A way-too-early look at San Diego State football’s 2026 roster
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The 2025 college football season officially came to an end when the Indiana Hoosiers beat the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game.
At San Diego State On SI, we are turning the page to the 2026 season. The Aztecs had a turnaround season by going 9-4 and playing in the New Mexico Bowl in Sean Lewis’ second year as head coach. In a long-anticipated move, the Aztecs leave the Mountain West Conference behind and join the new-look Pac-12.
In this article, we're taking a way-too-early look at the 2026 San Diego State football roster, using information from the 2026 spring roster posted on the team’s website.
Newcomers will be marked with a note on their paths to SDSU.
Without further ado, here is SDSU projected roster for the 2026 season:
Quarterbacks
Jayden Denegal - Senior
Stone Saunders - Redshirt Freshman (Incoming Transfer)
Draiden Trudeau - Redshirt Freshman
Brady Campbell - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Dengal, the 2025 starter, is expected to be back by spring ball from surgery on his non-throwing left shoulder that sidelined him for the New Mexico Bowl. Backup Bert Emanuel Jr. is expected to be moved to wide receiver. Kyle Crum, who took over in the New Mexico Bowl after Emanuel was injured, has transferred. The Aztecs dipped into the portal to sign Stone Saunders from Kentucky.
Running Backs
Lucky Sutton - Senior
Javion Kinnard - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Christian Washington - Senior
Jordin Thomas - Redshirt Freshman
Sutton will return to his hometown team after his breakout 2025 season, when he earned First Team All-Mountain West honors after rushing for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kinnard transferred from Colorado State, where he saw limited action as a freshman. SDSU and Colorado State are moving into the Pac-12 together, along with Boise State, Fresno State and Utah State.
Wide Receivers
Bert Emanuel Jr. - Senior
Jordan Napier - Junior
Jacob Bostick - Senior
Donovan Brown - Senior
Parker Threatt - Sophomore
Justius Lowe - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
Aldrich Doe - Junior
Nathan Acevedo - Senior
Will Cianfrini - Sophomore
Jaylon Hawkins - Redshirt Freshman
De’yhare Overstreet-Glover - Senior
Daishaun Davis - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Carson Diehl - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Derek Stevenson - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Marshel Sanders - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Timothy Netane - Senior
Emanuel saw limited time as backup quarterback and then started the New Mexico Bowl in place of injured Jayden Denegal before getting hurt himself. Napier suffered a season-ending knee injury in a home win against Boise State. He was the team’s leading receiver despite missing the final two regular-season games and the bowl game. Lowe transfers in from Oregon.
Tight Ends
Ryan Wolfer - Sophomore
Jackson Ford - Junior
Connor Irons - Sophomore
Jack Lua - Redshirt Freshman
Ford and Wolfer are the leading returnees at a position that’s used mostly for blocking.
Offensive Line
Joseph Borjon - Senior
Dallas Fincher - Senior
Ikbahl Kassim - Sophomore
Cam May - Senior
Ashdon Wnetrzak - Redshirt Freshman
Michael Leville Watkins - Sophomore
Kalan Ellis - Senior
Delon Craft Jr. - Redshirt Freshman
Alex Bleszynski - Redshirt Freshman
Harlem Nellum - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Jarvis Williams - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Charlton Luniewski - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Mercer Luniewski - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Matthew Montgomery - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Evan Lawrence - Sophomore
Brian Borjon - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Harlem Nellum - Freshman
Jarvis Williams - Freshman
The offensive line will feature two returning starters in Borjon and Ellis from the unit that blocked so well for Sutton and the other running backs. Borjon started at right tackle and is expected to move to left tackle to replace Christian Jones, who graduated. Plus, his little brother, Brian, is part of the early signing class.
EDGES
Brady Nassar - Senior
Brian Townsend Jr. - Redshirt Freshman
Lucan Amituanai - Redshirt Freshman
Dominic Coelho - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Nate Henrich - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Kai Wallin - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
San Diego State’s biggest portal loss was when star EDGE Trey White, who had 19.5 sacks combined the last two seasons, transferred to Texas Tech for a reported $1.5 million deal. Nassar backed up the other EDGE, Niles King, who graduated. The Aztecs dipped into the portal to sign Kai Wallin from future Pac-12 rival Oregon State and Nate Henrich from Gannon University in Erie, Pa.
Defensive Tackle
Krishna Clay - Senior
Malachi Finau - Senior
Kainoa Davis - Sophomore
Amari Comier - Senior
Marlon Ames - Redshirt Freshman
Tuaoa Tauili'ili - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Gavriel Lightfoot - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
Djibril Rahman - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Finau is the only returning starter at tackle. Comier and Clay were backups and would presumably compete for starting spots.
Linebackers
Tano Letuli - Senior
Jayden Kendricks - Senior
Dean Harrington - Sophomore
Jeramiah Lewis - Sophomore
Alijah Lash - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Javari Nash - Freshman
Cameron Cooper - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Sione Hala - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
Another key loss was that of linebacker Owen Chambliss, who cashed in his 110 tackles by transferring to Nebraska. Letuli returns after an injury-marred season that saw him start six of the first eight games before missing the final four. There will be many new faces competing for jobs in this unit.
Safeties
Max Garrison - Senior
Jelani McLaughlin - Junior
Dalesean Staley - Senior
Josiah Cox - Senior
Josh Hunter - Senior
Oberhiri Eyafe - Sophomore
Chase Shumate - Redshirt Freshman
Kaimana Tufaga - Redshirt Freshman
Tainoa Lave - Freshman (2026 Signee)
Isaiah Green - Sophomore
Solomon Davis - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
Jalen Thomeson - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
The Aztecs got some good news when Staley decided to remove his name from the transfer portal and remain on Montezuma Mesa. Staley, who will be a senior, had entered the portal to check out his options but then decided he would stay put and help the Aztecs get further than they did during the turnaround season of 2025.
Cornerbacks
Jelani Whitmore - Senior
Prince Williams - Sophomore
Braylon Cardwell - Redshirt Freshman
Jamison Starks - Sophomore
Jason Oliver - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
Caleb Ricks - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Mike Lindsay - Sophomore (Incoming Transfer)
Dareon Edmonds - Freshman (2026 Signee)
The biggest loss via graduation is that of cornerback Chris Johnson, who is projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Johnson completed one of the best regular seasons defensively in program history which resulted in him being named Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He piled up 49 tackles (36 solo) and had four interceptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Bryce Phillips, who started opposite Johnson, is also gone, meaning there will be plenty of competition in the cornerbacks room.
Specialists
Nick Clegg - Sophomore
Tashi Dorje - Sophomore
Luke Williams - Senior
Connor Poulson - Sophomore
The Aztecs have to replace both record-setting placekicker Gabe Plascencia and punter Hunter Green.
MORE SAN DIEGO STATE NEWS & ANALYSIS
-bd678ba4dbad4f453246f539ee56a3b4.jpg "Bernie Wilson")
Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.