Now that spring games have come to a close, we can get a better look at the rosters around college football. Position battles become clearer, preseason hype continues to build, and fanbases begin to ponder just how far their teams can go. Our one dose of college football until the fall has come to pass. Let’s talk about the latest developments amongst the nation’s top contenders.
Alabama
QB
It’s safe to say that Alabama fans can expect Keelon Russell to win the starting job. Kalen DeBoer is likely to let this quarterback battle brew into fall camp, but the outcome seems decided. Whether it be scrimmages or the spring game, Russell has dialed it up. Russell passed for 240 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT in the Tide’s spring game, making his presence felt to the observing Alabama fanbase.
WR
Wide receiver, while supremely talented, has its question marks heading into the summer. Ryan Coleman-Williams is a total wildcard. Incoming transfer Noah Rogers, a projected starter, suffered an injury during the spring that will sideline him for some of the 2026 season. Lotzeir Brooks remains a star, but Alabama will rely heavily on second-year player Derek Meadows and true freshman Cederian Morgan. Both Meadows and Morgan have flashed early, but this position group is searching for depth.
OL
Alabama’s OL is one of college football’s biggest x-factors. If the OL is above-average, Alabama becomes a title contender. If it’s not, Alabama fans will become quite uneasy. Sophomore 5-stars Michael Carroll and Jackson Lloyd are the cornerstone pieces of the OL. Transfer players Jayvin James and Racin Delgatty are projected to start at RT and C, while a battle remains for the LG position. Based on early observations, Alabama has become much more athletic, though its power remains a question.
LB
Alabama lost its three main contributors at the LB position. The quality of those contributors remains questionable depending on who you ask, but they were veterans nonetheless. Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson is the early favorite to start at one spot, as he has showcased his length and athleticism early. The other spot is currently up for grabs, but QB Reese is the frontrunner. At roughly 6′ 230, Reese is more of a snub-nosed LB with quick instincts. They’ll likely be the starters in week one, though competition remains.
Texas
QB
Arch Manning looked great in his reps. He continues to drive the ball down the field, connecting with his new target Cam Coleman. However, the depth of the Longhorns’ QB position continues to draw praise from viewers days after the game. KJ Lacey and freshman 5-star Dia Bell had great days, with Lacey turning heads all over the place. Lacey seems to be ready to go if something happens to Arch, and the Longhorns clearly have a headliner QB battle for the 2027 season.
WR
As expected by most of us, Cam Coleman is going to be everything that he wasn’t at Auburn. His route tree has already expanded, and his connection with Arch Manning is already strong. Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley will be just fine as the 2nd and 3rd options. But one name turning heads early is freshman Jermaine Bishop. Bishop was ranked as the #3 ATH and #57 overall player in the 2026 class, but the Texas staff believed he was the top offensive weapon in the class. Their belief seems correct early.
LB
While its structure limits takeaways from the Texas game, the impact of transfer LB Rasheem Biles is not in question. DC Will Muschamp clearly plans to use Biles as a chess piece, moving him all over the field. His downhill ability allows him to play in the box, but his athletic ability allows him to play in space and rush the passer. Alongside players like Ty’Anthony Smith, Brad Spence, and freshman 5-star Tyler Atkinson, the Longhorns’ LB room will be one of college football’s best.
Oregon
OL
Early observations of the Oregon offensive line indicate the Ducks made a point of becoming more athletic. While Oregon has featured more of a power run game in recent years, the new OL looks to move much better in space than previous groups. RS FR Ziyare Addison looks to be Oregon’s next great OT. His abilities at LT are hard to miss. With one of the best RB units in college football behind it, this OL shows promise of helping the Ducks break through to the big one.
WR
Spring games often favor the offense, but Oregon’s WR unit flashed its explosiveness frequently. Sophomore 5-star Dakorien Moore caught a 60+ yard TD, and Evan Stewart caught a 70+ yard TD. Evan Stewart’s health is perhaps the most important question for Oregon heading into 2026. Stewart can be a #1 WR on a national championship team, but he’ll be playing his first meaningful football since the 2024 season. With Jeremiah McClellan projected as the #3 WR and Iverson Hooks as the #4, the Oregon WR room is loaded.
DL
The amount of talent in the Oregon DL room over the last two seasons is nothing short of incredible. Even after losing 7 blue-chip recruits to the transfer portal, Oregon’s DL remains its most impressive unit. Aydin Breland, Matthew Johnson, Elijah Rushing, and Nasir Wyatt all flashed during the game, showing why they were all highly-touted recruits. Unfortunately for those guys, playing time will be difficult to come by. Matayo Uiagalelei and A’Mauri Washington will be 1st round draft picks, while Bear Alexander and Teitum Tuioti will be top-60 draft picks. Oregon’s DL might be college football’s most talented position group.
