5 Breakout Players To Watch in Sun Belt Football in 2025

The countdown till the 2025 college football season is on as we’re less than 35 days away until Louisiana-Monroe marks the first Sun Belt team to kick off their campaign – taking on FCS St. Francis (Pa.) at Malone Stadium on August 28.

As has been the case throughout college football, there has been plenty of player movement, meaning there’s plenty of room for emerging talents to grow.

Last year’s Sun Belt Conference champion in Marshall has undergone several changes following the departure of head coach Charles Huff, who remains in the Sun Belt as the new head man at Southern Miss.

The Thundering Herd also lost last season’s primary quarterback in Braylon Braxton, who heads to Hattiesburg to join Huff.

Louisiana seeks to break through and capture their first SBC crown since 2021, when Billy Napier guided the Rajin Cajuns’ to a league title.

Head coach Michael Desormeaux will have to replace quarterbacks Ben Wooldridge and Chandler Fields entering 2025.

Texas State and head coach GJ Kinne continue to make head waves in the transfer portal, bringing in quarterbacks Gevani McCoy (Oregon State) and Holden Geriner (Auburn). The Bobcats return running backs Lincoln Pare and Torrence Burgess Jr. to fill the shoes of near 1,000-yard rusher Ismail Mahdi.

This feature takes a look at five names to keep an eye on as breakout players in the Sun Belt.

1.       Zach Palmer-Smith: Running Back – ULM

The Richmond transfer is hoping to pick up in the Warhawks offense where Ahmad Hardy left off before transferring to Missouri. Palmer-Smith rushed for an impressive 1,382 yards on 263 carries last season with the Spiders where he averaged 106.31 yards per game.

2.       Nick DeGennaro: Wide Receiver – James Madison

Another Richmond transfer that found his way to the Sun Belt. DeGennaro posted 40 completions for 576 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Spiders. 2023 was his strongest season, catching 71 balls for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. He'll be looking to get back to that type of form under Bob Chesney's guidance.

3.       AJ Swann: Quarterback – App State

A former four-star recruit, Swann came to App State this offseason after stints at Vanderbilt and LSU. Swann had his moments back at Vandy, primarily against G5 opponents. If he gets comfortable in Dowell Loggains system early, he might just be a stellar replacement for Joey Aguilar.

4.       Tad Hudson: Quarterback – Coastal Carolina

Hudson appeared in one game for the the Chants last season, completing 17 passes on 16 attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the team's bowl Myrtle Beach Bowl loss to UTSA. The former four-star recruit will have to win the job first, but seems like a strong candidate to excel in offensive coordinator Drew Hollingshead's system.

5.       Rashad Amos: Running Back – Georgia State

Amos returns to his home state after an very windy journey through the transfer portal over the last five years. A 6'0" 220-pound back, Amos could quickly become one of the Panthers' primary weapons in the new season based on what he accomplished at Miami (OH) in 2023 with 1,075 yards on 210 carries and 13 rushing touchdowns.

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