SEATTLE: Dante Moore of the Oregon Ducks gestures aft a touchdown during the 4th fourth of the crippled against the Washington Huskies astatine Husky Stadium connected November 29, 2025 successful Seattle, Washington. The Oregon Ducks won 26-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
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This is the clip of twelvemonth connected the assemblage shot almanac erstwhile polls, watchlists and projections predominate the conversation. As the soil slips done the hourglass and Week 0 action gets person and closer, forbes.com offers its apical 10 database of powerfulness convention players heading into the 2026 season.
1. Jeremiah Smith
Junior | Receiver | Ohio State
Born: Miami Gardens, Fla.
Smith placed sixth successful Heisman voting past play and, for illustration his backmost astatine the extremity of this list, he is simply a premier campaigner for the prized hardware successful 2026. It does not matter who he is facing and what type of defense he is going up against. After all, Smith has done thing but dazzle successful 2 seasons pinch the Buckeyes while piling up 11 100-yard games. He had six of them past play erstwhile he caught 87 passes successful 13 games and was 4th nationally successful averaging 95.6 receiving yards per title while hauling successful 12 TDs. To deliberation he missed 1 crippled and astir of another. It would astonishment nary 1 if he is celebrated arsenic the game’s apical subordinate 4 months from now.
2. Trinidad Chambliss
Senior | Quarterback | Ole Miss
Born: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chambliss was granted an further play of eligibility, which kept the Rebels successful the nationalist title speech and has the backmost among Heisman chatter. To admit what Chambliss did past play erstwhile he threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and each of 3 interceptions, 1 must callback that he was not the starter erstwhile the play began. That was Austin Simmons, whose early play inconsistency and wounded problem opened the doorway for Chambliss, a DII transportation (Ferris State) who hoisted the programme connected his shoulders and led it to the CFP. Though location are caller faces astatine receiver and a mates of caller starters connected the line, Kewan Lacy (No. 8 below) will beryllium toting the pigskin erstwhile again making for rather the QB/RB duo.
3. Malachi Toney
Sophomore | Receiver/All-Purpose | Miami
Born: Miami, Fla.
It did not return agelong for Toney to present himself to the federation a twelvemonth agone arsenic he opened the scoring successful a primetime season-opening triumph against visiting Notre Dame. To deliberation he was 17 astatine the clip and connected his measurement to mounting a slew of Miami records while totaling 1,622 all-purpose yards. He moreover threw a brace of touchdown passes. Now astatine the ripe aged property of 18 – he turns 19 connected September 17 – Toney is again portion of an elite formed that besides features Duke transportation Darian Mensah astatine quarterback. Toney, pinch a play and different spring/preseason nether his belt, offers coordinator Shannon Dawson galore tools, truthful expect moreover much opportunities to radiance arsenic a receiver successful 2026.
4. Leonard Moore
Junior | Cornerback | Notre Dame
Round Rock, Texas
We mightiness not perceive Moore’s sanction overmuch this season. That’s because throwing his measurement will origin violative coordinators to aftermath up successful a sweat. Hence, it is not advisable. It surely will not thief a quarterback’s walk ratio rating. Moore starred arsenic a sophomore past play and while the numbers do not supply justice, he intercepted 5 passes and collapsed up 7 connected his measurement to being tabbed a first squad All-American. He is simply a bundle of velocity and size (6-2, 197) successful a heavy secondary wrong 1 of the nation’s champion protect units, if not the best.
5. Dante Moore
Senior | Quarterback | Oregon
Born: Detroit, Mich.
Moore’s capacity successful 2025, erstwhile he threw 30 touchdown passes, was 4th nationally successful completion percent (71.8) and eighth successful rating, was each the much awesome considering what he did not person to activity with. Injuries dispersed done the receivers’ room for illustration a microorganism and it began pinch a knee wounded Evan Stewart suffered during summertime workouts that costs him the season. Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant missed late-season matchups owed to injuries and others connected the extent floor plan were banged up astatine times. Stewart and Moore are patient -- Bryant’s eligibility expired – and are portion of a heavy group of walk catchers that besides includes awesome tight extremity Jamari Johnson.
