Five CFB freshmen to watch in 2026: Reclassified Texas five-star DB, next great Ohio State WR, and others

The 2026 college football freshman class has a late addition.

On Thursday, Texas Longhorns commit John Meredith III, a five-star corner and originally the No. 2 overall recruit in 2027 according to ESPN, reclassified for 2026 and will be eligible this fall.

Last season, Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney, Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Ohio State Buckeyes running back Bo Jackson were among the year's top freshmen.

Who's next? Beginning with Meredith, here are five freshman breakout candidates in 2026.

Texas Longhorns cornerback John Meredith III

Rivals set a high bar in its high-school recruiting profile of Meredith, writing his "combination of stature, length and athleticism as a boundary corner" reminds it of two-time first-team All-Pro Indianapolis Colts corner Sauce Gardner.

Five-star sophomore Kade Phillips and redshirt junior transfer Bo Mascoe are the projected starters at left and right corner, while sophomore Graceson Littleton, who had two interceptions last season, fills out their depth in nickel packages, so Meredith will have to earn his way into playing time. But that may come as soon as this season.

After news broke of Meredith's reclassification, head coach Steve Sarkisian, who spoke at the SEC's media days, commented, "For us to get him now, we'll see how far it goes," per 247Sports.

"We don't have an expectation on him of a timetable," Sarkisian continued. "When he's ready, I think he'll be good enough to play."

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Jared Curtis

Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea has yet to determine who'll follow Diego Pavia at quarterback, but Curtis has the most upside.

The five-star recruit originally committed to Georgia before flipping last December, making him the highest-ranked commit in program history, He's competing with former three-star prospects Blaze Berlowitz, Whit Muschamp and Jack Elliott, and what they lack in blue-chip traits they make up for with experience in Vandy's system.

It's too early to anoint Curtis, but he made a strong first impression during spring practice. Per ESPN, Lea said, "He's got to show he's the best of the four" while noting "there are certainly things that make him unique.

"His biggest hurdle is going to be pre-snap and post-snap processing," Lea continued. "He's got really good instincts."

Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell

Last year, Cantwell became the first offensive lineman to be named Gatorade Player of the Year following a dominant senior season at Nixa High School in Missouri. Cantwell, listed at 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds on the official Miami team website, was credited with 153 pancake blocks and even scored a touchdown in 13 games ahead of a Class 6 state championship game loss to Lee's Summit. 

He enters his first season at 2025 national runner-up Miami as a top-10 overall prospect according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN and in line to start at left tackle on a team with championship aspirations. With 2026 NFL Draft picks Francis Mauigoa and Markel Bell gone, Cantwell has big shoes to fill. He might quickly outgrow them.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.

Two years ago, Jeremiah Smith burst onto the scene with a fantastic freshman season for the Buckeyes. Henry may be just as impactful.

The 6-foot-5 wideout could provide an immediate impact while taking advantage of double-teams against Smith. Henry can be a nightmare in one-on-one situations, as one poor defender found out in the opener of the five-star recruit's senior year.