College Football Freshmen We're Most Intrigued to See in 2026 Spring Games
The class of 2026 superlatives all have been handed out, but the real coronations come this spring when freshmen begin vying for playing time when it matters most.
Many highly touted prospects are already on campus and preparing to get meaningful reps in spring practice. That's when we may begin reading headlines and seeing video clips of who will become the next Malachi Toney or Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
Of course, there are mostly skill-position players we're intrigued to see take the field, but a few defenders made the list, as well. Since there's a lot of "thudding" going on in spring drills and not a lot of hits on quarterbacks, we left out most (not all) of the big uglies.
Still, there's a palpable buzz around a lot of the youngsters getting ready to take the field. To make this list, you've got to be a true freshman from the '26 class and a mid-term enrollee.
Here are the youngsters we're most excited about watching this spring.
Tyler Atkinson, Texas Linebacker
1 of 13
Several comparisons already are out there for elite Texas second-level defender Tyler Atkinson, including some to just-departed Longhorns star 'backer Anthony Hill Jr.
Certainly, the 6'2", 210-pound athlete from Loganville, Georgia, has all the tools to be an instant-impact player at a major position of need for the 'Horns.
Yes, Steve Sarkisian has recruited supremely well all over the field, but new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will have a clean slate this spring and looking at who pops on the field. The nation's No. 30-ranked overall player and third-rated linebacker has the skill set to do just that.
The past few years, Texas has seen a first-year defender emerge as a difference-maker, such as Hill, edge-rusher Colin Simmons and outside linebacker Lance Jackson.
With sideline-to-sideline speed, football acumen and coming from a Grayson High School program that saw him play elite competition, Atkinson looks primed to be next.
Brian Bonner, Washington Running Back
2 of 13
The Washington Huskies are trying to regain championship-level form under coach Jed Fisch, and getting quarterback Demond Williams Jr. back under center will help. But he needs some playmakers around him.
Brian Bonner is just the kind of incoming freshman who could provide a major boost.
The 6'1", 185-pound Valencia, California native was a major recruiting coup, traveling from the Golden State to Seattle to play for the Huskies and try to help them take the next big step in their third season in the Big Ten.
He has the explosion to make big plays and tremendously quick feet, and it's exciting to think about how soon that will translate on the field. He also has the frame that can comfortably hold 210 pounds without losing a step.
With Jonah Coleman off to the NFL, there's a flashing 'Vacancy' sign over the Huskies' starting running back position, and Bonner has what it takes to seize the job. The nation's No. 93-rated overall player and sixth-ranked running back didn't come to U-Dub to stand on the sideline.
Faizon Brandon, Tennessee Quarterback
3 of 13
Joey Aguilar's seventh season of eligibility is being handled in the court system right now, and if he gets to come back to Rocky Top, he's going to be the man next year for Tennessee.
There's a good chance that doesn't happen, though. If things fall through, it's likely going to be a youth movement under center for the Vols.
Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre has a season under his belt in Knoxville and plenty of potential, but 5-star signal-caller Faizon Brandon is on campus and ready to compete, too.
The 6'3½", 200-pound dual-threat quarterback has as high of a ceiling as any signal-caller in the past two classes. He is fast, strong-armed, and even though he's a little raw, that talent flashes all over the place on film.
Coach Josh Heupel is a known talent-developer, and Brandon offers an unmined gem that could be worth a fortune right away for the Vols. He'll get to put that talent on display starting this spring in what could be an open audition to start.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Patriots Vrabel Football")
Naeem Burroughs, Clemson Wide Receiver
4 of 13
There wasn't a bigger disappointment in college football in 2025 than coach Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers, and the coach is still being stubborn about the transfer portal, so fixes must come in-house.
One Tigers signee who is a Swinney "home-grown" recruited talent is Florida pass-catcher Naeem Burroughs, and even though the Tigers have a lot of weapons coming back at the position, he's almost certain to carve out a role next year.
Everybody is excited about seeing the 5'11½", 180-pound dynamo who is an absolute burner on the perimeter. The Jacksonville product is already on campus and primed to be an electrifying weapon in space.
With Chris Vizzina taking over for Cade Klubnik at quarterback, it's going to be a new-looking offense this spring that is trying to feel its way into the '26 season. Burroughs steps in with a wide-open shot to prove he belongs.
