Brad Shepard

By now, the superstars are emerging for each college football contender in 2026. The household names are preparing to perform once again. But there are also some unheralded dudes who could break out and be big-time playmakers, as well. You may not be talking about these guys. They may not be the ones you're going to circle right away. They may just be players who ultimately will help make or break a championship run.

College football is loaded with upperclassmen talent in 2026, and with NIL money flowing now, it's not uncommon to see kids come back for a year of development and to soak in the sport's pageantry before heading to the NFL. The junior class is especially bursting at the seams with talent as plenty of the teams expected to challenge for the title are represented with talented guys who've been in the system.

College football - or at least some version of it - is less than a month away with spring practice set to gear up around the nation sooner than you think. We've already discussed the incoming true freshmen we can't wait to see suit up for our favorite teams, but this day and age of college football brings with it new, experienced faces every year via the transfer portal. In some cases, those guys are unproven players who step into a larger role after a change of scenery.