2029 Devy Rankings Update

Kevin looks at his updated Dynasty/Devy rankings and profiles incoming freshman to watch this season.

The 2029 freshman class is different.

Every cycle has hype. Every cycle has “future stars.” But this group? This is one of the most loaded incoming classes I’ve scouted since starting this brand. Top-end quarterback talent. Multiple potential alpha wide receivers. Running backs with real three-down profiles. And depth, the kind that shifts devy boards for years.

This isn’t just a good class. It’s a leverage class.

Getting ahead on these prospects right now is how you build insulation in devy leagues. It’s how you acquire future cornerstone assets before the market adjusts. And this year, there are a ton of prospects I’m genuinely excited about, not just good players, but ceiling outcomes.

In this article, I’m breaking down my top player at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, plus one wildcard prospect who could explode in value. This won’t be a full rankings dump, if you want my complete 2029 rankings (along with our dynasty, devy, combined rankings, and trade calculator), those are live on the Patreon and website.

And if you’ve followed us for a while, you know why being early matters.

Last February, in this exact type of article, we had Bo Jackson as RB1 in the class, well before it was consensus. That wasn’t the popular take at the time. But it was the correct process. We trusted the traits, the projection, and the long-term profile. The market caught up.

That’s what we do here. We don’t chase consensus; we build conviction early.

Let’s dive into the 2029 class.

Quarterback

This quarterback class is deep. Not “there are two guys and then a drop-off” deep. I’m talking about a legitimate 10-player group where multiple prospects could spike in value over the next year or two. There are polished passers. There are dual-threat ceiling bets. There are developmental guys with elite traits.

The hardest part with this class isn’t identifying talent, it’s identifying stability. In the modern landscape, the transfer portal is the variable. Who sticks? Who gets developed? Who gets buried behind a veteran or replaced by a portal addition? That’s the game within the game. But purely from a traits standpoint? This is one of the better QB groups we’ve seen in a while. And at the top of my list, even with the risk understood, is a ceiling you simply don’t pass.

Keisean Henderson – Houston 6’3”, 190 LBS

Houston is coming off a 10–2 season that exceeded expectations in Willie Fritz’s second year. The program has real momentum, and it’s no coincidence that it landed the highest-rated recruit in school history.

Henderson surpassed even Ed Oliver in recruiting profile; that’s the type of expectation he’s walking into. And he embraces it.

Henderson has openly talked about wanting to chase Case Keenum’s records, win the Davey O’Brien, and compete for a Heisman. But what I like most is that he understands the process, win the locker room first, earn trust, then chase greatness.

Henderson operates like a true spread commander, pairing dynamic athleticism with an advanced feel for the position. He shows a natural understanding of when to buy time in the pocket and when to bail, and he’s comfortable manipulating defenders on the move to create throwing lanes. What’s most impressive is the year-over-year growth as a passer, particularly in the short-to-intermediate areas where his timing, placement, and rhythm have taken a major step forward. He doesn’t have a true rocket launcher for an arm, but it’s more than strong enough to make every necessary throw within structure.

The production backs it up. As a senior, he completed 74.5% of his passes for 3,880 yards with 45 touchdowns to just six interceptions, while adding 522 rushing yards and 10 more scores on the ground. That blend of efficiency, explosiveness, and dual-threat ability is exactly what you want to bet on in a modern devy quarterback profile.

The growth curve is what stands out. He transformed from a raw athlete into a polished passer without sacrificing athleticism. That’s the developmental trajectory you want to bet on. The position-specific progress over the last two seasons has been dramatic. Yes, he faces a significant jump in competition. Yes, Houston will need to surround him with enough talent. Yes, he should ideally get a year to acclimate.

And yes, his ADP in straight devy might already be pushing toward the ceiling. But for me? He represents the kind of upside you don’t fade in this class. He wasn’t afraid to raise his competition level. He walked into a program building real momentum. He’s wired for pressure. And if Houston develops him correctly, you’re looking at a potential game-changing quarterback with high-level field vision and true dual-threat capability. He’s not a finished product. But the ceiling outcome is worth the bet.

Running Backs

This group is fun at the top.

