Part of what makes the magic of college football so exciting is simply how different acquiring talent is than in any other league. Compared to the NFL, where teams build through the NFL Draft and supplement by signing players in free agency, recruiting talent at the college level is chaotic. Recruiting can give any program the illusion of landing a program-changing player, but oftentimes the rich only get richer.
Nothing is more exciting on the recruiting trail than when your favorite program lands a 5-star recruit. The promise is off the charts, but for every Jeremiah Smith or Cam Coleman there are some players who don't make a major impact. Heading into the 2026 college football season, 25 former 5-star recruits are on the clock to finally live up to the hype.
The 25 former 5-stars who need to make an impact in 2026
Micah Hudson - Wide Receiver - Texas Tech
Before Texas Tech became the big-spending power we've seen in recent years, their biggest recruiting pickup was 5-star wide receiver Micah Hudson. Last offseason, Hudson transferred to Texas A&M, but returned to Lubbock before the season, posting another year with just 8 catches. As the Red Raiders say goodbye to several talented receivers, Hudson is on the clock to start becoming a weapon the offense can count on.
Justin Williams - Linebacker - Georgia
Coming out of High School, Justin Williams was the 6th ranked player in the Country, looking like the next great Georgia defender. Williams showed some solid production this past season with 36 tackles, 17 of which were solo. This season, Justin Williams will need to take the next step in an expanded role if he's going to blossom into a potential 1st round pick.
LJ McCray - Edge Rusher - Florida
Billy Napier got one of the biggest wins of his Florida tenure when he was able to sign top 10 recruit LJ McCray over Florida State and Georgia. As a True Freshman, McCray showed promise with 13 tackles and half a sack before an injury cost him his 2025 campaign. McCray didn't opt to hit the Transfer Portal with the coaching changes, and if he can live up to the potential and stay healthy, the Gators will have a chance to be a real dark horse in the SEC.
Williams Nwaneri - Edge Rusher - Nebraska
Coming out of High School, Williams Nwaneri opted to be the hometown hero, signing with Missouri. The staff that recruited Nwaneri joined LSU before he arrived on campus, and after his freshman season he opted to transfer to Nebraska. Nwaneri showed some production with 2.5 sacks this past season, but he'll need to take a massive leap next season to live up to the hype.
Terry Bussey - Wide Receiver - Texas A&M
Coming out of High School, Terry Bussey was one of the most exciting players in his class as an all-around weapon. Bussey settled on Wide Receiver at Texas A&M, and heading into his 3rd season in College Station, he's racked up just 35 catches for 411 yards and a touchdown. While KC Concepcion is off to the NFL, Mario Craver returns, with Isaiah Horton joining the Aggies, making it harder for Bussey to establish himself as an elite playmaker.
Zay Mincey - Defensive Back - Alabama
When Nick Saban retired, he left behind a loaded recruiting class for Kalen DeBoer to build his team around, headlined by an absolute haul at defensive back. The Daytona Beach native has waited his turn in a loaded defensive back room, and he'll need to battle for more playing time this season. The departure of Domani Jackson should help his chances, but there's plenty of talent pushing him in the battle.
Jaylen Mbakwe - Cornerback - Georgia Tech
Like Zay Mincey, Jaylen Mbakwe was one of the final recruits Nick Saban landed at Alabama, after Mbakwe's incredible High School career as an athlete. Mbakwe landed at cornerback in Tuscaloosa, and showed a ton of promise early on. After a brief stint in the Transfer Portal, Mbakwe returned to Alabama, but as a wide receiver where he struggled to find a role. After the season, Mbakwe entered the Transfer Portal landing at Georgia Tech where he'll return to cornerback to build back up his stock.
Justin Scott - Defensive Tackle - Miami
As the Miami Hurricanes look to rebuild their defensive line, several former top recruits will be tasked with stepping up. Last season, Justin Scott gave the Canes some solid play with 26 tackles and a sack, but the production will need to take a major leap given how many fresh faces will be factoring into the room.
Jordan Ross - Edge Rusher - LSU
Josh Heupel and his staff picked up an early recruiting win when they landed elite edge rusher Jordan Ross out of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. In 2024, Ross didn't play much, but this past season he chipped in with 1.5 sacks. Ross opted to transfer to LSU this offseason with the turnover in Tennessee's defensive staff, and while he'll be a front runner for a starting role, the Tigers have a ton of talent he'll need to outperform this year.
Marquise Lightfoot - Edge Rusher - Miami
Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr are off to the NFL, leaving behind two massive holes to fill for Miami off the edge. Damon Wilson II joins the Canes, but several of the former 5-stars will be tasked with chipping in. Marquise Lightfoot contributed 2.5 sacks this past season, and the Canes will need him to take a major step forward next season.
Armondo Blount - Edge Rusher - Miami
Joining the likes of Justin Scott and Marquise Lightfoot as pivotal pieces of Miami's defensive front is fellow former 5-star Armondo Blount. Rushing off the edge, Blount contributed 2.5 sacks in a crowded room with Bain and Mesidor. The opportunities will be there for Blount this season, and if he can't take the next step, he'll once again be stuck looking to carve out a role.
Keon Keeley - Edge Rusher - Notre Dame
Nick Saban beat out Notre Dame in the battle for Keon Keeley, who ranked as the 2nd best player in the 2023 recruiting class. Due to Alabama's constantly stocked edge rush room, along with never putting it all together, Keeley never became the star the Crimson Tide hoped he would be. After transferring to the school he nearly picked out of High School, it's now or never for Keeley to emerge as an impactful player.
