Joe Burrow was the runaway Heisman winner last year, and it was pretty clear he was the country’s most exciting player. But even with Burrow gone to the NFL, college football is still crowded with stars capable of delivering edge-of-your-seat excitement on any given play.
Here’s the most exciting player on each of the nation’s top 25 teams entering 2020.
We don’t want to shun Trevor Lawrence, but he gets enough attention. Instead, let’s put the focus on Etienne, who remarkably turned down NFL money and returns to Clemson for his senior season. Etienne has averaged 7.8 yards per carry for his career — a number that would dwarf the next-closest competitor in ACC history, but he added to his repertoire last year by catching 37 passes, too. In fact, Etienne is the leading returning receiver on Clemson’s roster from 2019. — David Hale
The Buckeyes had 10 players selected in the NFL draft this year, which means the team is losing a lot of talent. Quarterback Fields is returning, however, and is entering his second season in coach Ryan Day’s system. Fields threw for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and three interceptions. Receiver Garrett Wilson could find himself in this discussion, but Fields will be the one getting him the ball. There was no adjustment period for Fields and Day. If they had that much success in their first season together, the sky is the limit for this upcoming season. — Tom VanHaaren