Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon's Bo Nix both transcended expectations and took the Huskies and Ducks to new levels in 2023. Cornelius Johnson and Josaiah Stewart became key role players on a brilliant and eventually unbeaten Michigan team. Texas' Quinn Ewers, Florida State's Jordan Travis and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy all made game-changing leaps that either helped their teams find the College Football Playoff or should have. LSU's Jayden Daniels took a leap to Heisman immortality. Alabama's Jalen Milroe came through just enough to bring the Tide another CFP trip, while Ohio State's Kyle McCord couldn't quite do the same.

The 2023 Most Important Players list did its job, in other words. We had a lot of new QB starters and potential new star power heading into last season, and while some unknown quantities shined, others (Tennessee's Joe Milton III, Penn State's Drew Allar) fell a bit short. And it defined the national title race.

College football enters a new era in 2024, with an expanded College Football Playoff and, thanks to conference realignment, a condensed balance of power. But as always, new starters and breakthrough stars will define how the national title race plays out.

As I write in this piece every year, there are birds in hand, and there are unfinished products. The annual Most Important Players list is about the latter. Here are 25 players who could define the season with either moments or long spells of greatness. Some play for contenders, while others play for the teams that might prevent contenders from reaching their goals. All of them will have a chance to make their mark on 2024.

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Transcendant stars | Spoiler QBs
Non-QB transfers | Who needs a breakthrough?
Ready for a big leap | Contender QBs