Jackson Arnold - Quarterback - UNLV
The career of Jackson Arnold has been a rollercoaster that will need to eventually calm down if he's ever going to make it to the NFL. Arnold signed with Oklahoma as a 5-star recruit and looked like the future to the point that the Sooners allowed Dillon Gabriel to leave in the portal. After Arnold struggled at Oklahoma, he transferred to Auburn, where he was abysmal, sending him back into the portal. UNLV will look to rehab Arnold as a quarterback as they did with Anthony Colandrea, and a down year from Arnold could be his last as a starter.
Adepoju Adebawore - Edge Rusher - Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners have built impressive defenses under Brent Venables, but part of continuing to make Playoff runs is replacing elite talent. As Oklahoma loses R Mason Thomas to the NFL, someone is going to need to step up and replace his production off the edge. Former 5-star Aepoju Adebawore contributed a career high 2.5 sacks last season, and he'll need to take a major step forward for his own future along with the teams Playoff hopes.
Samson Okunlola - Offensive Tackle - Miami
Francis Mauigoa and Markell Bell are off to the NFL, and Mario Cristobal is stuck replacing both of his offensive tackles. Whether it's on the interior or at one of the tackle positions, Samson Okunlola is going to need to live up to his 5-star potential and fill a hole in the roster. Last season, Okunlola took snaps at Guard, and it could be the easiest place for him to slot into a starting role.
James Smith - Defensive Tackle - Ohio State
James Smith is one of the many 5-star recruits that Nick Saban signed, but the vast majority of his career was spent under Kalen DeBoer. Smith's tenure at Alabama was filled with flashes, but he never quite turned into the superstar the Crimson Tide hoped he'd become. This offseason, Smith transferred to Ohio State, and the Buckeyes will need him to take a major step forward as they try to push for a National Championship.
Qua Russaw - Edge Rusher - Alabama
After playing high school football with James Smith, Qua Russaw committed with him to the Crimson Tide. Over the past two seasons, Russaw has had the chance to prove he was worthy of the 5-star ranking, but saw a drop-off in production after a promising 2024 season. Russaw joins an Ohio State team looking to replace a ton of talent on the defensive front, where he'll need to break out.
Jordan Hall - Defensive Tackle - Georgia
Kirby Smart constantly faces the challenge of replacing elite NFL talent on the defensive line, and he'll need to work his magic once again. Waiting in the wings on the interior is former 5-star recruit Jordan Hall. Over his first 3 seasons in Athens, Hall has racked up just 26 tackles, but he appears ready to step into a major role in the defense.
CJ Baxter - Running Back - Kentucky
When CJ Baxter first burst onto the scene in 2023, he looked like a future superstar for Texas, rushing for 659 yards as a freshman. A knee injury suffered in the preseason cost Baxter all of 2024, and when he returned, he struggled to find his footing again. Baxter is now at Kentucky, where he'll look to return to form and help power a Wildcat offense that could stun many in the SEC.
Johntay Cook II - Wide Receiver - Ole Miss
Former 5-star recruit Johntay Cook II has had one of the wildest rides in college football as he arrives at Ole Miss. After mutually parting ways with Texas after two seasons in Austin, Cook transferred to Washington, where he lasted only a month before leaving again, this time for Syracuse. With 549 yards last season, Cook had a solid season, but it's far from the potential many thought he had.
DJ Lagway - Quarterback - Baylor
When DJ Lagway arrived in Florida, the promise was so high, and with the way he played as a freshman, he looked like a future 1st round pick. A preseason injury and abysmal play led to the firing of Billy Napier and the departure of Lagway to the portal. DJ Lagway now needs to piece his career back together at Baylor; otherwise, his own career, along with Dave Aranda's, will be in jeopardy.
Denver Harris - Cornerback - UNLV
The career of Denver Harris has taken many twists and turns, and the 2026 season truly feels like a last chance. Harris signed with Texas A&M as a 5-star, and debuted as an impressive cornerback, but an incident in the locker room led to his suspension. After the season, Harris landed at LSU, where he couldn't find the field with the worst secondary they've had in a long time. Harris has since played at UTSA and a season at UNLV, but he's struggled to ever live up to the promise he showed at Texas A&M.
Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy - DL - South Carolina Gamecocks
Florida Native Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy was another one of the elite recruits that Jimbo Fisher was able to reel in near the end of his tenure in College Station. For all the 5-star hype, Brownlow-Dindy was a flop with just 4 tackles and half a sack for the Aggies. Last season, the former 5-star contributed with 18 tackles, but he's going to need to take a major step forward to ever live up to the hype.
Jaheim Singletary - Cornerback - Iowa State
The road that's led Jaheim Singletary has been winding as he started his career as a 5-star cornerback signing with the Georgia Bulldogs. After one year with Kirby Smart, Singletary transferred to Arkansas, where he's made an impact over the last three years. Singletary is an incredibly gifted athlete, and he'll need to piece it all together to help a rebuilding Iowa State team.
Jacoby Mathews - Safety - Auburn
Coming out of High School, Jacoby Mathews was one of the top prospects in the Country, opting to sign with Jimbo Fisher in Texas A&M's historic signing class. Jacoby Mathews last played for Texas A&M during the 2023 season, missing all of 2024 before making 1 tackle for Auburn in 2025. Mathews is back for one final season of college football at Auburn where he'll need to prove he can play at a high level in order to make the leap to the NFL.
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