Getting him the ball in space and watching his home-run hitting ability would be vital for Swinney to put his best team on the field.
Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt Quarterback
5 of 13
For essentially the entirety of the recruiting cycle, Jared Curtis either was heavily considering or committed to the Georgia Bulldogs.
Then, at the end, he decided to stay at his Nashville home and play for the Vanderbilt Commodores, succeeding Diego Pavia for a resurgent program that Clark Lea is building.
Now, the incoming freshman with perhaps the biggest arm talent since Matthew Stafford is going to have the weight of the program on his shoulders. He's almost certain to start right away, and even though there will be some growing pains, the potential is through-the-roof.
At 6'3½", 225 pounds, Curtis is a thick kid who has the physicality to play right away in the SEC. He may not have the pizzazz as his rival Faizon Brandon in Knoxville, but Curtis is the higher-rated player and oozing with NFL passing ability.
His development begins this spring, and though you may not normally watch Vandy spring practice, Curtis is worth paying attention to.
EJ Crowell, Alabama Running Back
6 of 13
It's not every year there's a major need at a high-visibility skill position at a program like Alabama that is used to competing for championships, but that's the case at running back in '26.
Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear are expected to be firmly in the mix to start, but with the Crimson Tide largely striking out in the transfer portal for a running back, the buzz surrounding Ezavier "EJ" Crowell could translate into major playing time.
The Jackson, Alabama, 5-star is on campus this spring, and he may just be too much of a superstar to keep on the sideline. Neither Hill nor Dear have game-breaking ability, and Crowell certainly does.
The nation's top-ranked running back is one of my favorite three players in the entire 2026 recruiting class, and if you're sick of me writing about him, you may as well not tune in for the next four years. It's just a matter of time before everybody is talking about this kid.
He'll begin turning heads this spring, but it'll only be introducing him to the world. The rest you can read in the box scores this fall.
Keisean Henderson, Houston Quarterback
7 of 13
There's very little question that Houston will trot out senior signal-caller Connor Weigman in 2026 to run Willie Fritz's offense in what could be a banner year for the Cougars.
But the future is already on campus, and he needs a set of plays to get on the field in 2026.
That would be 5-star signal-caller Keisean Henderson, who was the No. 1 overall player according to 247Sports and in the composite rankings. At 6'4", 195 pounds, Henderson has a projectable frame, a big arm and is a supreme athlete at the position.
It's so difficult to supplant a senior like Weigman who is seasoned and already proven in the Big 12, but Henderson has the next-level ability that simply doesn't often play at a place like Houston. The Spring, Texas, native has to see some action.
If Henderson proves he can cut it, it may not be out of the question to see him get some snaps much the way Kyle Whittingham did with first-year player Byrd Ficklin last year, despite having a star under center in Devon Dampier.
It's going to be interesting to see how Fritz balances things.
Chris Henry Jr., Ohio State Wide Receiver
8 of 13
Carnell Tate is off to the NFL, which means that somebody is going to need to play Robin to Jeremiah Smith's Batman.
Even if that's rising senior captain Brandon Inniss, the Ohio State Buckeyes always have playmakers on the perimeter, and the next in line appears to be Chris Henry Jr., who headlines another top-tier class of weapons at receiver.
The Mater Dei (California) School product comes from perhaps the biggest high school football powerhouse in the nation, has NFL bloodlines and a lanky 6'5" frame with sprinter's speed, elite hands and long strides.
He's certainly not as polished as Smith was when he came out of high school, but Henry is one of the nation's top two playmakers at the position, and he is a big-bodied red-zone weapon who could be a jump-ball machine once Julian Sayin and Co. get inside the 20-yard line.
Henry has exciting potential, and he's already in Columbus ready to go.
Immanuel Iheanacho, Oregon Offensive Lineman
9 of 13
When your roster is as loaded as Dan Lanning's in 2026, anything less than a national championship is going to be considered a disappointment for the Oregon Ducks. It's also next-to-impossible for first-year players to find wiggle room in the starting lineup.
That's what makes the tantalizing potential of Immanuel Iheanacho so intriguing.
The 6'6½", 335-pound North Bethesda, Maryland, road-grader is a massive human who is a force in run-blocking and already a great technician who has NFL size and boasts the intelligence needed to get on the field right away.
