from all divisions of the NCAA and NAIA who identified the players on their 2025 fall rosters who have already earned their undergraduate degrees. 302 schools submitted their information for inclusion. 

The annual list of graduates playing college football is part of the NFF's long-standing commitment to celebrating the scholar-athlete ideal, a tradition that began in 1959 with the launch of the prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Today, that commitment continues through signature initiatives such as The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF Faculty Salutes presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Team of Distinction, the NFF Hatchell Cup presented by Bob's Steak & Chop House, and the National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation.
   
   
The numbers include 2,255 players from 133 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), 1,083 players from 86 schools in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), 238 players from 39 schools in Division II, 71 players from 33 schools in Division III and 38 players from 11 NAIA schools. (Note: Graduates of the service academies immediately become commissioned officers, and there is no mechanism to extend their collegiate athletic eligibility.)
 
Northwestern and Virginia lead all schools nationwide (as well as the FBS) with 34 players each having already earned their degrees. Tennessee Tech is fielding 32 players with degrees, the most among FCS schools. Augustana (SD), Colorado School of Mines and Valdosta State (GA) each boast 12, topping Division II. Johns Hopkins (MD) and Saint John's (MN) both claim five graduates, sitting atop Division III. Southeastern (FL) has 10 graduates on its roster, the most of any NAIA school.
 
Of the 133 FBS schools that responded, 121 reported a double-digit number of graduates, with the following schools joining Northwestern and Virginia (34 each) with at least 25: UCLA (31), UNLV (29), South Florida (28), Vanderbilt (28), UMass (27), Memphis (27), Nevada (27), Liberty (26), Oklahoma State (26), Kansas (26), West Virginia (26), Minnesota (25) and Wake Forest (25).
 
Joining the FCS leader Tennessee Tech (32) with at least 20 graduates on the roster this season are South Carolina State (25), Stony Brook (25), Jackson State (24), Incarnate Word (24), Prairie View A&M (23), Abilene Christian (23), Montana (23), Citadel (22), Campbell (21), East Texas A&M (21), Sacramento State (20), and Stephen F. Austin (20).
 
The following Division II programs joined national leaders Augustana [SD] (12), Colorado School of Mines (12), Valdosta State [GA] (12) with at least 10 graduates on their fall rosters: Concordia [MN] (11), Henderson State [AR] (11), Colorado State-Pueblo (10), Shepherd [WV] (10), Wingate [NC] (10).
 
Following Division III leaders Johns Hopkins [MD], Saint John's [MN], who both had five graduates, are: Belhaven [MS] (4), Endicott [MA] (4), Moravian [PA] (4) and North Central [IL] (4).
 
Southeastern (FL) listed 10 graduates to lead the NAIA respondents. They were followed by Kansas Wesleyan and St. Francis [IL], which each had five.
 
QBs of Ranked Teams & NFL Draft Prospects
Several grads on the list have quarterbacked their teams to the top of the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll rankings: Garrett Nussmeier (LSU - No. 3), Gunner Stockton (Georgia – No. 4), Carson Beck (Miami [FL] – No. 5) and Luke Altmyer (Illinois – No. 12). Nussmeier also joins Austin Barber (Florida), Tim Keenan III (Alabama), Jake Slaughter (Florida), Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt), among the players with degrees who are also projected to be early round NFL Draft picks this spring.
 
Watch List Players
Other notable watch list players include Jalon Daniels (Kansas), Kyron Drones (Virginia Tech), Mark Gronowski (Iowa and a 2024 Campbell Trophy Finalist from South Dakota State), Jamal Haynes (Georgia Tech), Justice Haynes (Michigan), Jason Henderson (Old Dominion), Joshua Hoover (TCU), Mikail Kamara (Indiana), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Chandler Morris (Virginia), Behren Morton (Texas Tech), Miller Moss (Louisville), Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma), Kaidon Salter (Colorado), Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech).
 
Notable Storylines
Other notable storylines include Ejike Adele (Rice – 2024 Ivy League Bushnell Cup Defensive Player of the Year), Zach Calzada (Kentucky – Quarterbacked Texas A&M to an upset win over #1 Alabama in 2021), Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati – Pulmonary embolism survivor), Miller Moss (Louisville – Quarterbacked USC to victory in the 2023 Holiday Bowl, earning Offensive MVP honors), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt - two-time bowl game MVP, 2024 SEC Newcomer of the Year), Harold Perkins Jr. (LSU – First-Team All-SEC as a freshman in 2022; Second Team in 2023), Reese Poffenbarger (North Texas – Led Albany to the 2023 FCS Semifinals), Kaidon Salter (Colorado – Led Liberty to an undefeated 2023 regular season, CUSA title, and a Fiesta Bowl appearance), Austin Simmons (Ole Miss – Only 19 years old and already holds a bachelor's degree), Cole Wisniewski (Texas Tech – 2024 First-Team All-American at North Dakota State; won national titles in 2021 and 2024).
 
Family Ties
There are numerous family legacies on the list including:

• Hunter Barth (Stanford – Brother was a 2002 NFF Campbell Trophy semifinalist at Arizona State)
• Brian Blades II (Florida International – Father and uncle both played at Miami [FL] and in the NFL; uncle is in the College Football Hall of Fame)
• James Brockermeyer (Miami [FL] – Father was an All-American at Texas and an NFL player)
• Liam Clifford (Penn State – Brother of Sean, a 2021 NFF Campbell Trophy finalist from Penn State)
• Demon Clowney (South Carolina – Cousin of Gamecock All-American and NFL player Jadeveon Clowney)
• Marcus Dumervil (Arkansas – Uncle was a five-time NFL Pro Bowler)
• Owen Heinecke (Oklahoma – Uncle played for the Sooners, winning the 2000 national title)
• Sam Huard (USC – Father and uncle both played quarterback at Washington; another uncle is USC's quarterbacks coach)
• Haynes King (Georgia Tech – Son of a past president of the Texas High School Coaches Association)
• Dyson McCutcheon (Washington – Father and grandfather both played in the NFL)
• Maverick McIvor (Western Kentucky – Father led Texas to the 1984 Cotton Bowl)
• Chandler Morris (Virginia – Father was a head coach at SMU and Arkansas)
• Sammy Morris (Abilene Christian – Father played at Texas Tech and in the NFL)
• Garrett Nussmeier (LSU – Father is current New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator)
• Luke Petitbon (Florida State – Grandfather was defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders)
• Ethan Pouncey (Georgia Southern – Second cousins are the Pouncey twins, both NFL players)
• P.J. Prioleau (Virginia Tech – Father won a Super Bowl with the Saints and is the Hokies' safeties coach)
• Preston "Chubba" Purdy (Nevada – Brother of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy)
• Drew Pyne (Bowling Green – Grandfather and uncle played in the NFL; father is an NFF Board Member)
• Sam Roush (Stanford – Father and grandfather both played in the NFL)
• Mason Shipley (Texas – Brothers are also college football kickers)
• Darius Snow (Michigan State – Father played in the NBA; uncle is in the College Football Hall of Fame)
• Tyler Venables (Clemson – Son of Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables)
• Cole Wisniewski (Texas Tech – Brother was a 2021 NFF Campbell Trophy semifinalist at Wisconsin-Whitewater)