Ohio State
St. Clair / Henry Jr.
I can’t start the Ohio State section without talking about a pair of 5-stars- QB Tavien St. Clair and WR Chris Henry Jr. These two entered the game and immediately stole the show. St. Clair totaled 166 yards and 1 TD on the day, and Henry Jr. had 4 catches for 96 yards and 1 TD. They connected for a deep ball on their first snap of the game. St. Clair’s game is the polar opposite of Julian Sayin’s, featuring a strong build, rocket arm, and a knack for the deep ball. Chris Henry Jr. already looks like he’s waiting for Jeremiah Smith to pass the torch. At 6’5 200+ pounds, Henry Jr. is a matchup nightmare.
DL
While watching this game, I honestly lost count of the sacks. Kenyatta Jackson Jr and Zion Grady simply tortured the offensive tackles. Lots of times, the coaches will let the play continue without crediting the sack. In this case, they had to do it to keep the game functional. Jackson Jr and Grady appear to be double-digit sack candidates for 2026. They were the best players on the field, certainly on the defense. I expect Jackson Jr to be one of college football’s best players.
OL
The Buckeyes were missing both starting OTs during this game. If you wonder just how much the transfer portal has impacted depth, watch this spring game. Both 2nd string OTs were playing like revolving doors. The interior of the OL wasn’t much better, as the unit gave up pressure from all directions. Protection will obviously improve with two starters returning to the lineup, though starting RT Phillip Daniels had a 62 pass blocking grade in 2025. The OL is undoubtedly a question Ryan Day must answer.
Georgia
TE
As long as Todd Hartley remains the TE coach at Georgia, this position group will always steal the show. The plethora of talent in the TE room flashed all of its talent during the spring game. Freshman 5-star Kaiden Prothro made multiple plays. Jaden Reddell caught multiple passes and tried his best Brock Bowers impersonation with a jet sweep. Brayden Fogle caught a 30+ yard pass. Colton Heinrich even joined the fun with a 48-yard catch.
DB
Starting CBs Ellis Robinson IV and Demello Jones were held out of this game, allowing young guys to gain meaningful reps. Needless to say, Georgia has deep, young talent waiting in the wings yet again. Braylon Conley and Jontae Gilbert held their own on the outside, while true freshman Caden Harris made some plays. At safety, it’s apparent who Georgia’s next great DB is- Tyriq Green. Green caught an INT late in the game, adding to multiple INTs that he’s made throughout Georgia’s scrimmages. Green will undoubtedly play meaningful snaps for Georgia at some point this season.
LB
It’s not like this is breaking news to anyone, but Georgia’s LB room is insane. At this point, it’s hilarious. Raylen Wilson didn’t even play in the spring game- a player who’s 235 lbs and will run sub-4.5 in the 40. Chris Cole, Justin Williams, AJ Kruah, Nick Abrams II, and others all made plays throughout the game. An obvious attribute amongst this group is length. They seem to cover infinite ground in very short amounts of time. Not to mention, sophomore 5-star Zayden Walker didn’t participate either. The overall length and speed in the Georgia LB room are top-tier once again.
Miami
QB
As expected, 2026 will be the Darian Mensah show. He lit up Miami’s defense in the spring game, throwing for 147 yards and 3 TDs in his limited snaps. Get used to it, Miami fans. Mensah will be more Cam Ward than Carson Beck. Mensah hit a 30-yard TD pass on a streak down the sideline, then he hit a 25-yard TD on a nice over-the-shoulder ball. Mensah’s ball placement was his best attribute at Duke, and he’s carried it down to Miami.
DL
Fortunately for Miami, and unfortunately for everyone else, the Hurricanes have reloaded on the DL. Despite losing two 1st round players, Miami will still have one of college football’s best DLs. Damon Wilson projects to be the star of the group, but there’s one name that keeps resurfacing since the spring game- Booker Pickett Jr. Pickett Jr was the #7 EDGE in the 2024 class on 247 Sports and has sat behind Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor. His presence during the spring game was frequent, and it sounds like he was the Canes’ best defensive player that day.
RB
When reading through the play-by-play of the offense, you’ll notice a name that repeats quite often- Jordan Lyle. Lyle was used frequently on the ground and through the air. Miami will depend on his hands when he’s on the field, likely on 3rd down. Lyle seems destined to rebound from a sophomore slump after averaging 7.4 YPC as a freshman. Alongside Lyle as the backup RB will be Girard Pringle Jr, who averaged 6 YPC as a freshman. Miami will have one of college football’s deepest RB rooms.