Though speed-rushers sometimes gave him fits in all-star settings, Iheanacho has the size and ability to hold his own, even in the Big Ten. There are several spots along Oregon's front where he ultimately could find a starting spot.
While long-term potential may be best inside, Iheanacho could start his career at right tackle. That versatility has us excited to see him in Eugene this spring and find out where Lanning thinks he fits best.
Salesi Moa, Michigan Athlete
10 of 13
Many out there are excited to see what Savion Hiter can do running the football for the Michigan Wolverines, and certainly, Jordan Marshall could use a backfield mate of the freshman's caliber.
But it's another exciting first-year player who could set Ann Arbor ablaze with his massive potential.
Athlete Salesi Moa likely will start out at wide receiver for the Wolverines. Offense is where Moa prefers to begin his career, and he is explosive enough to get on the field as a freshman.
But Moa, who transferred to Michigan from Utah after flipping from Tennessee to play for Kyle Whittingham, may not only play offense.
The Ogden, Utah, native can do it all, and his biggest upside may just be on defense. The 6'1", 190-pound playmaker also could find his way onto the field at cornerback, and as Smith Snowden–another Ute-turned-Wolverine–will show Michigan fans, Whittingham isn't shy about playing kids both ways.
No matter where he sticks, Moa is a seasoned youngster with the athletic ability to get on the field and make plays at the highest level immediately for Michigan.
Even more, Moa has a potential Heisman Trophy ceiling in his future.
Calvin Russell III, Syracuse Wide Receiver
11 of 13
Much like the case with Kesean Henderson at Houston, Syracuse just doesn't normally sign megastar prospects like Calvin Russell III.
But the former Miami Northwestern High School phenom is already suiting up with the Orange basketball program as a 6'5", 190-pound guard on the hardwood where he's averaging three points per game.
If that doesn't give you an idea of Russell's otherworldly athleticism, nothing will.
This spring, he'll suit up for coach Fran Brown's Syracuse Orange football team, where the former No. 84-ranked overall player and 13th-rated pass-catcher will be arguably quarterback Steve Angeli's biggest weapon on the perimeter with Johntay Cook heading to Ole Miss.
Russell has elite size and speed and a huge catch radius. He's going to be in an offense that needs playmakers and will showcase his talents, and Russell is going to post huge numbers right away.
This is a can't-miss fit.
Luke Wafle, USC Edge
12 of 13
Last year, we saw USC begin to win some massive defensive recruiting battles, and those translated into a much more Big Ten-ready unit in 2026. Guys like freshman Jahkeem Stewart looked the part and played well right away.
Those guys paved the way for coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans to sign the nation's top-ranked recruiting class in the '26 cycle, and new defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski arrives from Texas and will be greeted with plenty more young talent.
The biggest prize of the bunch is 2026 5-star edge-rusher Luke Wafle, a 6'5½", 257-pound New Jersey native who is the nation's second-rated edge-rusher and No. 6-ranked player overall. He's also one of the brightest, most college-ready defenders in the entire class.
Wafle always has been considered an elite prospect, but after dominating the Navy All-American Bowl, he surged up rankings and drew comparisons to the Bosa twins.
This is the type of fiery, engine-cranking first-year player who could be a vocal defensive leader right away. Wafle is exactly the type of guy you want spearheading your defense.
Somourian Wingo, Miami Wide Receiver
13 of 13
There were many more highly ranked receivers in the 2025 recruiting class than Malachi Toney, but he entered a perfect situation in Coral Gables, emerged as Carson Beck's top target on a national runner-up and became a superstar.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal won't have any talent shortages at the position in the future now that Toney set the stage.
The '26 haul certainly has been good to the Hurricanes as star receivers Somourian Wingo and Milan Paris are coming in and ready to emerge for transfer signal-caller Darian Mensah.
The 6'2", 180-pound Wingo especially looks like a silky-smooth pass-catcher who can do it all and is primed to step onto the field right away, maybe even as a starter. Like Toney, there are faster players and bigger weapons, but Wingo is a rugged guy who is going to make all the plays.
Andrew Ivins of 247Sports compares Wingo to Alabama receiver Germie Bernard, and that's a great comp. He's a kid from St. Augustine who is staying instate and will have a chip on his shoulder. Look for him to be a massive weapon right away with Mensah at the U.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Patriots Vrabel Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Steelers Owner Gives Rodgers Update")
