Everybody just expects 5-star players to step into college football and dominate. In most cases, though, it takes time and development, just as it does for everybody else.

In other situations, it takes a spot being cleared because a quality incumbent is already manning the position.

Next season looks like the time to shine for several former big-time prospects, plenty of whom you know and have been eager to watch help make a difference for their teams.

Obviously, several teams have hoarded 5-star prospects in these past few cycles like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Miami and Oregon. So, in the interest of parity, we tried to keep it to one representative per team on these slides.

There are a handful of other former 5-stars in the 247Sports composite rankings who could see an increase in playing time and impact next year, but we tried to pick the one from each program who would blossom into the biggest star in 2025.

There's even a player on this list without a current home who could play a bigger role no matter where he lands.

Here are some big-time former prospects we expect will break out in 2025.

Chris Cole, Georgia Linebacker

One of the hardest starting lineups to break into in all of college football is Georgia's linebacking corps. It seems head coach Kirby Smart always stacks dudes in that room who get drafted into the NFL.

With the departure of Smael Mondon Jr. and Jalon Walker from the group, one guy who stands to benefit in a big way is rising sophomore Chris Cole.

The 6'3", 235-pound versatile linebacker is a new-age player at the position with speed, size and elite range. As a true freshman, the former No. 29-ranked overall player in the 2024 class and third-rated LB got some meaningful snaps, especially on third downs.

He is a player Smart can place on the outside going after quarterbacks, but he certainly could shift inside and play alongside Raylen Wilson, too.

Cole can do it all, which is why Smart called his future "limitless," according to Anthony Dasher of UGASports.

"I play star, I play linebacker, I play on the edge, so it's definitely been limitless," Cole said. "They got me playing everywhere, and I love it because I'm so versatile, and I think that's where I can express my game."

The Salem, Virginia, native is poised for a prime breakout in 2025 and looks in line for a starting spot.

The natural progression saw him getting his cleats wet last year with 11 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a pass deflection, as well as a touchdown against Massachusetts.

Get ready for a big season from Cole.

Johntay Cook II, Uncommitted Wide Receiver

It may be a stretch to put somebody on this list who hasn't found a college football home yet, and especially one who already decided against his second school of choice after enrolling at Washington following his trip to the transfer portal after quitting on Texas midseason.

But there's no question Johntay Cook II is uber-talented, and plenty of programs are going to be wanting him in the rotation at wide receiver in 2025.

It would have been a major coup for Huskies coach Jedd Fisch to get Cook in Seattle, but after enrolling and staying a couple of weeks, Cook is on the move again.

According to On3's Pete Nakos (h/t Athlon's Joey Hickey), it's unlikely Cook will enroll at a program before spring, compounding the difficulty of making an impact next year.

So, why is he on this list?

Cook isn't going to go somewhere to sit. He's going to pick a spot where he can slide into the rotation, especially since he's already used up two years of his eligibility.

In two seasons with the Longhorns, the DeSoto, Texas native has 16 catches for 273 yards and a pair of touchdowns after being rated the No. 31 overall player and fourth-ranked receiver in the 2023 class.

He'd better get a place where he's comfortable quickly, or his window will close.

Justice Haynes, Michigan Running Back

These days, it doesn't have to make a whole lot of sense to enter the transfer portal.

For a guy like Alabama running back Justice Haynes, he was firmly in the two-deep rotation at a position where you need more than one player.

But maybe he wants to be "the man" somewhere else.

He's got the chance to do just that at a place known as a running back factory. And after the failure to produce explosive numbers, the expectation is he will begin to make a college football name for himself in 2025 as a member of the Michigan Wolverines.

At Alabama, he was going to have to share time with Jam Miller, but at times, Haynes took a back seat to the older, more powerful runner, rushing 79 times a year ago for 448 yards and seven scores playing mostly a reserve role. He also caught 17 passes for 99 yards.

With Michigan losing Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards to the NFL draft, Haynes easily could be the starter in Ann Arbor helping along freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and also letting Jordan Marshall develop as the No. 2 back.

The one-two punch of Haynes and Marshall looks pretty strong for second-year coach Sherrone Moore as he tries to rebuild the Wolverines into a powerhouse.

