Eli LedermanFeb 25, 2026, 07:15 AM ETCloseEli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.Multiple Authors
In this moment of college football, the elite freshmen joining their new programs this spring are no longer just coveted prospects for the future. Increasingly, the nation’s top recruits are also stepping onto campus as some of the highest-paid members of their respective rosters, some with six- and seven-figure financial deals before they’ve played a single college snap.
Freshmen will play a role in defining the 2026 college football season. A year ago, it was newcomers like Miami’s Malachi Toney and Michigan’s Bryce Underwood. This fall, it could be any number of the nation’s top first-year players who help shape the College Football Playoff field, dictate the coaching carousel and inform how major programs spend moving forward.
Viewed as one of the most polished offensive tackle prospects in recent cycles, Cantwell signed with the Hurricanes on a multiyear deal worth north of $2 million annually, per ESPN sources.
The chance to replace Diego Pavia and compete for a starting job immediately ultimately drove Curtis’ decision to flip his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt late last fall. And, with little other proven talent in the program’s quarterback room, ESPN’s No. 1 pocket passer appears likely to be under center when the Commodores host Austin Peay in Week 1.
Crowell, ESPN’s No. 3 running back in the 2026 class, reclassified to enter college a year early. Nonetheless, the Crimson Tide are expected to call on the powerful runner from Jackson, Alabama, early to help fix what was one of the worst rushing attacks in college football last fall.
Bowman signed with the Trojans on a seven-figure revenue sharing deal, per ESPN sources. Before playing a single college snap, the 6-5, 225-pound freshman from California power Mater Dei High School is already one of, if not the highest-paid tight ends in the sport.
When the Huskies allocated significant financial resources to flip Greene from Oregon last spring, program sources told ESPN that the investment was made with a clear view of the 6-6, 320-pound lineman slotting straight into the program’s offensive line rotation in 2026.
Guyton, once a top-five prospect in the 2027 cycle, reclassified to join the Red Raiders a year early on a multiyear deal worth more than $3 million in total compensation, per ESPN sources.
Like Guyton, Ojo landed with Texas Tech with a lucrative, multiyear revenue sharing contract. And like Guyton, it might not be in Year 1 that Ojo ultimately fully delivers on the investment.
Ojo has elite mobility, high upside and the type of projectable physical frame offensive line coaches dream of. But at 6-6, 285 pounds, he’s still some distance from being physically equipped to be a difference-maker in 2026 for a Red Raiders offensive line that struggled to hold its own against elite defensive units last fall. Like Guyton, early return on investment with Ojo is more likely to come through a strong development year that offers clear promise for the future.
Syracuse swung big and beat Miami and Michigan to land the 6-5, 195-pound Russell, who is the highest-ranked signee in program history.
The Cougars invested significantly in the 2026 cycle and ultimately landed the highest-ranked signing class in program history, led by Harris, a productive pass catcher from St. George, Utah.
Henry has been discussed as the next great Ohio State wide receiver for years now. Tack on a famous last name — he’s the son of late West Virginia and Cincinnati Bengals pass catcher Chris Henry — and a seven-figure deal, and there’s plenty of pressure hovering over Henry in 2026. But there’s also a tremendous opportunity awaiting ESPN’s No. 1 wide receiver this fall.
The Vols built their 2026 recruiting class around Brandon and a vision of the 6-4 passer from Greensboro, North Carolina, as the program’s quarterback of the future. But after a state court denied 2025 starter Joey Aguilar’s request for another year of eligibility, Tennessee could end up calling on Brandon to take charge of its offense as early as his freshman fall.
The Wolverines return third-year rusher Jordan Marshall after his breakout 2025 campaign. But Michigan is expected to run the ball even more under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, and with few proven contributors behind Marshall, Hiter could be headed for a sizable backfield role as the program looks to maximize quarterback Bryce Underwood’s second season under center.
The Bulldogs capitalized on late-season momentum, a substantial financial push and Hugh Freeze’s firing at Auburn to land Womack, Mississippi’s No. 3 overall prospect, late last fall.
That price tag alone heightens the expectations surrounding the five-star freshman in 2026. But so, too, should the 6-foot-8, 315-pound Cantwell’s elite agility, advanced technique and college-ready build. Miami hasn’t shied away from giving snaps to first-year offensive linemen lately. Like Hurricanes All-American Francis Mauigoa before him, Cantwell will have a chance to claim a starting job protecting quarterback Darian Mensah from Day 1 as the national runner-up Hurricanes prepare to replace 2025 offensive tackle starters Mauigoa and Markel Bell.
