Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
By Chris Marler
The SEC is full of big names heading into 2025, but a few former five-star prospects who’ve fallen off the radar are poised to reintroduce themselves in a big way.
Trey’Dez Green, TE LSU
There are three LSU players that could have been included on the list. DJ Pickett and Harlem Berry will both make immediate impacts as true freshmen. However, Berry will share time with a very talented Caen Durham and Pickett could see some growing pains in a year where there are elite receivers all over the country. Green, though? Green is special.
At 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, he is a clear mismatch the moment he steps on the field. He’ll also be stepping into a situation where not only does LSU’s offense throw the ball more than anyone else in the SEC, they’re also replacing Mason Taylor who caught more passes at TE than anyone else in program history.
A five-star prospect in the 2024 class, Green officially stepped away from basketball this spring to focus on football full time.
He won’t catch as many passes as Taylor did in the purple and gold, but he will be a nightmare in the red zone. His performance in the Texas Bowl was just a preview of what he can do and the six receptions, 53 yards, and two touchdowns should be a near weekly occurrence in 2025.
Nuss connects with the freshman @TreyDez_Green TOUCHDOWN
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/UCOGAPz2BG
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 31, 2024
Mike Matthews, WR Tennessee
Some people might say that Mike Matthews is on this list because he’s a talented former five-star wide receiver. Some may say he made the list because he went to my alma mater, Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia. Two things can be true at the same time.
Matthews is incredibly talented. He got lost in the shuffle a bit in his first year of college ball. He ranked among the nation’s top 25 recruits, yet was only the sixth-best wide receiver in the 2024 class, trailing stars like Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams and Cam Coleman. He finished his freshman season with seven receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns, despite playing in 11 of Tennessee’s 13 games.
He flirted with the portal during the December window, but ultimately pulled his name out and returned to campus. The Vols lost the SEC Player of the Year at running back in Dylan Sampson. They also lost four of their top six pass catchers, including the top three overall.
Matthews will be a huge addition to the offense this year, alongside former Tulane transfer Chris Braswell.
MAGIC MIKE MATTHEWS IS A DAWG!!! 😳🍊
His first career touchdown as a #Vol
pic.twitter.com/Au3NJGbwAi— Volology (@Volology) September 15, 2024
Nyck Harbor, WR South Carolina
Harbor is a former five-star athlete who split his time with football and track for his first two seasons in Columbia. Finally, this Spring, he is fully focused on football and spent the entire offseason learning to play his position and a sport he just started roughly five years ago.
Harbor is a big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds with world class speed running a 10.11 100 meter dash and 20.2 in the 200. The most valuable tool Harbor possesses besides his freakish athleticism is experience.
He’s been the ultimate team player. It’s not often you can convince a kid who was invited to the USA Track Olympic trials to block at receiver for his running back and QB. However, Shane Beamer did.
He comes into the season now as the primary target for one of the best quarterbacks in the country. And, despite having just 38 catches for 571 yards and only four touchdowns in two full seasons, he’s already receiving first round hype for next year’s draft.
Nyck Harbor starting to get into rhythm. Nice improv, fluid hands and yac pic.twitter.com/khKEpnJTJQ
— Matt O’Brien (@mattobrien31) November 9, 2024
KJ Bolden, S Georgia
The former No. 1 safety in the 2024 class made an immediate impact as a freshman, logging 552 snaps despite never fully securing a starting role.
Not only will he be a breakout player this season, but also one of the leaders of a defense that loses former first rounder Malaki Starks at the other safety position.
Bolden won’t get the notoriety he deserves until next season, thanks to names like Caleb Downs at Ohio State and Michael Taffe at Texas, but he will absolutely be a breakout star this season.
Qua Russaw, EDGE/LB Alabama
This is a bit more of a gamble. Not because Russaw isn’t talented, but because sacks just aren’t necessarily a priority in Kane Wommack’s defensive scheme. Alabama was top ten nationally last year in points per game allowed (17.4) and yards per play allowed (4.72). However, their 25 total sacks was the lowest by a Bama team in a decade and ranked 64th nationally.
Russaw might not rack up a ton of sacks on the stat sheet, but he will be their most talented pass rusher and will complete a defensive line that is one of the most talented in the country. Guys like Tim Smith and LT Overton, who both skipped the NFL Draft and returned for their senior seasons, should eat up double teams all year, allowing Russaw to be a constant in the backfield of Bama’s opponents.
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