6. Colin Simmons
Junior | Edge | Texas
Born: Dallas, Texas
If looking for a defender who could garner Heisman attraction moreover pinch each the glamour connected the different broadside of scrimmage successful Austin, this is the spot to look. Simmons made his first profession commencement successful past season’s opener and proceeded to heap up an SEC-leading 1 twelve sacks on pinch 15.5 tackles for loss. This year, Simmons will statement up successful a defense drawn up by Will Muschamp, who returned to UT – he was Mack Brown’s DC 2008-10 – aft Pete Kwiatkowski was fto go. A November that includes trips to Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M could bolster Simmons’ resume on pinch the Longhorns’ playoff prospects.
7. Carter Smith
Redshirt Senior | Left Tackle | Indiana
Born: Powell, Ohio
There are not galore Hoosiers connected the 2026 roster who predate Curt Cignetti’s arrival. Smith is 1 who was astir successful the acheronian ages, different known arsenic 2023 erstwhile IU needed a instrumentality play successful the 4th overtime to conclusion Akron. Indeed, times person changed and successful singular manner pinch Smith instrumental successful starring the charge. He protected – sealed off? -- Fernando Mendoza’s backmost broadside a twelvemonth agone and will do likewise for Josh Hoover this season. The first squad preseason All-American is simply a logic why Indiana could get complete the hump successful winning Joe Moore Award this play aft checking successful arsenic a semifinalist past year.
8. Kewan Lacy
Junior | Running Back | Ole Miss
Born: Dallas, Texas
Lacy re-wrote overmuch of the Ole Miss grounds book past play erstwhile he ran for 24 touchdowns, a full that was 2nd nationally and paced the powerfulness convention fraternity. He besides ran for 1,567 yards connected 306 carries. They are numbers he whitethorn not copy successful 2026, and whitethorn not person to. After all, that is simply a batch of activity – Lacy besides caught 29 passes – and immoderate of it could spell to Michigan State transportation Makhi Frazier. That could thief support Lacy somewhat caller while still piling up the accumulation during what is hoped to beryllium different extended play for the Rebels.
9. Arch Manning
Redshirt Junior | Quarterback | Texas
Born: New Orleans, La.
Manning had everything and past immoderate going for him earlier he arrived successful Austin and has everything going for him heading into his 4th play pinch the Longhorns and 2nd arsenic the starter. That would see an infusion of top-shelf talent via the portal that includes, among others, receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn) and moving backs Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State). Manning threw for 3,163 yards, 26 TDs and 7 INTs while capping the play pinch 155 rushing yards – 155! – successful a Cheez-It Bowl triumph complete Michigan. A Week 2 trial against Ohio State will be, well, conscionable that. He threw for 170 yards and 1/1 successful past year’s season-opening 14-7 nonaccomplishment successful Columbus.
10. Julian Sayin
Junior | Quarterback | Ohio State
Born: Carlsbad, Calif.
After playing down Will Howard arsenic a existent freshman successful 2024, Sayin took complete the Buckeyes’ discourtesy successful 2025. What resulted was a first-year starter who was invited to Manhattan for the Heisman ceremony. The Golden State autochthonal placed fourth successful voting and heads into this season, on pinch his superior target noted astatine the apical of this list, arsenic a starring contender to go Ohio State’s seventh victor of prestigious award. With Brian Hartline moving the show astatine USF, Sayin has a caller OC successful erstwhile Atlanta Falcons’ caput coach, Arthur Smith. Sayin led the federation successful completion percent (77.0) and placed 2nd successful standing while throwing 32 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions past season. He and Smith tin get the hype instrumentality humming early erstwhile the Buckeyes meet the Longhorns successful Austin connected September 12. (By the way, Sayin and Smith are the 2 starring returning Heisman ballot getters from past year.)
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