In a darkened corner of the Miami Beach Convention Center, just a few yards removed from where he’d made a promotional appearance for AT&T, former Miami wide receiver Reggie Wayne — a program legend — gushed about the exploits of Hurricane freshman Malachi Toney, an electric wideout in his own right.
“Him coming in, doing those things — not only doing it, but doing it at an elite level — man, it’s fantastic,” Wayne told me in January, two days before Toney led Miami onto the field in the national championship game against Indiana. “Whenever you get somebody like that as a freshman creating havoc like that, it does nothing but just put Miami on everybody’s minds all day and all night.”
Even in a losing effort, Toney proved capable of haunting the Hoosiers to a degree most first-year players can only dream about. He caught 10 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown to put a lasting exclamation point on a campaign few college football fans will soon forget. Toney received first-team All-ACC honors and was named the conference’s Rookie of the Year after leading the entire country in receptions (109) and total touchdowns as a receiver (10), runner (1) and passer (2).
Special is one of the only adequate words to describe the way Toney performed.
As the 2026 season approaches, fans everywhere are wondering which newcomers might captivate college football the way Toney did, the way Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith did the year prior en route to winning the national championship. So with that, here are 10 potential impact freshmen capable of shaping the upcoming season:
* Recruiting rankings and historical data courtesy of 247Sports.
Mark Bowman, TE, USC
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USC Trojans tight end Mark Bowman during the USC Trojans spring practice. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 235 pounds
School: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California
Ranking: No. 29 overall, No. 2 TE
There were so many reasons for head coach Lincoln Riley to rejoice when Bowman gave his verbal commitment to USC on May 30, 2025, dousing even more lighter fluid on an already incandescent recruiting stretch for the Trojans. A five-star prospect and the No. 29 overall player in the country, Bowman became the poster child for Riley’s retooled approach that dedicated significantly more time and resources to in-state prospects than at any point in his tenure. Not only was Bowman a highly coveted local product who played high school football less than an hour from the LA Memorial Coliseum, but he was also representative of the mended relationship between Riley’s staff and powerhouse Mater Dei High School, a recruiting oasis for power-conference programs.
Sitting second behind Notre Dame signee Ian Premer in this year’s tight end hierarchy, Bowman already has a Big Ten-ready frame that lends itself to positional versatility in Riley’s creative offense. He also enters a relatively wide-open passing attack that needs to replace four of its five leading targets from last season: WR Makai Lemon (79 catches; 1,156 yards; 11 TDs), WR Ja’Kobi Lane (49 catches; 745 yards; 4 TDs), TE Lake McRee (30 catches; 450 yards; 4 TDs) and TE Walker Lyons (20 catches, 223 yards, 2 TDs). There’s an opportunity for Bowman to earn immediate targets from veteran quarterback Jayden Maiava.
Zion Elee, Edge, Maryland
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220 pounds
School: St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland
Ranking: No. 5 overall, No. 1 edge
Amid a dismal stretch of back-to-back seasons in which Maryland produced identical 4-8 overall records and unsightly 1-8 marks in conference play, an impressive run on the recruiting trail has kept head coach Mike Locksley afloat.
Locksley, the former offensive coordinator at Alabama, strung together six consecutive top-40 classes from 2020-25 to inject a downtrodden program with much more high-end talent. He signed four players rated among the top-10 recruits in program history during that stretch — OLB Terrence Lewis, WR Rakim Jarrett, S Nick Cross and edge rusher Chop Robinson — while also identifying a quarterback in Taulia Tagovailoa who finished as the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader with 11,256 yards.
Locksley outdid all of that last December when he secured the signature of Elee, a five-star edge rusher holding additional scholarship offers from Auburn, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, USC and Notre Dame, among others. Elee instantly became the highest-rated prospect to ever sign with the Terrapins, narrowly edging former Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs in 2012.
The expectation is that Elee should earn immediate playing time for a defense that has lost five players to the NFL Draft over the last two years and ranked 10th in the Big Ten for sacks last season.
Kodi Greene, OT, Washington
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 321 pounds
School: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California
Ranking: No. 25 overall, No. 3 OT
Beginning with the first recruiting class head coach Jedd Fisch put together after leaving Arizona for Washington ahead of the 2024 season, his desire to flood the trenches with bigger bodies was readily apparent. He wanted taller offensive linemen, lengthier defensive linemen and frames capable of adding significant mass on both sides of the ball.
“Remember,” Fisch said at Big Ten Media Days that summer, “we’re going to always recruit guys that can play in the NFL. The NFL doesn’t like small.” Which is probably why, in the not-so-distant future, scouts and general managers alike will become quite fond of Greene, a stud offensive tackle who flipped his commitment from Oregon to Washington last spring. Greene’s frame wouldn’t look out of place in an NFL training camp, despite the fact that he’s only 18.
