'College Football 26': The 10 Highest-Rated QBs, Offensive and Defensive Players
For the vast majority of players, winning, money and individual stats are typically the key indicators of success. However, many athletes also value their ratings in video games, too. Some college athletes got their first taste of that on Tuesday.
EA Sports has unveiled its individual player ratings for the upcoming "College Football 26" video game. There weren't any players who earned a 99 overall rating, so there isn't a 99 Club like there is with Madden quite yet. But Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith fell just short of the honor, earning a 98 overall rating in the game.
Let's take a look at the 10 highest-rated defensive players, offensive players and quarterbacks in "College Football 26."
Defense10. Oregon S Dillon Thieneman (93)Thieneman has been one of the best safeties in the nation since his freshman year at Purdue in 2023, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year that season. Following another strong season at Purdue in 2024, in which he had 104 combined tackles, Thieneman transferred to Oregon for the 2025 season.
9. Auburn edge Keldric Faulk (93)Faulk followed up his first-team All-SEC campaign in 2023 with an even stronger year in 2024. He had 45 combined tackles, seven sacks, a forced fumble and 45 total pressures last season.
8. Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore (93)Moore wasn’t on anyone’s radar entering the 2024 season as he was a three-star freshman. But an early-season injury to Benjamin Morrison thrust Moore into a big role, and he delivered, recording two interceptions and 11 passes defended. He also gave up just two touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus, as he earned a spot on the freshman All-American team.
7. Texas edge Colin Simmons (93)Just like Moore, Simmons was also a freshman All-American in 2024. Simmons had nine sacks, 48 total tackles, three forced fumbles and 46 pressers for the Longhorns last season.
Woods has been viewed by some as a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as he’s emerged as a key player for Clemson’s defensive line over the last two seasons. He had 28 total talckles, three sacks and 20 pressures in 11 games last season.
5. Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy (94)McCoy didn’t have any problem acclimating himself to the SEC in 2024 following his transfer from Oregon State. His four interceptions and nine passes defended were both in the top 10 in the SEC, allowing just two touchdowns in coverage last season.
4. South Carolina edge Dylan Stewart (94)Stewart lived up to the billing as a five-star recruit in his freshman season last year. He posted 23 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and 51 total pressures in 2024, making him a player to watch for 2025 and beyond.
3. Clemson edge T.J. Parker (95)Woods isn’t the only Clemson defensive lineman with first-round potential. Parker has been the more productive of the two players during their first two years at Clemson, recording 57 total tackles, 11 sacks, 51 pressures and six forced fumbles, which were the second-most in the nation.
2. Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. (95)Hill was already one of the top defensive players in the nation in 2024. He finished in the top 10 in the SEC in several of the key defensive stats, such as sacks (eight) and total tackles (113). His 17 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles led the conference as he also recorded 23 pressures to be named a first-team All-American.
1. Ohio State S Caleb Downs (96)Downs has been a force at both of his college stops. He won SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023 with Alabama, recording 107 total tackles that year. While his stats might not agree, Downs was just as good, if not better, for Ohio State in 2024. He recorded 82 total tackles and two interceptions, earning comparisons to Troy Polamalu for his versatile safety play.
Offense10. Penn State RB Nicholas Singleton (93)The Nittany Lions returned both of their standout running backs from the past couple of seasons for 2025. EA Sports believes Singleton is the better of the two. He rushed for 1,099 yards on 6.4 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns to go with 41 receptions for 375 yards and five touchdowns, making him one of the nation’s most complete running backs.
9. Miami (Fla.) OT Francis Mauigoa (93)There are a few offensive tackles who are already getting top-10 buzz for the 2026 NFL Draft. Mauigoa is among that group, giving up just one sack and 19 pressures in 2024 (per PFF) as his massive 6-foot-6 frame gives him an edge over opposing pass rushers.
8. Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers (93)The quarterback-turned-tight end had a breakthrough season in 2024. In his first season at Vanderbilt, Stowers recorded 49 receptions for 648 yards and five touchdowns, earning a first-team All-SEC nod.
7. Texas A&M G Ar’maj Reed-Adams (93)Mike Elko has remade Texas A&M through the trenches. Offensively, Reed-Adams has been a key reason for that. He only allowed one sack and 10 pressures last season, per PFF, making a smooth transition from Kansas to Texas A&M.