Curtis will have the benefit of some continuity with veteran running back Sedrick Alexander and pass catchers Junior Sherrill and Tre Richardson returning in 2026. However, between filling Pavia’s shoes, the learning curve behind playing as a freshman in the SEC and question marks across an overhauled offensive line unit, Curtis will have plenty on his shoulders as he takes over the SEC’s No. 2 scoring offense from a year ago. Vanderbilt’s Oct. 3 trip to Georgia, a program Curtis decommitted from twice in high school, should carry some significant weight, as well.
Of course, USC invested heavily in Bowman — and LSU worked hard to flip him in December — for a reason. He projects as one of the most intriguing pass-catching tight end prospects in years — the type of downfield target a program can build its offense around. Whether Bowman, who opted to forgo his senior high school season, is ready to fulfill the blocking duties required of a Big Ten tight end in Year 1 is a question. But following the offseason departures of Trojans tight ends Walker Lyons and Lake McRee, the door is open for Bowman to assert himself and justify his hefty contract right away.
ESPN’s No. 6 offensive tackle in the 2026 class, Greene excelled against the powerhouse defensive lines of California’s Trinity League, and he carries the required frame, athleticism and technical ability to compete for starting reps from Day 1. Greene is expected to compete with Sam Houston State transfer Kolt Dieterich for the Huskies’ open left tackle job. Whether he starts in Week 1, Greene will be looked upon as a key piece of the program’s blocking unit as Washington looks to take another step under Jedd Fisch in 2026.
The Tigers went all in to edge Texas A&M for Brown’s commitment under Brian Kelly, then held on to sign the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in Lane Kiffin’s first week on the job in December. With a rare blend of power and quickness, Brown projects to eventually become a versatile wrecker alongside the defensive line. In the near term, he’ll likely require some physical and technical development before reaching his full potential. LSU’s glut of defensive tackle depth means the Tigers won’t necessarily need Brown any sooner than he’s ready in 2026. But arriving next to Richard Anderson and Deuce Geralds in an ultratalented defensive line class, eyes will be on Brown in 2026, and it will be imperative for him to make serious strides in Year 1.
A combine testing standout at 6-3, 250 pounds, Guyton projects someday to develop into an elite speed rusher in the mold of ex-Texas Tech All-American David Bailey or Texas edge Colin Simmons. But how soon? The Red Raiders turned back to the transfer portal this offseason and signed four experienced pass rushers to replace the production departing the program’s ferocious 2025 defensive line. Guyton, meanwhile, doesn’t turn 18 years old until mid-November. Could he earn chances as a situational pass rusher? Perhaps. More likely, the success of Guyton’s first year on campus will be defined by the scope of his physical development and overall acclimation to college football.
Russell has already joined the school’s men’s basketball program this winter. So long as that doesn’t slow his football acclimation, he looks every bit the part of a downfield target who can contribute immediately in the fall, similar to the Year 1 impact two-way playmaker Demetres Samuel Jr. had for Syracuse last fall. With the program’s top three pass catchers from a year ago all gone, Russell has the potential to quickly emerge as a game changer in the passing game and to deliver on the hype surrounding his arrival with the Orange right away.
As such, Harris will shoulder some of the pressure as one of the faces of a historic class. However, the 6-6, 245-pound freshman is stepping into a relatively comfortable situation within a well-stocked BYU tight end room in 2026. After losing third-leading pass catcher Carsen Ryan to graduation, the Cougars added transfers Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga at the position this offseason and have at least two other more experienced options ahead of Harris in Keayen Nead and Noah Moeaki. Considering BYU’s investment, Harris will undoubtedly have to make the most of his opportunities in 2026, but the program’s depth at the position should allow him the chance to round out the edges in his game, particularly as a blocker.
The Terps have proven willing to platform talented young pass rushers. A year ago, the freshman duo of Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis combined for 13 total sacks and finished among Maryland’s top eight defensive snap-getters, providing a silver lining to the program’s 4-8 finish. Long, fast and explosive, the 6-4, 220-pound Elee has all the tools to deliver a similar immediate impact for Maryland if given the same opportunity in 2026. Such a development would not only add another weapon to an impressive Terps pass rush, but also some much-needed proof of concept for Locksley and the program’s approach to investment on the recruiting trail with Maryland’s eighth-year coach likely coaching for his job this fall.