Getting the 5'11", 200-pound Haynes, who was the nation's No. 29-ranked player and third-rated running back in the 2023 class, is a big piece of the puzzle.

DJ Hicks, Texas A&M Defensive Tackle

One of the biggest strengths of a Texas A&M program that proved it was going to eventually be a force under coach Mike Elko in his first season of 2024 was the emergence of the defensive line.

Former coach Jimbo Fisher stockpiled a lot of talent in his tenure, and Shemar Turner was an example. The Aggies also did some strong work in the transfer portal, yielding guys such as Nic Scourton.

With both of those guys gone, Elko must replenish the defensive line, and a key contributor from last year who should step into a starting (and starring) role is defensive tackle DJ Hicks, formerly one of the top prospects in the 2023 class.

The 6'5", 290-pound Katy, Texas product was the No. 6-rated overall prospect and top-ranked defensive tackle. After limited true freshman snaps produced 13 tackles and a sack a couple of seasons ago, he was firmly in the rotation in 2024.

Hicks backed up Turner on the interior, amassing 17 tackles including 2.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks. Now, with Turner off to the NFL, Hicks will look to team with returning starting nose tackle Albert Regis, as well as Dayon Hayes and Tyler Onyedim to bolster the front.

Hicks has elite athleticism for a guy his size and can collapse the pocket and get after quarterbacks from the interior of the line. He's the type of prospect who could have a massive first year as a starter and parlay it into an early-round draft selection.

Arch Manning, Texas Quarterback

In this transfer portal-obsessed era, it's extremely uncommon for a megastar prospect to sit and wait out an incumbent quarterback for two seasons. When you're a QB with the last name of "Manning," it's even more shocking.

But after the Texas Longhorns won the Arch Manning sweepstakes in the 2023 class, the former No. 1-ranked overall player—who just so happens to be from the Quarterback Royalty Manning family with famous uncles Peyton and Eli and grandfather Archie—waited patiently for two seasons.

There were opportunities for playing time behind Quinn Ewers in mop-up duty and for a stretch this year when Ewers was injured, and coach Steve Sarkisian found situations to insert Manning into games. But, for the most part, Manning watched.

Now, after the Longhorns' national semifinal run, Ewers is off to the NFL and it's Manning's time. He seems ready after a season in which he completed 68 percent of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions and ran for 108 yards and four more scores.

There won't be a more scrutinized player or one who will receive more hype in 2025. So far, he looks like he has all the trappings of superstardom, and even if his time starting in Austin spans just one season, it could be a big one.

The Longhorns have all the pieces to make a national championship run, and expectations won't falter at all with Manning taking over. Everybody is excited to see what he can do.

Mike Matthews, Tennessee Wide Receiver

It was a huge deal when Josh Heupel convinced 5-star prospect Mike Matthews to spurn the home-state Georgia Bulldogs (and virtually everybody else) and commit to Tennessee as part of the 2024 recruiting class.

The Lilburn, Georgia native could have been a college star at either receiver or safety, but the Vols wanted him as an offensive playmaker, and now he will go into his sophomore season as a centerpiece of a rebuilt receiver room on Rocky Top.

With Dont'e Thornton and Bru McCoy out of eligibility, Squirrel White, Chas Nimrod, Nathan Leacock and Kaleb Webb off to the transfer portal, Matthews is one of only three receivers from the 2024 roster returning.

Suddenly, the former No. 24-ranked overall player and sixth-rated receiver in the '24 class is going to be counted on for much more than the seven grabs for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns he produced in limited action this year.

He will almost certainly be a starter and one of the top two most talented pass-catchers on Tennessee's roster along with underachieving transfer from last year, Chris Brazzell.

After the season, Matthews briefly flirted with the transfer portal himself before deciding to come back to Knoxville, and the Vols are certainly glad he did. It would be a huge deal if he could live up to his top-prospect billing and be the type of go-to weapon for quarterback Nico Iamaleava that Tennessee missed in 2024.

LJ McCray, Florida Defensive Lineman

Things have taken a major turn toward the positive in Gainesville after Billy Napier found himself on the scorched seat midway through the 2024 season.

The Florida Gators suddenly flipped a switch when DJ Lagway replaced Graham Mertz under center and the youth movement began. With the way coach Napier has recruited to the Swamp, there are a lot of high-quality playmakers ready to blossom.

