Way-Too-Early Predictions for 2026 Breakout College Football Freshmen
The whirlwind transfer portal season is absolute shenanigans this year, and with the one-time window, it's going to be this way every season. But getting lost in the shuffle a bit are the freshmen who expect to be in the mix for playing time at college programs across the country in 2026.
Many of those dudes already are on campus, too.
These days with the portal, it's even tougher for first-year guys to make impacts. But there are several of them simply too special to keep off the field. You'd better show them how much you value them, too, or they'll be off to the portal before you can blink.
It's not easy to predict those instant-impact true freshmen, but several look like they can fit the bill. From a couple of quarterbacks sliding into stellar situations to some big-time defenders, a few names are worth watching who could break out in 2026.
Here are our predictions for the biggest true freshmen movers and shakers on the gridiron.
Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt Commodores Quarterback
1 of 10
There may not have been a bigger out-of-nowhere story in college football than Vanderbilt winning 10 games, narrowly missing the College Football Playoff and seeing quarterback Diego Pavia finish as the Heisman Trophy runner-up.
If coach Clark Lea's Commodores are going to keep that upward trajectory, they'll have to do it in the post-Pavia era, as he's off to the NFL.
The heir in Nashville is 5-star true freshman signal-caller Jared Curtis, who was a long-time Georgia commitment and the top-ranked quarterback in the '26 class.
Rather than play for coach Kirby Smart, though, the Nashville native decided to stay home and try to make history.
Curtis got big money to play for the black and gold, and he's going to have every opportunity to thrive and start right away. At 6'3½" and 225 pounds, he has the size and one of the strongest arms of any college quarterback in a long time.
Is Curtis a polished product? No, but he's going to have the opportunity to learn on the job for the Commodores. He's got as high of a ceiling as any player in this year's class.
Tristen Keys, Tennessee Volunteers Wide Receiver
2 of 10
There are always going to be star playmakers on the perimeter in a Josh Heupel offense, and while the Tennessee Volunteers have several strong candidates returning, there's a freshman they won't be able to keep off the field.
Five-star pass-catcher Tristen Keys of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was a huge coup for the Vols, and with Chris Brazzell off to the NFL, Keys has a golden opportunity to come in and get immediate, difference-making reps alongside Radarious Jackson.
With Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews entrenched as the Nos. 1 and 2 receivers on Rocky Top, Keys won't have a ton of pressure on him to be elite. All he's got to do is step in and do his thing.
At 6'1½" and 194 pounds, Keys can stretch the field with the best of them, is fast enough to take the lid off defenses and big and physical enough to catch passes in traffic. He's the complete product at the position.
He could be one of the biggest playmakers in the SEC right away in Tennessee's explosive offense.
Jackson Cantwell, Miami Hurricanes Offensive Lineman
3 of 10
This has been a magical run for The U, which finds itself back in the national championship game against Indiana. But, as is always the case in the transfer portal era, there will be major gaps to fill if the Hurricanes are going to return in 2026.
Both lines of scrimmage are going to see major departures, and that's the strength of coach Mario Cristobal's team this year.
On the offensive line, there could be as many as four vacancies. That makes incoming 5-star freshman Jackson Cantwell an ideal player to slot into one of the spots.
As Cristobal proved with Francis Mauigoa, he doesn't mind playing college-ready youngsters, and there may not be a player as ready to go as Cantwell, a big, athletic lineman who likely will play offensive tackle.
Everybody in the nation wanted the Missouri native, but the 6'7½", 325-pound Nixa, Missouri, native established strong relationships with Cristobal and the 'Canes, and he is all set on heading to Coral Gables, where he is expected to be one of the next great O-linemen at Miami.
Cantwell has everything you want in an instant-impact lineman.
Savion Hiter, Michigan Wolverines Running Back
4 of 10
The thing about the Michigan Wolverines is they're always going to have star runners, and next year is no different.
Even though Justice Haynes entered the portal, coach Kyle Whittingham is going to have star returner Jordan Marshall back in Ann Arbor, and they also added Taylor Tatum from Oklahoma.
But don't sleep on true freshman former 5-star explosive running back Savion Hiter, who chose the Wolverines over the Tennessee Vols and Virginia Tech Hokies. The Virginia native has the type of all-around ability that's going to be difficult to keep off the field.
At 5'11½" and 200 pounds, he has the size to be an every-down back and the speed to be a breakout player. Marshall almost certainly has earned the right to be the bell cow on this offense, but Whittingham always has a vibrant rushing attack, so there are more than enough carries to go around.
Hiter is a prime candidate to be a player everybody knows by the middle of the season. He has home run-hitting ability every time he touches the ball, and after a tumultuous offseason, the Wolverines are going to love watching him get on the field.
LaDamion Guyton, Texas Tech Red Raiders Edge
5 of 10
Texas Tech has taken college football's transfer portal era by storm under coach Joey McGuire, and the Red Raiders are a threat to pluck every player they want from it.
They loaded the front seven with portal players a year ago and built a CFP team in the process. This year, they've already received pledges from Adam Trick, JoJo Johnson, Mateen Ibirogba, Trey White, Bryce Butler, Julian Lavenutre and Amarie Fleming along the defensive front.
Who they want, they get.
But Tech also went all-in on a superstar 5-star defensive end in LaDamion Guyton, and they didn't get him to sit the bench. The 6'3", 225-pound Savannah, Georgia, native was coveted by everybody in the nation. He's a twitchy, explosive athlete who can get after quarterbacks.
