College Football's Most Exciting Players for the 2026 Season
Solid fundamentals and quiet excellence are great. But in today's highlight-reel world, an exciting player can become a household name.
The quickest route to that recognition varies by position, of course. Quarterbacks may somehow escape from a collapsing pocket, while running backs and wide receivers rip off explosive gains or shake a potential tackler into the ground.
Do that often enough, and they build a big-play reputation that we want to see.
While several of these players are well-known talents—a few are returning All-Americans, for that matter—others are just plain fun.
Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
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For many, the memorable part of Indiana's run is probably Fernando Mendoza's clutch touchdown on a QB draw. It sealed the national title, after all.
Understandable. But me? I'll point to a handful of Charlie Becker moments.
During the second half of the season, the contested-catch artist brought down some truly absurd grabs. Those receptions sealed a victory over Ohio State, helped spark routs of Alabama and Oregon in the College Football Playoff and aided two clutch scoring drives against Miami in the national championship.
When everyone knows the strategy is "throw the ball up and let him catch it" yet it still works consistently—and even the best competition could not stop it—you know there's a special receiver out there.
Becker, a great leaper in a 6'4", 207-pound frame, opens the campaign with first-round potential in the 2027 NFL draft.
Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
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Over the last two seasons, Isaac Brown has undeniably been one of the most explosive running backs in the sport.
It hardly even mattered that he was hurt in 2025.
Despite a leg injury limiting him to nine games, Brown led the nation with six carries of 50-plus yards. Two years ago, he notched six rushes of 40-plus yards, the third-highest mark in the country.
Brown, in 22 college games, has scampered for 2,057 yards—at a sizzling 7.7 per attempt—with 18 touchdowns.
Every opposing defense knows Brown is a big play waiting to happen.
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
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Heading into the 2026 season, Miami needed to find solutions in a revamped receiving corps. Malachi Toney became the primary answer—and more.
Toney set program records with 109 catches and 1,211 yards while notching 10 touchdowns. But he also served as a Wildcat QB, tossing two scores and adding 113 yards with another trip to the end zone. As if that's not enough, Toney finished second in the ACC at 13.0 yards per punt return.
Not bad for someone who should've been a senior in high school!
Thanks to the arrival of Duke transfer Cooper Barkate, Toney likely won't need to shoulder such a heavy pass-catching load in 2026.
But there is hardly a more feared playmaker in the country than Toney, a second-team All-American pick last season.
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
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Ahmad Hardy showcased a coveted blend of volume, efficiency and explosiveness in his stellar 2025 campaign.
Following a great freshman year at Louisiana-Monroe, he transferred to Missouri and continued to excel. Hardy ended second nationally with 1,649 rushing yards at 6.4 yards per attempt, a top-10 mark among players who averaged 10-plus carries.
Hardy, who tallied 16 touchdowns in his first season at Mizzou, paced the FBS with 11 rushes of 30-plus yards, as well.
Since the Tigers bring back an experienced offensive line, Hardy has a terrific opportunity to thrive again—provided he recovers as hoped.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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Before the snap on any given play, the entire defense needs to know where Jeremiah Smith is aligned. He's a danger from everywhere.
Smith soared into the national consciousness as a true freshman at Ohio State in 2024, making 76 catches for 1,315 yards and totaling 16 touchdowns. He reeled in 87 passes for 1,243 yards and accounted for 13 scores last season. And in both years, Smith earned AP All-America recognition.
He's not impossible to stop. He's also pretty darn close to it.
To date, Smith has generated 27 receptions of 25-plus yards—including co-leading the FBS with six grabs of 50-plus yards in 2024.
The moment he touches the ball, whether on a screen, intermediate pass or downfield shot, Smith is a threat to score.
Caleb Hawkins, RB, Oklahoma State
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Caleb Hawkins is aiming to bring Group of Six excellence to the Power Four.
As a true freshman at North Texas last season, he racked up 1,434 yards and an FBS-high 25 touchdowns on the ground, collected 32 receptions for 370 yards and added four more scores.
Considering he only touched the ball 16 times in the Mean Green's opening three games, it was a sensational debut.
Hawkins has since followed head coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State—along with quarterback Drew Mestemaker and star receiver Wyatt Young, among others. The nation's top-scoring offense is largely intact and now just wearing a different uniform.
Immediate success is no guarantee, but Hawkins' elite versatility will be under a much brighter spotlight with OSU in the Big 12.
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
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During the 2024 season, Trinidad Chambliss led Division II Ferris State to a national title. He threw for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,019 with 25 more scores in that phenomenal year.
To say he emerged out of nowhere would be unfair. At the same time, he jumped two levels and still performed at a superstar level for Ole Miss.
Due to Austin Simmons' injury, Chambliss took control of the offense in Week 3—yet never relinquished the reins. He passed for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns to three interceptions, adding 527 yards and eight scores on the ground. Chambliss propelled the Lane Kiffin-less Rebels to a pair of victories in the CFP, as well.
And now, thanks to a February injunction, he's back in Oxford for another year.
Ole Miss has a few roster questions to handle and a tough schedule on the horizon, but Chambliss is an efficient, electric playmaker.
Wayne Knight, RB, UCLA
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Even though James Madison crashed the Playoff party last season, Wayne Knight isn't necessarily a well-known talent.
That's probably going to change in a hurry.
Knight is coming off a breakout year in which he rushed for 1,373 yards and posted 40 receptions for 397 yards, totaling 10 touchdowns and landing first-team All-Sun Belt recognition. He also returned punts at a solid 9.0-yard average and initially returned kickoffs, too.
The staff at JMU trusted Knight to contribute in every capacity—and much of that Bob Chesney-led group is now at UCLA.
Knight, who against Oregon in the CFP tallied 128 yards on 20 touches, should quickly adjust to the increased competition of the Big Ten and still thrive.
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