This week, Dillon Mitchell didn’t have to introduce himself too much.
Back in the 2022 class, when Mitchell was a top-10 overall player and McDonald’s All-American, the Tigers actively courted the former 5-star recruit. Before he decided on Texas, Auburn was at least in second place on his list.
The biggest names in college football are over halfway through their offseason, and when they return to action this fall, the stakes will be extremely high as they try to lead their teams to the inaugural 12-team Playoff and beyond. Players like Ollie Gordon and Cam Ward, whether they are big-name acquisitions through the transfer portal or homegrown and developed in-house, will be crucial in determining conference winners and potential national champions.
With 134 FBS schools for the 2024 college football season, it will be harder than ever to lead the country in any given statistic. A place on the podium as one of the best passers, tacklers, or kickers in the nation can only be earned by the most exceptional athletes.
Though some schools lower on the ladder have individual standouts as well, many of the predicted national championship contenders have at least one player on their roster who ranks among the top returning producers at their respective positions.
The top returning statistical leaders for college football in 2024 are listed here.
The three best returning passers from the previous season—Ward from Washington State to Miami, Warner from Temple to Rice, and Gabriel from Oklahoma to Oregon—will all play football in 2024 at new schools. Among the most well-known offseason additions, Ward and Gabriel have the potential to be the crucial elements that separate their teams from the pack and win conference titles. Their choices to forgo entering the NFL Draft in favor of playing super-senior football in college could have a significant impact on the 2024 season and the Playoffs. Notably, Warner is the son of quarterback Kurt Warner, a Hall of Famer.