One of the guys Gators fans are most excited to see in an expanded role is 6'6", 274-pound defensive lineman LJ McCray from Daytona Beach, Florida.

The fifth-rated defensive tackle and No. 20 overall player in the nation in the 2024 recruiting cycle was just a bit of window dressing during his true freshman year, registering 13 tackles and half a sack. He finished tied for second on the Gators with five quarterback hurries.

McCray wasn't quite ready to make a huge impact, but he still showed some burst and has the size and versatility to play a lot of places along the defensive front. That's one of the toughest positions at which to make an impact during your first season, so it was a strong showing for him to do so.

Even so, McCray didn't generate a ton of buzz. After a year in the weight room and with a season in the system on his resume, he's going to be ready to do much more in 2025 and could be a breakout star.

Dante Moore, Oregon Quarterback

Dante Moore's collegiate career has taken a couple of twists and turns already in a couple of seasons.

As part of that brilliant (on paper, but not yet on the football field) 2023 crop of quarterbacks, the Detroit native was the fourth-rated overall player but the third-ranked signal-caller. He was committed to Oregon originally but flipped to UCLA in the 11th hour.

His one season as a Bruin saw him shuffle between sitting and starting, have some moments but ultimately get benched after completing 54 percent of his passes for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions for then-coach Chip Kelly.

He showed glimpses of being a top-flight quarterback. He just needed to cut down on mistakes.

After his freshman season, he portaled back to the Ducks where he waited this season behind star transfer Dillon Gabriel. Now, 2025 is his time to shine, and Moore still has three remaining years of eligibility after his redshirt season was preserved this year.

Of course, it's possible talented third-stringer Austin Novosad could beat out Moore, but coach Dan Lanning seemingly thinks the UCLA transfer is the future at the position. If not, you know Oregon would have gone heavy into the portal with a high-dollar transfer.

Learning in the shadow of Gabriel for a season and soaking in the system in Eugene should serve Moore well. Entering his third collegiate season, there's a lot to love about the possibility of him not only winning the job for the high-powered Ducks but also keeping them as a Big Ten contender.

Williams Nwaneri, Nebraska Defensive Lineman

It became big news when Lees Summit, Missouri standout defensive tackle Williams Nwaneri decided to stay at home and play for coach Eli Drinkwitz's Tigers after coming to college as part of the 2024 recruiting class.

The Missouri law allowing high schoolers to receive NIL money was a big reason for him to go to Mizzou, and it was a headline deal for the SEC program.

But, unlike Luther Burden II, Drinkwitz wasn't able to hang onto this 5-star prospect, who was the nation's eighth-ranked overall player and top-rated defensive tackle in the 2024 class.

Instead of waiting around and stepping into a bigger role in CoMo next year, Nwaneri decided he wanted to head to Nebraska and be part of coach Matt Rhule's program. It was a massive recruiting win for the Cornhuskers out of the portal.

Now, the question is: Can Nwaneri take a big leap forward after a mediocre freshman campaign and be the next Ndamukong Suh in Lincoln? Those expectations may be too high, but the athletic lineman certainly has a mountain of potential.

The 6'6", 257-pounder played defensive end when he (rarely) got on the field in 2024, registering a couple of tackles and a sack. Perhaps the biggest lure for Nwaneri to Lincoln was getting to reunite with his high school coach, Jamar Mozee, where he will be a senior football assistant.

Mozee was worth the hire with Nwaneri in the boat. He could blossom into a superstar, especially since he still has all four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Duce Robinson, Florida State Wide Receiver

There was so much to love about Duce Robinson's game when he was coming out of high school, and the special athleticism he displayed had him surging up the rankings as a can't-miss prospect.

Things haven't gone exactly according to plan for him since going to college, though. The former No. 15-ranked overall player and top-rated tight end in the class out of Phoenix chose Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans over a bunch of other top-tier schools, including Georgia.

In a couple of years in L.A., the 6'6", 220-pound playmaker developed into more of a big-bodied wide receiver than a tight end. He's also no longer a Trojan, entering the transfer portal and signing with Florida State this offseason.

Now, Robinson will try to focus on his football career as a Seminole, where his father, Dominic, once played football and baseball. The younger Robinson also played baseball for USC, but it's unclear whether he will try for the 'Noles.

