Cal's Eight Possible Breakout Football Players for 2026

Nearly every year, a Cal player breaks out from anonymity to become a prominent player. We take a look at Cal’s possible breakout players in 2026?

Last year Cal had four players emerge:

--- Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

--- Tight end Mason Mini – He had 35 receptions for Cal last season after having five catches the previous season at Idaho, an FCS school.

--- Linebacker Luke Ferrelli -- A surprise starter as a redshirt freshman after not playing as a true freshman, Ferrelli was named ACC defensive freshman of the year at Cal in 2025 before transferring.

--- Cornerback Hezekiah Masses – He was not a first-team or second-team All-Conference-USA selection in 2024, and did not even receive honorable mention that year while at Florida International. But he was a second-team All-America selection at Cal in 2025 and is bidding for a starting spot with the Raiders as a rookie.

This season, eight Cal players seem capable of breaking through, even though they may not be starters when the season begins:

Linebacker Aaron Hampton

Hampton started just one game last season and may not be a starter this season as a junior. But he showed his potential when he came off the bench to record 15 tackles against Virginia, and he seems to be getting better. The departures of inside linebackers Cade Uluave and Luke Ferrelli created a void Cal needs to fill.

Running back Carter Vargas

Adam Mohammed is expected to be the starting running back, and transfers from UC Davis, an FCS school, are not supposed to have a major impact at Power Four conference schools. But Teddye Buchanan became an NFL starter as a rookie in 2025 following his standout 2024 season at Cal after transferring from UC Davis. Vargas averaged 6.6 yards per carry for UC Davis last season, and he’s versatile, so he could be a factor in the backfield.

Tight end Taimane Purcell

Purcell is the Cal true freshman most likely to make an impact this season. Although Cal has two quality tight ends ahead of him in Mini and Dorian Thomas, Purcell is an outstanding athlete with the physical gifts to get playing time in an offense that could put two or three tight ends on the field together at times this season.

Linebacker AJ Tuitele

He played in just three games at USC last season as a true freshman, but he was an outstanding high school player. Tuitele is likely to get significant playing time, and could even be a starter at inside linebacker, a position of need this season but also a position that allows a player to shine.

Outside linebacker Solomon Williams

He played in only three games as a redshirt freshman at Texas A&M last season, but he could be a starter for the Golden Bears as a redshirt sophomore this season, when he could show off his pass-rushing skills.

Outside linebacker Emmanuel Okoye

Okoye won’t be a starter this season and it’s possible he won’t play much, but his elite athleticism suggests he could burst into stardom at any time. Okoye, who is from Nigeria, had never even seen a football until he was 17 years old, and he did not play in his first two years at Tennessee in 2023 and 2024, starting out as a tight end before being switched to defense. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic ranked Okoye No. 9 on his list of the top 30 freak athletes in college football, and the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Okoye claims to have a 45.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot, 6-inch broad jump. Once he learns how to play football, watch out.

Wide receiver Cooper Perry

Cal wide receivers Ian Strong and Chase Hendricks are getting most of the publicity as pass-catchers, and rightly so, but Perry could be another beneficiary of the Sagapolutele passing game after catching 10 passes as a freshman at Oregon last year.

Cornerback Daniel Harris

Harris started seven games for Georgia over the past two seasons, and he is competing for playing time at the cornerback spot opposite Ricky Fletcher. Cal has had at least one eventual NFL defensive back in its secondary in each of the past 10 years. Harris could be the guy in 2026. The one difference is that Justin Wilcox was the head coach the previous 10 seasons.

Another player not considered a prominent prospect for the 2026 season could emerge at some point in the 2026 season, possibly out of necessity when a starter becomes unavailable.

Cal opens its season with a Saturday night home game against UCLA on September 5.

Add us as a preferred source on Google