Our Esquina Latino College Football Player of the Year: Xavier Restrepo

Since Hall of Famer Andre Johnson was tormenting defenders early in the century, the University of Miami had not witnessed such an offensive powerhouse as Xavier Restrepo. The 5-foot-10 receiver from Coconut Creek, Fla., rewrote the receiving record books at The U.

Restrepo broke previous Hurricane records established by Santana Moss and Mike Harley for most all-time catches and receiving yards.

After leading the Hurricanes’ stellar offense in 2024, Xavier Restrepo was named Our Esquina’s 2024 Latino College Football Player of the Year.

The fifth-year senior ended his final season with 69 receptions for 1,127 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Restrepo proved how much of an offensive threat he can be downfield, solidifying his reputation as a playmaker.

Xavier Restrepo set for NFL

His ability to secure catches (2.8% drop rate) and create separation (52.7% contested) make him an easy target for quarterbacks. During Week 12 of the College Football season, the sturdy 198-pounder was named as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist.

Xavier Restrepo is as crafty as they come.

He is a pure slot receiver who excels at creating separation and catching the ball (2.8% drop rate), but is reliable even when contested (52.7% contested).

He has dynamic quickness on tape. The NFL Combine will be big for him. pic.twitter.com/VvgA9IVxis

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 14, 2025

The standout receiver earned AFCA First- Team All-American honors. He earned back-to-back All-ACC First-Team selections and was named a consensus NCAA All-American.

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Xavier Restrepo declared for the 2025 NFL draft in a message posted on his personal X account. There were many solid contenders for Our Esquina’s College Player of the Year honors this past season.

Restrepo edged out Iowa safety Sebastian Castro, Syracuse receiver Trebor Peña, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, New Mexico State linebacker Tyler Martinez, and Navy linebacker Colin Ramos for the award.

Sebastian Castro shines again

Castro, Our Esquina’s 2023 College Football Player of the Year, was the runner-up in 2024. Castro had a strong campaign yet again. He finished the regular season with 57 total tackles (39 solo). The gritty Mexican American also had one interception, two forced fumbles and one pass deflection.

He showcased his versatility by consistently disrupting plays and showcasing impressive physical play-making ability that made him an exceptional player for the Hawkeyes. 

Syracuse wide receiver Trevor Peña had a breakthrough season after injuries stalled his career. Peña had 84 receptions for 941 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2024. He was one of three Syracuse receivers with over 900 receiving yards.

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown has already announced that the Ocean Township, N.J., native will serve as a team captain next season. Martinez had a standout season for the Aggies. He finished the regular season with 94 total tackles (45 solo) and one sack. The Second Team All-CUSA honoree ranked third in the conference in tackles per game. 

Ramos finished the season with more than 100 total tackles for the second year in a row. Ramos finished the season with 129 total tackles (58 solo) three sacks and one forced fumble. The 5-foot-9, 209-pound senior was a First Team All-AAC selection for the second year in a row and a semifinalist for the Lombardi award.