7 Best Football Cleats in 2024: Turf, RBs, WRs, & QBs

As the summer air turns crisp, it can only mean one thing: football is coming. But for some people, football season never ends. Whether you play, or have a player in your family, an important piece of football gear is the best pair of cleats. 

In this ranking, we break down the seven hottest football cleats for all positions, including linemen and even quarterback. These cleats offer ankle support, and if you typically struggle to get a good fit with cleats, we have some wide feet picks as well. 

For the kind of stability on the field that can only come from molded cleats, you’ve come to the right place. Our reviews of the best football cleats available are coming up next.

Our Top Picks

A Closer Look: Best Football Cleats

Break down the film on each cleat in our ranking.

The hottest football cleats for turf football is the Alpha Menace Pro 2 from Nike. With phylon foam soles and a strap with hook-and-loop closure, these mid-cut football cleats do a little of everything. 

Don’t miss the TPU propulsion plate and the padded collar, and the tongue, wrapping around the entire lateral side of the shoe, putting a smooth surface where there’s normally a seam. Fans of the Alpha Menace Pro 2 cleats call them grippy, with a nice snug fit. That’s especially true for a utility player splitting time between running back and playing the line.

For the best low-top football cleats available, we like the latest Adizero 11.0 football shoe from Adidas. With a reinforced external heel, backs and other position players feel confident when wearing these shoes on the field, their feet protected by a textile lining and uppers. 

Otherwise, the cleats are lightweight with a slip-on sock design, so no need to worry about tongue adjustments. Offering unmatched performance, nothing compares for fast cuts and speed play made possible by the Adizero, according to reports. These shoes do take awhile to break in, however.

Most running backs need low-cut cleats to keep them agile. For this reason we like the Under Armour Men’s Spotlight Lux Mc, with a high-rebound SuperFoam in-sole with and a knitted bootie for a snug fit.  

Backs who’ve tried them say they offer better cutting and shifting than Vapor, with great traction even on wet grass or turf. They’re otherwise lightweight and fit like a sock, according to reports.

To accommodate the sharp cuts and unpredictable moves necessary to play the wide receiver position, we like the Freak Carbon football shoe made by Adidas. These regular fit shoes have a ghost lace closure with a textile upper and a cleated, synthetic outsole. And for comfort, we like the lining and tongue pull.

Wideouts who’ve tried the shoe call them super light and flexible, adding that they feel really good. Some have a tough time getting the fit just right, however, because they do tend to run small and narrow. But nevertheless, they’re perfect for football, according to reports, and one player even called them “lit.”

Quarterbacks need to do a bit of everything: stand tall in the pocket, survey the field, find the crease, scramble when necessary, and cut sharply when required. The well-reviewed Vapor Edge Pro 360 helps QBs do these things and a whole lot more, with external pods for better traction and wide stud placement across the sole for added stability.

The ghost laces are also a popular feature among those who’ve tried the shoes in gameplay. They also fit great, provide good support, with outstanding grip and traction on the field. They are particularly popular with players who run and cut a lot, including positions like quarterback, but also free safety and corner, among many others. But they are a little narrow, we learned.

Many kickers looking for the best football cleats turn to soccer shoes. For this reason, we like the lightweight and versatile Adidas Copa Mundial. With leather uppers featuring k-leather in the forefoot only, these shoes are extra lightweight, molding better to the foot for a more natural feel. 

Known to expand and stretch, they’re also a good choice for players with wide feet, and the k-leather provides unparalleled touch and control. Copa Mundial shoes do require some upkeep — just soap and water — but with some TLC, they’ll last for several seasons. 

Otherwise, they’re the only equipment a great American football kicker needs, according to reports from the field.

When it comes to football cleats for linemen, ankle support is the name of the game. That’s why we chose the high-cut Highlight Rm football shoe from Under Armour. With a synthetic upper, these rubber-molded cleats offer unparalleled support, and the open-holed mesh construction helps keep your feet cool while playing.

We also like the external TPU ankle cage, and the die-cut EVA sockliner and textile collar supporting the ankle without limiting movement. Despite the extra support, the shoes remain light on the feet. They fit true to size, and they’re an especially good choice for players with wide feet, according to feedback.

What’s more, these shoes are also pretty affordable, and they come in some nice color options, surely matching your team colors.

Our Process

For this guide on the best football cleats, our team spent 5 hours researching the 35 most popular options from a variety of brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read 5+ user reviews about each pair of football cleats (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 7 football cleats on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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Further Reading