EA College Football 26 Ratings Update: Biggest Risers and Fallers

Biggest Risers

Kam Robinson (Virginia, MLB) – 86 OVR (+4)
The Cavaliers’ leader in the middle continues to gain respect. His improved awareness and tackling helped boost his overall to 86.

Joey Aguilar (Tennessee, QB) – 90 OVR (+3)
Aguilar’s arm talent just got recognized. With accuracy and throw-on-the-run upgrades, Tennessee’s QB now sits at a 90 overall and looks every bit the part of an SEC playmaker.

Ahmaad Moses (SMU, FS) – 91 OVR (+2)
A bump in awareness and zone coverage moves Moses to a 91 overall, cementing him as one of the more reliable defenders in the ACC.

Cam Cook (Jacksonville State, HB) – 91 OVR (+2)
Improved ball-carrier vision and awareness earned Cook a bump, pushing his overall to 91 as one of the top-tier backs in his conference.

Keith Abney (Arizona State, CB) – 91 OVR (+1)
A small but meaningful boost for the Sun Devils’ defensive anchor, who continues to lock down opposing wideouts with improved man and zone coverage.

Arvell Reese (Ohio State, MLB) – 93 OVR (+1)
Ohio State’s enforcer in the middle gets a minor upgrade after showing improved pursuit and finishing ability.

Colin Simmons (Texas, EDGE) – 94 OVR (+1)
The Longhorns’ five-star phenom adds another point to his resume, pushing his overall to 94 — further proof that Texas’ front seven is loaded.

Carnell Tate (Ohio State, WR) – 94 OVR (+1)
Another Buckeye rising. Tate’s consistent route running and agility upgrades give him a modest bump to 94, solidifying his spot among the game’s elite receivers.

Caleb Hawkins (North Texas, HB) – 85 OVR (+5)
The Mean Green halfback exploded in this update, climbing five overall points thanks to improved acceleration and agility. Hawkins’ burst out of the backfield is now reflected properly in his boosted 93 ACC and 89 AGI ratings.

Xavier Atkins (Auburn, ROLB) – 83 OVR (+9)
The biggest winner of the week. Atkins turned heads with his rapid development, seeing upgrades across awareness and tackling. His +9 leap shows Auburn’s defense isn’t just physical — it’s deep.

Zina Umeozulu (Texas, LE) – 78 OVR (+7)
The Longhorns’ defensive front continues to shine, with Umeozulu’s +7 rise making Texas even scarier off the edge. Improved finesse and power moves make him a reliable pass-rushing weapon.

Isaiah Jones (Indiana, MLB) – 80 OVR (+7)
Quietly climbing, Jones’ balanced upgrade reflects all-around growth in pursuit and tackling — key attributes that now make Indiana’s defense more competitive in the Big Ten.

Charlie Christopher (Ohio, MLB) – 70 OVR (+8)
A name few expected to appear this high, Christopher made major strides across awareness and play recognition. The Bobcats’ middle linebacker now carries a strong 70 overall, up eight points.

Biggest Fallers

While there haven’t been any major collapses in this week’s update, a few players saw modest drops worth noting.

Cade McConnell (Vanderbilt, C) – 72 OVR (−4)
Rough week in the trenches for McConnell, whose blocking numbers took a hit. A four-point drop marks one of the steeper declines in this update.

Dylan Barrett (Iowa State, LG) – 85 OVR (−3)
The Cyclones’ guard loses ground in strength and awareness, sliding to an 85 overall. Iowa State’s line stability just got shakier.

Austin Romaine (Kansas State, MLB) – 90 OVR (−2)
After a strong early run, Romaine sees a slight dip across key defensive metrics, now sitting at a 90 overall.

A.J. Harris (Penn State, CB) – 88 OVR (−2)
The Nittany Lions’ corner slips two points as his coverage and agility ratings drop slightly — not a huge fall, but enough to notice in man coverage.

Mohamed Toure (Miami, ROLB) – 83 OVR (−2)
Miami’s linebacker core takes a minor hit as Toure’s pursuit and block-shedding dipped just enough to push him down two overall points.

Ben Gulbranson (Stanford, QB) – 75 OVR (−2)
Accuracy and decision-making tweaks dropped the Cardinal signal-caller’s overall slightly — though his poise under pressure remains solid.

Courtland Ford (UCLA, LT) – 72 OVR (−2)
A small fall for UCLA’s left tackle after regression in blocking awareness. He now sits at 72 overall.

Garson Hinzman (Ohio State, C) – 84 OVR (−2)
Ohio State’s interior line depth took a hit as Hinzman’s awareness and strength slipped slightly, bringing him down to an 84.

Justin Pickett (Duke, RG) – 82 OVR (−2)
Duke’s guard rounds out the list, taking a small dip in blocking consistency to close the week’s biggest fallers.

Final Take

The update’s biggest theme? Youth movement. Rising names like Atkins, Umeozulu, and Hawkins show that breakout performances are finally being rewarded. Meanwhile, veteran linemen and defenders across the ACC and Big 12 took noticeable steps back — proving once again that in EA College Football 26, every snap counts.

All ratings per the official EA College Football 26 weekly update.