Spring football is in the rearview mirror. We’re now headed to the dog days of summer. But as the temperature rises, so does anticipation for the next college football season. At On3, there's no offseason. Just dreaming, pondering, and anticipating fall — the best time of year.
So here’s Ari Wasserman's list of the top 10 players returning to college football in 2026.
1. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Anyone who followed Smith's recruitment knew he was an alien, but sometimes aliens don't transform into productive players at the next level. That's not what happened here. In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Smith has accumulated more than 2,500 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns, already has a national title, and likely could have started for half the NFL rosters last season. It's crazy he still has one more year left in college.
2. CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Moore is by far the best cornerback prospect in college football. A unanimous All-American in 2025, he racked up five interceptions and seven pass breakups for the Irish. It seems all but certain he'll be a top-five pick in next year's NFL Draft, and an Ohio State-Notre Dame matchup in the CFP would give us four quarters of Moore vs. Smith.
3. WR Malachi Toney, Miami
Do you know how good at football you have to be to earn the nickname "Baby Jesus"? Somehow, Toney lived up to it as a true freshman, leading the Hurricanes all the way to the national title game. This list isn't about the best pro prospects. It's about the best college football players. Toney is in the top three, no question.
These three are just the beginning. See who else made Wasserman's full top 10, and where the rest of college football's elite land on the list.
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