Robinson's best chance at a pro future is on the gridiron, and with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn coming in and Thomas Castellanos playing quarterback, the 'Noles hope to improve dramatically on the field in 2025. If so, they'll need a big year from the transfer with two remaining seasons.

In two years at USC, Robinson caught 39 passes for 747 yards and seven touchdowns, so that's not bad numbers for spot play.

Expect him to be a focal point of the Florida State offense next year.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State Quarterback

Let's get this out of the way: Julian Sayin is special. If you don't know the name or just heard it in passing, get ready.

He patiently waited behind Will Howard as a true freshman in 2024 while the one-year stopgap led the Buckeyes to the national title. But Sayin has the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks ever for a program known for developing guys under center.

Yes, he has that potential. Not only is he super-intelligent, but he's also got a big arm and terrific leadership. He has all the traits and skill set to wow NFL scouts sooner rather than later.

The 6'1", 203-pound signal-caller from Carlsbad, California was the sixth-ranked overall player and top-rated quarterback in the 2024 class. He signed with Alabama, but Sayin entered the portal after Nick Saban retired.

He'd already held the Buckeyes in high regard and had with a great relationship with head coach Ryan Day and also one with Chip Kelly, who recruited him to UCLA before leaving to be Ohio State's offensive coordinator, so Columbus made sense.

Sayin made such an impression that backup Devin Brown transferred to California because he had to see the writing on the wall that next year was Sayin's to start. Classmate Air Noland left for South Carolina, too.

The Buckeyes expect to be right back in the mix for a natty next year and, like receiver Jeremiah Smith, Sayin seems a safe bet to make a major impact in his first year as a starter.

Justin Scott, Miami Defensive Tackle

Coach Mario Cristobal is going to have to endure some turnover along the defensive front in 2025. But with the way the Miami Hurricanes have recruited, reinforcements are on the way.

Getting David Blay out of the portal was a huge step to anchor the line from the nose tackle position, but the 'Canes desperately need 2025 signees such as Justin Scott and Armondo Blount to be difference-makers next season.

Scott, especially, looks like a star-in-the-making.

The 6'4", 310-pound two-way lineman was the No. 10-rated overall player and third-ranked defensive tackle in the 2024 class and came all the way from Chicago to Coral Gables to play his college ball. Projected as a potential NFL player on the offensive or defensive line, he settled on defense.

Originally committed to Ohio State, Scott flipped to the Hurricanes even though there was a lot of depth at his position. He wasn't scared of the competition. Immediately, he made his presence known in a deep, strong group, registering seven tackles and a sack in limited action.

Now, the path to starting is a little clearer for Scott, and he could burst through the opportunity into stardom. Blessed with elite size, physicality and the potential to dominate on the front, he is a first-guy-off-the-bus player who is going to match that with his on-field play next season.

Ty Simpson, Alabama Quarterback

It's now or never for Ty Simpson.

If he can't secure the starting job at Alabama now, he won't ever do it and will have to transfer to play. With prized prospect Keelon Russell coming to Tuscaloosa and Austin Mack already there, it's not a given.

The prediction here is that Russell will overtake Simpson ultimately, but the 6'2", 215-pound redshirt sophomore likely will win the job for coach Kalen DeBoer and be the first quarterback to take a snap for the Crimson Tide in 2025.

It's a roll of the dice, though. Simpson has never thrown a collegiate touchdown pass and never thrown for more than 179 yards in a season. Even when Jalen Milroe struggled in DeBoer's system, Simpson wasn't a threat.

Simpson was the No. 26-ranked player and third-rated quarterback in the 2022 class, but he hasn't sniffed the field much since then. Now, he gets a chance.

USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer put the consequences of DeBoer's ultimate decision bluntly:

"If Simpson thrives, he'll become a great tale of patience paying off. If he fizzles, DeBoer will rightfully head toward the hot seat. I view someone who's been a three-year backup with skepticism in this microwave age of college football. If Simpson possesses top-tier SEC quarterback abilities, why did he spend the past three seasons on Alabama's bench?"

Why indeed? We're about to see if Simpson can cut it at the most important position at the biggest sweatbox program in college football.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.