6. Utah OT Spencer Fano (94)Another offensive lineman with high upside, Fano is one of the few players in the sport who has played well at both left and right tackle. He only allowed two sacks when he played left tackle as a true freshman in 2023 before giving up one sack at right tackle in 2024 (per PFF), being named first-team All-Big 12 as a result.
Proctor is also among the group of players who have lived up to their five-star billing from their days as a recruit. He’s been a Day 1 starter for Alabama at left tackle, although he enjoyed a brief offseason stint with Iowa in 2024 before transferring back to Tuscaloosa. He was named second-team All-SEC last year.
4. Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson (94)If it weren’t for a pair of freshman sensations, Tyson might be getting even more buzz entering 2025. He had 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, winning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, but missed Arizona State’s Peach Bowl loss to Texas due to injury. Still, Tyson is considered by many to be the top wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
3. Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love (95)Love was Notre Dame’s offensive catalyst in its run to the national championship game last season. As a sophomore, he rushed for 1,125 yards on 6.9 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns. One of those 17 touchdowns was a 98-yard score against Indiana in the College Football Playoff.
One of the co-cover stars of the game, Williams had a standout freshman season at Alabama before his 18th birthday. He recorded 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns, adding two more scores on the gound.
1. Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (98)The game’s other co-cover star is the highest-rated player in "College Football 26." Entering his freshman season, there was some buzz that Smith could’ve been a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if he were eligible. Obviously, there’s no way to know that for certain, but he certainly played like a future top-10 pick as a freshman. He recorded 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, setting program and Big Ten records in Ohio State’s path to winning a national championship.
Quarterbacks10. Florida’s DJ Lagway (90)No quarterbacks were included in the top-10 highest-rated offensive players in "College Football 26," but there are plenty who have an overall rating of at least 90. Lagway is among that group, going 6-1 in games he started for Florida as a true freshman last season.
9. Texas’ Arch Manning (90)As Manning’s set to become Texas’ starting quarterback in 2025, EA Sports already views him as one of the best quarterbacks in the sport. The redshirt sophomore impressed in the two starts he made last season as he threw for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions to go with four rushing touchdowns over 10 games.
8. Navy’s Blake Horvath (90)You might not be accustomed to seeing a Navy player being featured on a top quarterbacks list, but Horvath has made a strong case to be included on those lists entering 2025. While he threw for 1,353 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions last season, Horvath did much of his damage on the ground. He rushed for 1,246 yards and 17 touchdowns.
7. Miami (Fla.)’s Carson Beck (91)Back for another year of college ball, Beck is arguably the most accomplished returning quarterback in the nation. He backed up Stetson Bennett for Georgia’s two national title wins earlier this decade before becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC over the last two years. But after he suffered a season-ending UCL injury in the SEC Championship Game, Beck opted to leave Georgia, initially entering the NFL Draft before transferring to Miami.
6. Oklahoma’s John Mateer (91)Mateer was arguably the best quarterback to transfer this offseason. The former Washington State quarterback showcased strong dual-threat ability in 2024, throwing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go with 826 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
5. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers (91)Sellers was a revelation for South Carolina, giving its offense a pop to pair well with its strong defense. He threw for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go with 674 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, winning SEC Freshman of the Year.
As Tyson is one of the highest-rated offensive players in the game, his quarterback is highly regarded. In his first year as a starter, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with five rushing scores, helping Arizona State win the Big 12 after transferring from Michigan State.
3. Penn State’s Drew Allar (92)Allar enters the 2025 season as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. He took a leap as a junior in 2024, throwing for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go with six rushing touchdowns. But the pressure is definitely on Allar entering 2025 as Penn State seeks to take the next step.
If Manning doesn’t declare for the 2026 NFL Draft (or he doesn’t live up to the hype), Nussmeier has been viewed as another potential candidate to be the No. 1 overall next spring. He impressed in his first season as a starting quarterback, throwing for 4,043 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as he had the task of replacing Jayden Daniels.
1. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (92)Coincidentally, FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt also has Klubnik as his No. 1 quarterback for the 2025 season. Klubnik made a major leap in his second season as a starter in 2024, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with seven rushing touchdowns as he helped Clemson reach the CFP.
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