There are sky-high expectations surrounding Greene, who is the sixth highest-rated recruit in program history — and the highest-rated offensive lineman to join the Huskies since Nathan Rhodes in 2002. He received rave reviews from teammates and coaches while working at left tackle during spring practice, the position vacated by veteran Carver Willis, a fourth-round pick in last month’s NFL Draft.
Green is expected to be Washington’s opening day starter at left tackle to protect the blindside of star quarterback Demond Williams Jr., a potential Heisman Trophy contender. How close the Huskies come to reaching the College Football Playoff might hinge on Greene’s development.
Lamar Brown, DE, LSU
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 295 pounds
School: University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Ranking: No. 3 overall, No. 1 ATH
How important was it to preserve the commitment from this five-star defensive tackle to newly hired head coach Lane Kiffin, whose prolonged “will-he-or-won’t-he” saga regarding a possible departure from Ole Miss put the Tigers’ recruiting class in jeopardy last December? Important enough for Kiffin, who was cursed off the tarmac by frustrated Rebels’ fans, to arrange some face time with Brown hours after arriving in Baton Rouge.
A picture of Kiffin and Brown, whose high school is located on the LSU campus, quickly made the rounds on social media. Brown had been verbally pledged to the Tigers since July 10, at which point Brian Kelly was still in charge, and whether he would re-open his commitment following the coaching change represented a key storyline ahead of the early signing period.
Kiffin and his then-piecemeal coaching staff succeeded in convincing Brown to sign with LSU on Dec. 5, the final day of the early window, giving the Tigers a crown jewel in a recruiting class that finished 11th nationally. Though Brown checked in at No. 3 overall in the 247Sports Composite rankings, he was viewed as the top overall prospect by ESPN, giving the Tigers their first No. 1 recruit since running back Leonard Fournette in 2014.
Brown, who will concentrate on playing defensive end for LSU, earned All-State and All-America honors as both an offensive and defensive linemen in high school. He also won state championships in shot put and discus as a member of the track and field team.
Chris Henry Jr., WR, Ohio State
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Ohio State wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. reacts to scoring a touchdown during the Ohio State Spring Game. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 195 pounds
School: Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California
Ranking: No. 14 overall, No. 2 WR
Nearly three years have passed since Henry first committed to Ohio State, delighting the Buckeyes and then-wide receivers coach Brian Hartline with yet another wideout for the sport’s best pipeline at that position. With so much time between Henry’s initial commitment and last December’s early signing period, when he could finally put pen to paper, the recruiting efforts from Hartline and head coach Ryan Day were as much about retention and maintenance as they were initial attraction.
Then, Hartline left to become the head coach at South Florida on the same day the signing window officially opened, tossing one last wrench into Henry’s recruitment. Conference rival Oregon decided to mount a late push. The Ducks did enough to give Henry pause, leading him to delay his final decision by two days and triggering consternation around Ohio State.
Ultimately, though, Henry followed in the footsteps of so many blue-chip receivers in recent years and reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes. He enrolled early to participate in offseason workouts and then delighted fans during the spring game by catching four passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The departure of veteran wideout Carnell Tate, who became the program’s sixth receiver drafted in the first round since 2022, opened a clearer path toward early playing time for Henry. He and unquestioned No. 1 target Jeremiah Smith could form one of the most physically imposing receiver tandems in the country.
Faizon Brandon, QB, Tennessee
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215 pounds
School: Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina
Ranking: No. 10 overall, No. 3 QB
For the second time in the last four recruiting cycles, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel landed a five-star quarterback with the requisite size and skill to contribute immediately. His first such signee was Nico Iamaleava, whose career quickly became synonymous with one of the sport’s first eye-popping NIL deals, an agreement reportedly worth $8 million. Iamaleava went on to spend two seasons with the Volunteers and led them to the College Football Playoff in 2024 before transferring to UCLA. He remains the highest-rated quarterback signee in program history.
Right behind him, though, is Faizon, a budding star with scholarship offers from seemingly every blue blood in the country: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon, to name a few. The only quarterbacks ranked ahead of Faizon in the 2026 class were Keisean Henderson, who signed with Houston, and Jared Curtis, who signed with Vanderbilt.
With Heupel declining to name a starter during spring practice, the competition between Faizon and redshirt freshman George MacIntyre is expected to continue into fall camp. MacIntyre only logged 11 snaps last season while serving as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Joey Aguilar and backup Jake Merklinger, who transferred to UConn.
Ezavier Crowell, RB, Alabama
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 205 pounds
School: Jackson High School in Jackson, Alabama
Ranking: No. 15 overall, No. 2 RB
Alabama produced three draft picks across the opening two rounds of this year’s NFL Draft in offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12 overall), quarterback Ty Simpson (No. 13 overall) and wide receiver Germie Bernard (No. 47 overall), but in many ways, that collection of personnel only underscored the offensive imbalance that plagued the Crimson Tide last season.
