We continue to countdown towards the 2025 football season where Liberty will look to make it back to a bowl game while also competing for a CUSA title.
As we have done the past several years, we will rank Liberty’s top 30 football players entering the 2025 season. We continue with our ranking of players #20-11. If you missed #25-21, go back and check it out here.
20. DJ Geth
The first of four offensive linemen to appear on this year’s ranking, DJ Geth was able to carve out a nice role for himself last year, his first year at Liberty after transferring from North Carolina. He was typically the first player to rotate in, playing at one of the guard positions. This year, the Flames are looking for a couple of replacements in the starting lineup and Geth seems primed to step into one of those spots.
19. Harrison Hayes
A bit of an anomaly in today’s game, Harrison Hayes has spent his entire career at Liberty. He’s played in 33 games for the Flames while starting four at guard last season. Expect him to vie for a starting spot again this year as Liberty looks to solidify its offensive line heading into the 2025 campaign. Hayes is the 5th highest rated returning offensive player according to PFF.
18. Reese Smith
Injuries are obviously a concern for Reese Smith, but, when he’s healthy and on the field, expect him to make an impact. Look no further than his three-touchdown performance in Liberty’s come from behind win in the early morning hours against East Carolina last September. The second of three wide receivers to appear on this list, Smith played in eight games last year while continuing to struggle with injuries. He finished the season with 18 catches for 277 yards and four touchdowns and is the 2nd highest rated returning offensive player on the team, according to PFF.
17. Dexter Ricks
The 7th highest rated returning defensive player, according to PFF, Dexter Ricks could emerge as Liberty’s top cover corner this season. After being a key member of the team’s special teams units in 2023 while also playing some in the secondary, Ricks stepped forward as a weekly contributor last season. He finished the year with 39 tackles, two TFLs, two interceptions, four PBUs, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 11 games played.
16. Amarian Williams
One of the more experienced players on the roster, Amarian Williams is entering his fifth and final season with the Flames. He’s played in 36 games over the past three seasons and has been the team’s most consistent corner during that stretch. Last year, Williams finished the season with 14 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 5 PBUs in 10 games played.
15. Casey Cain
Cain is a 6’3″, 200 pound receiver originally from New Orleans. He began his collegiate career at Texas where he played in 22 games with 3 starts over 3 seasons for the Longhorns. After redshirting in 2021, Cain had 8 receptions for 201 yards as a redshirt-freshman in 2022. He posted four catches for a career-high 108 yards that season in the Alamo Bowl against Washington. In 2023, Cain had one reception for 13 yards at Texas before entering the portal and landing at UNLV. Last season for the Rebels, Cain had 7 receptions for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns while playing in 12 games and starting 5. He is the highest ranked of three wide receivers to make this list, as the Flames will be counting on Cain to make a big impact in the passing game this fall.
14. Vaughn Blue
The second of three running backs to appear on this year’s list, Vaughn Blue will certainly be a key part of the Liberty offense this coming season. He showcased his ability as a true freshman in 2023 in the first three games of the season before suffering an injury that forced him to miss most of the year. He bounced back last year, playing in all 12 games, and finishing with 35 carries for 207 yards and a touchdown to go along with 7 receptions for 43 yards. Blue is a capable back out of the backfield in the passing game and is also able to run the ball between the tackles. His durability could be a question mark for the running back that slides up a spot from #15 in last year’s ranking.
13. Aaron Hester
Aaron Hester will have the opportunity to slide into a starting spot on the defensive line that was left vacated by TJ Bash. A transfer from Florida State that joined the Flames in the spring portal, he will arrive on campus this summer and look to work his way up the depth chart. Hester played in eight games in 2024 for the Seminoles, finishing the year with 10 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and one pass breakup. He was the highest graded returning EDGE for Florida State, per PFF, following the 2024 season before deciding to enter the portal. Over the course of his first two seasons in Tallahassee in 2022 and 2023, he played in four games and had two tackles. Coming out of high school, Hester was rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN and ranked as the No. 24 prospect nationally at his position and No. 61 prospect out of Florida by Rivals. He was a consensus top 70 prospect in Florida in his recruiting class.
12. Brenton Williams
Brenton Williams transferred into Liberty last spring from Auburn ahead of the 2024 season. He went on to play in all 12 games behind CJ Bazile at the Joker position, registering 15 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 PBU. Williams is the 5th highest rated returning defensive player for the Flames heading into 2025, according to PFF. The Flames’ defensive coaching staff may need to find ways to get Williams on the field alongside Bazile as both have the ability to be a menace to opposing backfields.
11. Jack Tucker
A transfer from Texas Tech, Jack Tucker has been with the Flames for the past two seasons under Jamey Chadwell. He was a key rotation piece in 2023 and ended up starting all 12 games last season, 11 of them at left tackle. Tucker has been spotted on several preseason all-conference teams as he is a returning starter to an offensive line unit that has helped pave the way for one of the top rushing attacks each of the past two seasons. He is the third of four offensive linemen to appear on this list this season.
