Way-Too-Early 2026 All-America football team

The transfer portal is still cooking and rosters are still taking shape, but duty calls.

It’s time to roll out On3’s Way-Too-Early All-America team for the 2026 college football season. Some of the names are familiar. Others will be familiar once we get a month into the 2026 season, and in today’s college football world, there will be names wearing different uniforms from a year ago.

With all the movement, players declaring for the NFL draft and transferring elsewhere via the portal, it’s challenging to attempt this exercise in January. But it’s equally fun to identify some of the rising stars in college football. Our goal is, very simply, to get as close as we can to what the All-America team might look like after the 2026 season in terms of which players will be the most impactful at their positions. So, yes, there’s a degree of projection involved along with input from coaches, media and pro scouts.

Texas, No. 3 in our Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2026 season, leads the way with four first-team selections. Indiana and Ole Miss both have three.

OFFENSE

QB: Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
There’s a caveat. Chambliss still needs to be granted a waiver or court injunction to play in 2026. If so, he’s one of the most dynamic players returning in college football and one of the most difficult to defend with his ability to avoid pressure and make big plays. Chambliss was the only player in the country last season to pass for more than 3,900 yards (3,937) and rush for more than 500 yards (527). He accounted for 30 touchdowns, 22 passing and eight rushing.

RB: Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
So much for the difficulty of transitioning to the SEC. Hardy is back for a third season. He started his career at ULM, transferred to Missouri last season and led all Power Four players with 1,649 rushing yards. There’s not a more difficult running back in college football to tackle. The 5-10, 210-Hardy led the nation with 1,181 yards after contact.

RB: Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
Lacy’s first season with Ole Miss after transferring from Missouri was a huge success and a big reason the Rebels made it to the playoff semifinals. He has breakaway speed (see his 73-yard touchdown run vs. Miami), and he’s also durable (an FBS-leading 307 carries) with 24 rushing touchdowns. Chambliss and Lacy back together in the same backfield is bad news for opposing defenses.

WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Smith would have been the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft had he been eligible to come out this year and would have at least been in the conversation after his freshman season. The 6-3, 223-pound junior is everything you’re looking for in a wide receiver and returns for one final season in college football after pulling in 27 touchdown catches his first two seasons with the Buckeyes.

WR: Malachi Toney, Miami
The top true freshman in college football in 2025, Toney is back for an encore. He was sensational in Miami’s playoff run and scored touchdowns in three of the four games. The Hurricanes will do everything they can to get the ball in his hands next season, and Toney can do a little bit of everything. He set Miami records in 2025 with 109 catches for 1,211 yards.

TE: Trey’Dez Green, LSU
Green had to be loving the Lane Kiffin/Charlie Weis Jr. hires, and after catching 11 touchdown passes in his first two seasons at LSU, is sure to see his role expand in 2026. The 6-7, 240-pound former basketball player was automatic inside the red zone with his size and athleticism, but he will become a much more integral part of the offense with Weis calling plays and creating mismatches for him.

OT: Carter Smith, Indiana
The Hoosiers are losing some key players from their national championship team, but getting back Smith was a coup. He’s started the last 41 games at left tackle, and his return is especially valuable with Josh Hoover coming in from TCU to take over at quarterback. The 6-5, 313-pound Smith is as effective a run blocker as he is a pass protector, and he’s excellent at both.

OG: Evan Tengesdahl, Cincinnati
After playing a reserve role as a redshirt freshman, the 6-3, 320-pound Tengesdahl won the left guard job a year ago with the Bearcats and blossomed into one of the best run-blocking guards in the country. His return for his redshirt junior season, along with left tackle Joe Cotton and right guard Taran Tyo, should again give Cincinnati one of college football’s strongest offensive lines.

C: Kade Pieper, Iowa
Not only is Pieper a hay bale toss champion, but he’s back as one of college football’s most rugged offensive linemen. The NFL scouts were hoping the 6-4, 290-pound Pieper would declare for the draft, but instead he’s expected to move from right guard to center next season for the Hawkeyes and replace Logan Jones. Pieper’s mix of strength and athleticism make him a natural wherever he lines up in the offensive line.

OG: Shadre Hurst, Houston
Hurst is reuniting with Willie Fritz, who signed Hurst as part of Tulane’s 2022 signing class. The redshirt senior brings experience and outstanding pass-blocking skills to the Cougars’ offensive line. He’s a two-time All-AAC first-team selection and was one of two guards a year ago to earn a pass-blocking grade of 90-plus and run-blocking grade of 80-plus by Pro Football Focus.

OT: Trevor Goosby, Texas
Arch Manning was glad to get the news last month that his left tackle was returning in 2026, and not just any left tackle, but one who could be the top tackle off the board in the 2027 NFL draft. The 6-7, 312-pound Goosby will only get better in his second full season as a starter. He’s bulked up considerably since arriving at Texas and grades highly in both pass protection and run blocking.

All-Purpose: Wayne Knight, UCLA
Knight followed Bob Chesney from James Madison to UCLA and will be a welcome addition to the offense for quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He’s only 5-9 and 189 pounds, but is a physical runner and equally versatile. Knight rushed for 1,357 yards last season, and he also caught 40 passes for 397 yards and had 180 yards on punt returns on his way to leading the country with 2,039 all-purpose yards.

DEFENSE

Edge: John Henry Daley, Michigan
Michigan picked up both its head coach, Kyle Whittingham, and one of college football’s best edge players, John Henry Daley, from Utah this offseason. The 6-4, 255-pound Daley had 17.5 tackles for loss, including 11.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 11 games before suffering a non-contact ruptured Achilles. Daley already knows Whittingham’s scheme and is a perfect fit. If his recovery goes as planned, he could be the nation’s top portal addition.