So, while McGuire and Co. have a terrific veteran edge-rusher in White coming in, Guyton is a young guy who can work his way into the rotation and be a situational star who can pin his ears back and get after quarterbacks.
They went into Georgia Bulldogs country and grabbed Guyton to convince him to come to Lubbock and be a part of what they're building.
He'll be a big part of the Red Raiders' rebuilt defense in 2026.
Zion Elee, Maryland Terrapins Edge
6 of 10
This is a make-or-break season for coach Mike Locksley at Maryland, which is a shame considering how well he's recruited. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, those players just aren't translating into wins.
Still, it's an embarrassment of riches for the Terps on the defensive line where they had the electric freshman duo of Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis in '25. Now, they'll add 5-star edge-rusher Zion Elee, who may be the best of the bunch.
Elee is a 6'3½", 220-pound force of nature from powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, and despite having suitors from all over the nation, the nation's No. 5-ranked player stayed strong in his commitment to Locksley.
Now, he will arrive on campus where he will be far too talented to keep off the field. Between Elee, Stewart and Mathis, Maryland has a trio of defenders that you'd expect to see at a place like Ohio State or Oregon.
Instead, they'll be making plays at Maryland. But can they do enough and be disruptive to the point of making a difference in the Big Ten? That's a huge question. With Malik Washington slinging the ball around on the other side of the ball, the Terps have a lot of exciting, young playmakers.
They need to win.
Chris Henry Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes Wide Receiver
7 of 10
Stop us if you've heard this before: The Ohio State Buckeyes have an incoming true freshman receiver you've just got to see to believe.
With Carnell Tate off to the NFL, everybody's going to get a chance to see Chris Henry Jr. make a name for himself right away.
Despite late overtures from USC and Oregon, the Mater Dei School star pass-catcher decided to stay true to his Buckeyes pledge despite offensive coordinator Brian Hartline leaving to become head coach at South Florida. Now, Henry will team with Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss to star next year.
With Julian Sayin throwing him the ball, Henry could emerge as an explosive player, especially considering most of the attention will be on the nation's top returning receiver in Smith.
Henry is a 6'5", 201-pound playmaker whose father, Chris, was an NFL veteran. Not only is he big and physical, but Henry is also fast and has the type of long strides that can see him gallop away from defenses. He's unlike any other receiver in this class.
Coach Ryan Day is going to have to find ways to get the ball in his hands.
Kendre Harrison, Oregon Ducks Tight End
8 of 10
Every year, there are prospects with the type of measurable and unteachable traits you just can't ignore. The Oregon Ducks have one of those dudes heading to Eugene very soon.
Kendre Harrison could be the next massive weapon for the Ducks at tight end, a mismatch nightmare who has the size and ability to step right in after Kenyon Sadiq heads directly to the NFL where he's likely to be the first player at his position off the board.
Harrison is a 6'7", 243-pound force of nature with ridiculous athleticism and size who looks like a star basketball player on the football field. While he's far from a finished product, the Reidsville, North Carolina, product is already a weapon.
The 5-star prospect was the top-ranked tight end in the nation and the 36th-rated overall player, so he won't be sneaking up on anybody as a prospect. Everybody knows what kind of player he has the potential of being. Harrison may star right away.
Can you imagine having him to deploy against defenses in the red zone? It's almost certain coach Dan Lanning will have a package of plays for him right away in 2026. Harrison is a player who needs to be on your radar right away.
Cole Bergeron, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Quarterback
9 of 10
When Georgia Tech lost future quarterback Aaron Philo to the transfer portal and ultimately Florida, the Yellow Jackets said goodbye to the player coach Brent Key had hand-picked to replace Haynes King.
Now, they're searching for who is going to take snaps in 2026.
In a perfect world, the Yellow Jackets would be able to convince somebody like former Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula or maybe even former Tennessee backup Jake Merklinger to come to Atlanta and play quarterback.
Right now, though, 6'4½", 210-pound incoming freshman signal-caller Cole Bergeron from Lafayette, Louisiana, has just as good of a shot as anybody to take the first snap for Tech in '26.
That obviously wouldn't be ideal for a team trying to compete in the ACC, and you have to think Key wants a veteran. But Bergeron is a big-armed signal-caller with a lot of traits that translate into the college game. He was once committed to Virginia Tech, but Georgia Tech was able to sway him on the last day of the early signing period.
Even if Bergeron doesn't play right away, he's got a bright future.
Bralan Womack, Mississippi State Bulldogs Safety
10 of 10
One of the most difficult positions to make an instant impact in college football is on the back end of the defense as a field general at the safety position. But when you've got an old-school hard hitter coming in, you've got to play him.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs were the beneficiary of one of the top defensive playmakers in the nation who was all set on playing for Auburn. But when the Tigers got rid of Hugh Freeze, 5-star safety Bralan Womack went looking.
The nation's top-ranked safety product decided to stay in the Magnolia State and play for the Bulldogs. The Flowood, Mississippi, native is a 5'11½", 195-pound enforcer who is the most college-ready player at his position in this year's class.
When you take into consideration just how bad the Bulldogs' defense was this past year, it's obvious coach Jeff Lebby needs all the help he can get on that side of the ball.
Womack is going to be a can't-miss player who almost certainly will work his way into the rotation right away, if not the starting lineup.