Despite running the ball 466 times — tied for 59th nationally and seventh-most in the SEC — head coach Kalen DeBoer’s team ranked 125th in rushing yards per game (104.1) and 126th in yards per carry (3.4). Running back Jam Miller, a seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots, was the only tailback to eclipse 284 yards. When Indiana limited the Crimson Tide to just 23 rushing yards in a lopsided CFP quarterfinal, the offense reached an unsightly nadir.
DeBoer and his staff know they’ll need to run the ball more effectively in 2026 to avoid a third consecutive four-loss season, which hasn’t happened at Alabama since the early 1980s. Tailbacks Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear are all back for another year, but Crowell is the player generating plenty of early buzz. Even after reclassifying, Crowell is still the fourth-best running back recruit in program history behind Najee Harris (2017), Trent Richardson (2009) and Trey Sanders (2019). He’s expected to be an immediate contributor this fall.
Savion Hiter, RB, Michigan
Height: 6-feet
Weight: 210 pounds
School: Louisa County High School in Mineral, Virginia
Ranking: No. 12 overall, No. 1 RB
Even though Sherrone Moore was fired after the early signing period had come and gone — he was dismissed on Dec. 10 when Michigan announced it found “credible evidence” of an inappropriate relationship with a staffer — there was still plenty of re-recruiting for the newly hired Kyle Whittingham to maneuver. Those efforts almost certainly revolved around Hiter and five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows (No. 9 overall, No. 4 edge), two ultra-high-end prospects the Wolverines pursued by mirroring the strategy that landed them former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood during the previous cycle.
Hiter drew rave reviews from teammates and coaches during spring practice, with Whittingham going so far as saying the true freshman will earn significant playing time from the outset of his career. The departure of starting tailback Justice Haynes via the transfer portal — he landed at Georgia Tech after carrying 121 times for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury last fall — creates an immediate opening for Hiter in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense.
Veteran Jordan Marshall, who carried 150 times for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, including four consecutive 100-yard games from mid-October to mid-November, is expected to enter fall camp atop the depth chart to form one of the league’s best pairings at that position.
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Jackson Cantwell, OT, Miami
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 330 pounds
School: Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri
Ranking: No. 2 overall, No. 1 OT
By the time Miami upset Ohio State in the quarterfinals of last year’s College Football Playoff, it became clear that the Hurricanes’ combination of immense size and strength along the offensive line made them legitimate national championship contenders. Right tackle Francis Mauigoa, who became a first-round pick by the New York Giants, was listed at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. Left tackle Markel Bell, who became a third-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, was listed at 6-foot-9 and 345 pounds. Together, they leaned on undersized edge rushers and defensive tackles alike until Miami had mauled its way to a title game appearance.
Ordinarily, replacing such high-level offensive tackles would be a daunting task for most coaching staffs. But Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, an offensive line coach by trade, scored what was unquestionably the biggest recruiting win of his burgeoning tenure when he signed five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell, considered by many to be the best player in the country.
Cantwell, who will likely start immediately at left tackle, is the highest-rated offensive line signee in program history and the second-best prospect to join Miami in the recruiting rankings era, trailing only linebacker D.J. Williams in 2000. He should play a pivotal role in protecting transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, formerly of Duke, for a program that expects to reach the playoff for a second straight season.
Jared Curtis, QB, Vanderbilt
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Jared Curtis of the Vanderbilt Commodores sprints during a winter workout. (Photo by Vanderbilt Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 pounds
School: Nashville Christian School in Nashville, Tennessee
Ranking: No. 4 overall, No. 2 QB
Rumblings surrounding what many considered a potentially paradigm-altering flip began to swirl several days before the early signing period last December. Could SEC afterthought Vanderbilt, which had finished above .500 just once in the preceding 11 seasons and only four times this century, really convince five-star quarterback Jared Curtis to renege on a verbal commitment to national powerhouse Georgia?
Those kinds of things don’t usually happen in college football, even when the player in question is being wooed by a hometown team. Which is why it was still relatively shocking when rumor became reality on Dec. 2 and Curtis, who’d been committed to Georgia for more than a year, spurned the Bulldogs in favor of Vanderbilt. He signed with the Commodores one day later.
Fast-forward to the present and Curtis, the only five-star signee in program history, is squarely in contention to become a day-one starter this fall. Reports from spring practice suggest that he matched or exceeded the lofty expectations heaped onto him by fans and analysts alike, flashing an enticing combination of arm strength and athleticism that should get him on the field this fall. His primary challenger is senior Blaze Berlowitz, a former three-star prospect and New Mexico State transfer entering his third season with the Commodores. Berlowitz made six appearances in 2025 but has never started a game for Vanderbilt. It seems unlikely that he will hold off Curtis much longer.