DT: Tyrique Tucker, Indiana
One of the most consistent pieces to Indiana’s national championship defense is back, and the 6-foot, 302-pound Tucker will team with returnee Mario Landino to once again give the Hoosiers an imposing interior in their defensive line. Tucker started all 16 games in 2025 and led all Power Four defensive tackles with 12 tackles for loss, including six sacks, in his first season as a starter. His best football is still ahead of him.

DT: A’Mauri Washington, Oregon
The Ducks’ defensive line next season should be lights out with tackle Bear Alexander and edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti also returning. The 6-3, 330-pound Washington is more than just a run-stuffer. He’s a one-man pocket pusher with incredible burst and finished with eight passes batted down last season. This will be his fourth year on campus in 2026, and with the talent surrounding him, he’s poised for a monster year.

Edge: Colin Simmons, Texas
Simmons returns as one of the best pure pass-rushers in the country. He has 21 sacks in his first two seasons at Texas, 12 a year ago and nine as a true freshman. He had a sack in each of his last five games in 2025 and would have been a high first-round pick had he been eligible for the NFL draft this year. One opposing coach told On3 that Simmons was the most gifted defender in college football.

LB: Rolijah Hardy, Indiana
Hardy might have been overlooked coming out of high school, but he’s not anymore. He returns as one of college football’s most complete linebackers after leading the Hoosiers with 102 tackles this season, including 15 for loss and eight sacks. Indiana simply didn’t miss tackles on its way to a national title, and the 5-11, 229-pound Hardy was the epitome of that. He played 756 snaps and missed just six tackles.

LB: Rasheem Biles, Texas
Biles should fit nicely in the middle of first-year coordinator Will Muschamp’s defense at Texas after transferring from Pittsburgh, where he twice earned All-ACC honors and led the league this season with 17 tackles for loss. Biles scored three defensive touchdowns for the Panthers and is your quintessential sideline-to-sideline linebacker.

LB: Xavier Atkins, Auburn
The season is still several months away, but first-year Auburn coach Alex Golesh scored a massive win with Atkins electing to stay on the Plains and not transferring elsewhere. A true junior after starting his career at LSU, Atkins will again be the centerpiece of DJ Durkin’s defense. He led the Tigers in 2025 with 84 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss (which led the SEC) and nine sacks.

CB: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Moore is the top returning defensive back in the nation. He had five interceptions a year ago after picking off two passes as a true freshman. When teams do throw Moore’s way, he’s a blanket. Over his two seasons with the Irish, he’s allowed just 4.8 yards per target. He moved to the slot against USC’s Makai Lemon last season and held him to two catches for 28 yards.

CB: Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
Had Jones decided to turn pro, he was a projected first-round NFL draft pick, especially given his size (6-4, 195 pounds), physicality and speed. The 2025 season was Jones’ first as a full-time starter, and he finished with two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Jones led the country in coverage snaps per reception (31.8), a Pro Football Focus metric that measures how many passing plays a cornerback plays before allowing a catch.

S: KJ Bolden, Georgia
Bolden was a five-star prospect coming out of high school, and he’s played that way since arriving in Athens. After earning Freshman All-America honors in 2024, he became a fixture for the Bulldogs on defense last season. In 725 snaps, Bolden missed just four tackles and also showed excellent coverage skills with two interceptions and five pass breakups. He’ll make an even bigger jump in his second full season as a starter.

S: Koi Perich, Oregon
Perich did a little bit of everything during his time at Minnesota. He returned kicks and played a little receiver, but his forte was punishing ball-carriers and smothering receivers at safety. He steps into an Oregon defensive backfield after recording 128 tackles and intercepting six passes over the last two seasons and is yet another reason to like the Ducks on defense in 2026.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss
Carneiro was one of the many stars for Ole Miss in its playoff run to the semifinals after transferring from Western Kentucky. He’s an incredible asset to the offense because any time the Rebels get close to the 40-yard line, he’s in range. He made four from beyond 50 yards in the playoff and drilled the game-winning 47-yard field goal to beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Carneiro was 31-of-35 on the season and made 14-of-17 from 40 yards or longer.

P: Evan Crenshaw, Troy
Crenshaw began his career at Costal Carolina, transferred to Troy and redshirted in 2024 before breaking out in 2025 as one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the country. Crenshaw punted 68 times last season, tied for the fifth most in the country, but still averaged 45.7 yards per punt and led the country with 34 punts downed inside the 20.

Return Specialist: Ryan Niblett, Texas
Niblett has played three different positions during his career at Texas – defensive back, running back and receiver. He’s been at his best on special teams after returning two punts for touchdowns last season, a 75-yarder in the win over Oklahoma and a 79-yarder against Mississippi State in the final two minutes to send that game into overtime. Niblett had five returns of 40-plus yards and is one of those players special teams coaches dread kicking to.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

OFFENSE

QB: Julian Sayin, Ohio State
RB: LJ Martin, BYU
RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville
WR: Cam Coleman, Texas
WR: Duce Robinson, Florida State
TE: Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech
OT: Anthonie Knapp, Notre Dame
OG: Dontrell Glover, Georgia
C: Iapani Laloulu, Oregon
OG: Luke Montgomery, Ohio State
OT: Jacarrius Peak, South Carolina
All-Purpose: J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech

DEFENSE

Edge: Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
DT: A.J. Holmes Jr., Texas Tech
DT: David Stone, Oklahoma
Edge: Anthony Smith, Minnesota
LB: Whit Weeks, LSU
LB: Raylen Wilson, Georgia
LB: Isaiah Jones, Indiana
CB: Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon
CB: Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia
S: Robert Fitzgerald, Northwestern
S: Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma
P: Palmer Williams, Baylor
Return Specialist: Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State