You could argue three different players as RB1 in this class and not be wrong, and they’d all win in different ways. That’s what makes this tier so strong. There isn’t just one archetype dominating. There’s the downhill power profile. There’s the explosive space player. There’s the balanced three-down projection.

For me, KJ Edwards is one of my personal favorites, very similar to how I felt about Bo Jackson last year when we planted our flag early. I almost made him RB1.

But it’s hard to overlook Savion Hiter. He has that “no-brainer traits” profile. The type of back that reminds evaluators of a Bijan Robinson-esque prospect coming out, size, movement skills, production, and NFL-ready tools.

Savion Hiter – Michigan 5’11”, 210 LBS

Hiter is the total package. Burst, power, agility, balance, and vision, it’s all there. At 6-foot and already around 210 pounds, he’s built for inside work, yet he accelerates like a back 15 pounds lighter. He runs square to the hole, keeps a low pad level, and constantly falls forward. Defenders don’t bring him down cleanly; they bounce off him.

What separates him for me is the blend of downhill authority and processing speed. He’s quick to chart his course but patient enough to let blocks develop. He sees trouble before it closes. And while he hasn’t been heavily featured as a pass catcher, he has true three-down capabilities. He’s strong enough to chip edge rushers and has the ball skills and 10-inch hands NFL teams covet.

The testing numbers only reinforce the projection; a 1.52 10-yard split, 4.12 shuttle, and 36-inch vertical at his age (17) are ridiculous. Production? Despite missing games, he still rushed for roughly 1,440 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior. He was simply moving at a different speed than high school competition.

Yes, Jordan Marshall is ahead of him on the depth chart early. But it would not shock me at all if Hiter is RB1 in that room by midseason. He has the physical profile and skill set of a future three-down NFL back. This is the type of talent that doesn’t stay quiet for long.

Wide Receivers

I absolutely love this class.

This was the most fun I’ve had scouting wide receivers in my entire career. There are so many different archetypes and projection paths that I ended up diving into all 59 five- and four-star receivers in this group. Speed merchants. Big-bodied X receivers. Slot separators. Possession dominators. After-the-catch creators. And the wild part?

I truly don’t think there’s a locked-in WR1. This is one of those classes where the debate is going to rage for the next 18–24 months. You could write a full article on a dozen different guys and feel justified in planting your flag. I went a little chalk here, but it’s chalk with conviction.

Chris Henry Jr. – Ohio State 6’5”, 201 LBS

Henry is mainly a bet on potential, but it’s rare potential.

At over 6-foot-5 and already close to 200 pounds before his senior season, he looks the part of a future NFL X receiver. He shares stylistic similarities with Tee Higgins: long, fluid, competitive at the catch point, and capable of turning 50/50 balls into 80/20 wins. His catch radius is absurd. He plays above defenders, adjusts effortlessly to off-target throws, and makes spectacular grabs look routine.

He’s not a finished product. He’s an upright mover and not the most refined route runner at this stage. Production dipped following a season-ending knee injury during his junior year, and he’ll need to continue polishing the technical aspects of his game. But the flashes are loud. He can attack the cushion early, stretch the deeper third, and, as he showed as a senior, create momentum after the catch. This is about ceiling.

If it all comes together, health, development, polish, Henry has the physical profile to be a field-flipping X receiver for a College Football Playoff contender. Landing at Ohio State, opposite Jeremiah Smith, gives him time to acclimate and develop in a system that consistently produces NFL talent. There isn’t a consensus WR1 in this class. But if you’re betting on rare traits and matchup problems that dictate coverages? Henry absolutely belongs in that conversation.

Wildcard

If you enjoyed this breakdown, just know; this is only scratching the surface. My full 2029 rankings are already live, along with our complete dynasty, devy, and combined boards. That includes positional tiers, market leverage notes, and access to the tools we actually use when we’re drafting, not just surface-level takes. If you want the entire board, not just my QB1, RB1, WR1, and wildcard, you can get it right now on our Patreon and through our new website.n We built this platform for serious players. No fluff. No recycled consensus. Just structured rankings, forward-looking projections, and actionable strategy designed to help you win.

If you want to stay ahead of the market instead of reacting to it… Join us.