Walter Camp Preseason First Team All-American Jeremiyah Love has officially earned a place on the 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List, a recognition that not only cements his status as one of college football’s most electrifying talents but also underscores the immense expectations surrounding his upcoming season. This honor places Love among the elite of the elite, a group of players whose performances are expected to shape the landscape of the sport in 2025, and for those who have followed his journey, it comes as no surprise. His name has been steadily rising in prominence over the past few years, and now, entering this new season, the spotlight will burn brighter than ever before. The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious honors in college football, tracing its history back over half a century and consistently recognizing players who have demonstrated both exceptional skill and leadership on and off the field. Being named to the watch list means that Love has already earned the respect of coaches, sportswriters, and analysts across the country before the first snap of the season. It also speaks to his consistent excellence, his work ethic during the offseason, and his ability to stand out in a sport where talent is abundant but true dominance is rare. For Love, the recognition is the latest in a string of accolades. Just weeks earlier, he was named to the Walter Camp Preseason First Team All-American roster, a distinction that all but guaranteed his inclusion in any serious conversation about the top players in the nation. Combining that with this latest nod for the Player of the Year award makes him one of the most decorated players entering the season, and it sets the stage for an exciting narrative as the games unfold.
Love’s rise has been a mix of natural talent and relentless dedication. Those who have watched his development know that he has consistently elevated his game, refining his skills and adding new dimensions to his play each year. His speed, agility, and vision make him a nightmare for defenders, while his ability to break tackles and gain yards after contact demonstrates the physical toughness that separates good players from great ones. He has shown an instinctive feel for the game, able to read defenses, adjust on the fly, and make game-changing plays in the biggest moments. Whether it’s finding a seam through the line, bursting past linebackers into open field, or making the crucial third-down conversion, Love has shown that he is capable of being the difference-maker his team can rely on in any situation. It’s that rare combination of attributes that has made him one of the most feared offensive threats in the country, and opposing coaches have likely been spending the entire offseason drawing up plans to try and contain him.
But what makes this recognition even more meaningful is that it is not simply based on his stats or highlight-reel plays; it’s also a testament to his leadership and presence in the locker room. Those close to the program describe Love as a player who leads by example, who is first to arrive at practice and last to leave, and who pushes his teammates to match his intensity. His commitment to improvement has a ripple effect on the entire team, fostering a culture of accountability and ambition that can often be the difference between a good season and a championship run. Coaches love players like Love because they embody the values that sustain long-term success, not just individual glory. This is a big reason why award committees recognize him—he’s not just a star, he’s a standard-bearer.
As the 2025 season approaches, the stakes are incredibly high. Being on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List brings a level of attention and pressure that not every player is equipped to handle, but Love appears built for the challenge. He has already proven himself on the biggest stages, delivering standout performances in critical games that have defined seasons. That big-game pedigree will serve him well as he enters a year in which every defense he faces will likely be scheming specifically to slow him down. In many ways, the season will be a test not just of his physical capabilities but of his adaptability and mental toughness. Defensive coordinators will throw everything at him—stacked boxes, disguised coverages, blitz packages—but Love’s versatility means he can hurt opponents in multiple ways. He can take the ball and pound it between the tackles, bounce it outside with his blazing speed, or line up as a receiving threat, stretching the field and forcing mismatches.
This ability to be a complete offensive weapon is one of the reasons why the Walter Camp selection committee sees him as a legitimate Player of the Year candidate. The award has historically gone to players who not only dominate their position but who also have a transformative effect on their team’s success. Love fits that mold perfectly. His presence alone changes how defenses approach his team’s offense, opening opportunities for other playmakers and giving his quarterback more favorable matchups. When one player has that kind of gravitational pull on opposing defenses, it’s a clear indicator of greatness. Moreover, his production is not just a function of athletic gifts—he has an advanced understanding of the game, able to diagnose defensive tendencies and make pre-snap adjustments. That football IQ, combined with his athleticism, makes him incredibly difficult to neutralize over the course of a game.
Off the field, Love has also embraced the responsibilities that come with being a high-profile athlete in the modern era. With NIL opportunities and media attention at an all-time high, players in his position must balance performance with professionalism. By all accounts, he has handled this balance with maturity beyond his years, engaging with fans, giving back to his community, and representing his program with class. The Walter Camp Foundation, which values character and leadership as much as on-field performance, undoubtedly took note of these qualities when compiling its watch list. For Love, this balance of performance and poise is not accidental; it’s part of the foundation of his success.
As preseason camps continue and the first game of the season looms, the conversation around Love will only intensify. Every carry, every reception, and every touchdown will be scrutinized, measured against the lofty expectations that come with being a Player of the Year candidate. That’s the nature of college football’s biggest individual honors—they are as much about living up to hype as they are about raw production. But in Love’s case, the track record suggests he is more than capable of meeting, and perhaps exceeding, those expectations. He has been steadily trending upward, and if the past is any indicator, 2025 could be his most explosive season yet.
The road to actually winning the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is far from easy. The watch list is loaded with other elite players from across the nation, each with their own case for the award. Quarterbacks, in particular, often dominate the conversation, and Love will be competing against some of the most prolific passers in recent memory. But that’s part of what makes his candidacy so compelling—he is a running back who can not only match but surpass the impact of quarterbacks when it comes to influencing the outcome of games. If he can put together a season in which he racks up yardage both on the ground and through the air, while also contributing to big wins against top-ranked opponents, he will have as strong a case as anyone when the award voting begins.
In many ways, Love’s journey this season will be a reflection of what makes college football so captivating. Fans will watch to see if he can deliver jaw-dropping performances week after week, if he can rise to the occasion when his team needs him most, and if he can stay healthy and consistent in a sport where the margin for error is razor-thin. His every move will be dissected by analysts, his highlights will dominate social media feeds, and his name will be at the center of debates about who truly deserves to be called the best player in the country. But for Love, the focus will likely remain on what has gotten him this far—hard work, preparation, and a relentless desire to improve.
If he can maintain that focus, there’s no telling how far he can go. The Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List is just the beginning of what could be a historic season. It’s a recognition of what he has already accomplished, but also an invitation to prove that he can be the very best in college football. For Jeremiyah Love, the stage is set, the expectations are sky-high, and the opportunity is his to seize. If he plays the way he is capable of playing, not only will his name remain on that list, but it might just be engraved on the trophy by season’s end. And for fans of the sport, watching that journey unfold will be one of the highlights of the 2025 season.
