In college football, a single play is capable of drastically altering a game — or in some cases an entire season. That’s why coaches scour the high school ranks and transfer portals to find the explosive players who can make those big plays. The right playmaker can offset a major disadvantage on either side of the ball.
After film review and conversations with personnel staffs around the country, several players separate themselves as the most feared entering next season. Projected production and scheme fit factor into the evaluation — especially for transfers — but this is a group that would stand out regardless of where they play.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
College football’s most talented player felt inevitable during his sophomore campaign, posting six 100-yard games and 12 touchdowns while making an array of acrobatic catches in traffic and one-handed grabs. A polished route runner and potential No. 1 overall pick next spring, Smith finished with 87 receptions — surpassing his freshman total of 76 — despite defenses scheming to limit his impact.
As Heisman finalist Julian Sayin’s primary target in the Big Ten championship game and College Football Playoff quarterfinal, Smith recorded 15 catches for 301 yards against Indiana and Miami — the Buckeyes’ only two losses of the season. He’s the closest thing to “Megatron” in college football this decade and has shown he can produce against any scheme.
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
Toney led the ACC with 10 touchdown receptions as a true freshman and set single-season program and conference records with 109 catches. His NIL valuation soared as he emerged as a go-to target for the Hurricanes down the stretch.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson found creative ways to get Toney the ball, and he responded with three touchdowns in the College Football Playoff, including two fourth-quarter scores against Ole Miss and Indiana.
Portal additions Cooper Barkate (Duke) and Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina) have recharged Miami’s wide receiver room alongside Toney as Darian Mensah (Duke) takes over at quarterback.
Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
No team in the country returns a more dynamic backfield tandem than the Rebels after Trinidad Chambliss secured a preliminary injunction against the NCAA for an additional season of eligibility. That news came more than a month after Ole Miss re-signed Lacy, who rushed for 1,567 yards and an SEC-best 24 total touchdowns last fall.
Lacy scored a touchdown in 14 of 15 starts, highlighted by seven multi-touchdown performances, and handled a heavy workload with 306 carries. He possesses elite speed but often prefers to punish linebackers at the point of contact rather than bounce runs outside.
Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State
Robinson was “Mr. Bailout” for Florida State’s offense last season. When the Seminoles needed a big play in the passing game, Robinson’s number was called — often on third down and in single coverage.
He averaged 19.3 yards per reception, scored six touchdowns and finished with 1,081 receiving yards, becoming FSU’s first 1,000-yard wideout since Tamorrion Terry in 2019. A Biletnikoff Award semifinalist after transferring from USC, Robinson is now a team captain and could elevate himself into first-round consideration in 2027 as a 6-foot-6, 223-pound target in Tallahassee.
Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
The former five-star prospect emerged as a formidable target for the Gamecocks as a junior, hauling in touchdown receptions of 64, 54, 47, 80 and 53 yards while establishing himself as a prolific deep threat.
His 80-yard score through the heart of Texas A&M’s secondary in November — a catch-and-run on a dig route — turned heads among NFL scouts as the former track standout outran the safeties. Harbor arrived on campus as a raw, unpolished receiver but has since developed sharper breaks and improved fluidity as a pass catcher.
Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
It was difficult to limit this list to one defender given the wealth of returning talent across the county — including Colin Simmons (Edge, Texas) and Dylan Stewart (Edge, South Carolina) — but Moore controls his portion of the field like no other corner in the Power Four.
Moore had five interceptions as a sophomore and graded as the nation’s most dependable island defender, earning a 91.8 overall grade and a 92.6 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
Defensive coordinator Chris Ash will lean heavily on Moore next season as the cornerstone of a secondary that could be the best in college football.
Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Texas landed the top-rated transfer wide receiver this cycle in Coleman, who immediately becomes Arch Manning’s top downfield option. He draws comparisons to A.J. Green and, despite operating in a dysfunctional offense at Auburn last season, still produced 56 receptions for 708 yards and five touchdowns.
A long strider with an expansive catch radius and strong hands, Coleman projects as a high-impact red-zone target for the Longhorns. Few receivers are better in jump-ball situations.
NC State transfer running back Hollywood Smothers is another dynamic addition who should further elevate Texas’ offensive ceiling.
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
The Tigers struck portal gold last cycle with Hardy. His promising freshman season at Louisiana Monroe was overshadowed by a 1,649-yard, 16-touchdown breakout in the SEC.
He recorded seven 100-yard games, highlighted by a 300-yard performance in a November win over Mississippi State. The nation’s second-leading rusher finished just 10 yards behind Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook for the rushing title — and did so on 39 fewer carries.
Caleb Hawkins, RB, Oklahoma State
Remember November. During a four-game stretch late in 2025, Hawkins rushed for 669 yards and 16 touchdowns, powering North Texas to the American Championship Game. That kind of production would define a full season for many running backs. Hawkins delivered it in rapid succession for the Mean Green.
A prized addition for his former North Texas coach, Eric Morris, at Oklahoma State, Hawkins enters his sophomore season as a leading candidate to top the Big 12 in rushing.
Tre Richardson, WR, Louisville
Richardson departed Vanderbilt this offseason for an opportunity with the Cardinals, who return explosive ballcarrier Isaac Brown and expect Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz to start at quarterback. Richardson will serve as a versatile weapon for Jeff Brohm in space.
Lightning-quick at the second level, he recorded three 100-yard games in his final four starts last fall with the Commodores. One of the more underrated transfers this cycle, Richardson has the potential to eclipse 1,000 yards at Louisville if the offense can get him the ball quickly off the edges.
Add Comment