As the college football season winds down and draft season kicks into high gear, the spotlight shines brighter on prospects deciding whether to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft or return to school. For some players, the allure of fulfilling a lifelong dream and cashing in on their talent is undeniable. But for others, rushing into the process despite what they may hear from surrounding resources may not be the best decision for their development, or long-term projection.
Below, we’ll get into a few signal-callers and a handful of other key players who could strengthen their draft stock—or refine their skill sets—with another year of college ball. From signal-callers still learning the nuances of leading an offense to position players and defensive playmakers who could rise from mid-round projections to first-round locks, staying in school might be the smarter play. For some, patience in the process could, truly, be their biggest virtue.
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Even though this year’s QB class isn’t the quality of last year's, returning to school could see Garrett Nussmeier evolve into a rock-solid top-15 pick in 2026. Confidence and arm talent drip off of his 6-foot-2 frame, yet there remain inconsistencies in his game where another year against SEC competition could serve him well.
More snaps are never a bad thing for young quarterbacks, and considering 2024 is Nussmeier’s first full season as a starter for the Tigers, returning to school and declaring as a redshirt senior next winter could serve him well.
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Drew Allar has all the potential in the world to progress into a first-round selection. He has the typical size, high-level varying touch and velocity, and can make any throw in the book. However, what he’s been asked to do at Penn State with the lack of correlating talent has placed him in a tough spot this fall.
The spotlight surrounding Penn State always centers around what they do against Ohio State or Michigan, but the Nittany Lions’ lack of skill players on the perimeter against the Big Ten’s best has placed a narrative on Allar that he simply doesn’t have ‘it’ under center. While boosting correlating talent is a trait many teams look for in a franchise signal-caller, returning to Happy Valley would be good process for Allar, a true junior, as he continues to grow into his body and evolves shoulders up under center.
Harold Perkins Jr., OLB/EDGE, LSU
A 2024 preseason All-American, it was a loss for college football when Harold Perkins Jr. tore his ACL in September. Returning to school is all but a certainty at this point, and considering the talent and depth of the 2025 EDGE class, Perkins has a chance to prove next fall why he deserves top-10 draft capital.
He’s a bit of a tweener at 6-foot flat, and conversations this fall have hinted that Perkins played at or near 210 pounds in his four starts this fall. The consensus among teams is that he’ll project as a hybrid edge player and off-ball backer, but another season in the weight room and nutrition program at LSU will get his body right before the start of next fall.
It remains to be seen how surgery affects his play, if at all, but Perkins’ electric skill set within the front seven is undeniable when at 100%. His game fits the modern NFL.
Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
With Brock Bowers out of the picture, Oscar Delp was expected to evolve into one of Georgia’s premier offensive weapons this fall. Like many at Georgia, Delp was a highly rated recruit—a four-star kid out of nearby Cumming, Georgia, just an hour's drive from campus. But instead of departing with playing time limited, he waited his turn behind the likes of Bowers and Darnell Washington as a freshman and sophomore. However, now 13 weeks into 2024, Delp sits sixth on the team in total targets (23) and has just one game this fall where he’s recorded more than two receptions in a single week (four catches vs Tennessee).
In layman’s terms, he’s been drastically uninvolved considering preseason expectations, to the point where he has taken a backseat to sophomore Lawson Luckie when it comes to volume at the position. Whether he remains at Georgia or looks for an opportunity elsewhere, another year of ball in the college ranks looks to be in the cards for Delp, the No. 1 tight end recruit in the country back in 2022.
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
It goes without saying how historically loaded the 2025 RB class is expected to be. For some players, they can’t avoid it due to eligibility. For athletes like Nicholas Singleton, a true junior, he has leverage in that he can stay another campaign or forgo his eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft. Currently, Singleton projects as a mid-to-late day-two pick. It wouldn’t be a shock if Singleton, Penn State’s lead back since he arrived on campus two years ago, puts his name into the hat for April. However, if Singleton eyes higher stock and bets on himself to have another productive fall in 2025, a return to school could be in the cards.
While many factors would push for Singleton to declare for the draft—including age, production (2,463 career rushing yards and 25 TDs), and relative fresh tread on the tires—returning and competing with the likes of Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love and Alabama’s Justice Haynes for RB1 in 2026 could be a good business decision in the long run.
