Colin Cowherd didn’t hesitate to name the best offensive and defensive players in college football

Lack of star power is not a problem entering the 2025 college football season, and Colin Cowherd believes one program has the best offensive and defensive players on one roster.

The Fox Sports on-air personality spoke candidly about the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes will previewing the upcoming season, praising wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs.

Head coach Ryan Day's Buckeyes reportedly spent upwards of $20 million in Name, Image and Likeness payouts to field their championship roster in 2024. A similar figure is expected this year, as Smith ($4.2 million On3 NIL valuation) and Downs ($2.4 million) return as two of the highest-paid players in the game.

Money aside, it's the duo's play on the field that has Cowherd confident that Ohio State features the best players on both sides of the ball.

"They have the  best offensive player in the country, the Buckeyes do in Jeremiah Smith," Cowherd said on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd." "And I think they have the best defensive  player in the country, Caleb Downs. I think Caleb Downs would have gone number one or two last year as a sophomore. I think he's just unbelievable.”

Both Smith and Downs took home Big Ten player of the year honors at their respective positions last season, along with First-Team All-America honors.

Smith broke Ohio State's freshman receiving records with 1,315 yards on 76 catches with 16 total touchdowns. On the other side, Downs totaled 82 tackles (8 for loss) with two interceptions and six pass breakups.

It's important to note that Smith and Downs are only entering their sophomore and junior seasons, respectively. Another offseason of work under their belts could lead to an even more productive year in 2025.