5 Rising College Football Stars Primed to Explode in 2026 Season

The Big Ten owns college football right now, and this spring, five rising stars across the conference quietly signaled they're ready to take over in the 2026 season.

Dec 31, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Utes tight end JJ Buchanan (81) celebrates after a reception against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After years spent trying to catch up with Nick Saban's Crimson Tide and Kirby Smart's Bulldogs, the Big Ten is finally back atop college football with three straight national champions.

It started with Jim Harbaugh, now leading the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, who took J.J. McCarthy and Michigan to the mountaintop in 2023. One year later, Ryan Day answered with Ohio State’s first national title in a decade behind Will Howard and a loaded Buckeyes squad.

This past year, Curt Cignetti took over, leading the Indiana Hoosiers, a school more known for its basketball, to its first-ever national championship.

Heading into 2026, Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon are already viewed as three of the top contenders, with the conference showing no signs of slowing down.

The Big Ten is loaded with talent, and with summer set to hit, a few names are already catching attention.

CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer recently went conference-by-conference, tapping anonymous Big Ten sources fresh off spring practice, and singled out a few rising talents that are poised for breakout seasons.

Here are the five players ready to explode in 2026.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Payton Pierce (26) motions during the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Payton Pierce, LB, Ohio State

Pierce, a 6-foot-1, 228-pound junior from Lucas, Texas, was a top-200 national recruit and High School Butkus Award finalist who came to Columbus already built like a pro. In 2025, he played all 14 games for a Buckeyes defense ranked No. 1 in the country, racking up 44 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble.

He made three starts and looked every bit the part of a future cornerstone. Now? He's the guy. LB coach James Laurinaitis has been singing Pierce's praises since recruiting him at Notre Dame, calling him instinctual, tough, competitive, and a perfectionist.

A source put it even more plainly: "Payton will be a dude."

Utah Utes tight end JJ Buchanan (81) runs the ball against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Rose Bowl. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

JJ Buchanan, WR, Michigan

Buchanan, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound sophomore from Henderson, Nevada, was college football's most productive freshman tight end in 2025, recording 26 catches, 427 receiving yards, and five touchdowns for Utah, leading all freshmen nationally in receiving yards.

And in January, he made the move to Michigan through the transfer portal, where he'll now line up as a wide receiver alongside second-year quarterback Bryce Underwood.

What sets him apart is his versatility. In Utah, he lined up in the slot or as an outside receiver on more than 530 snaps, only 10 as an in-line tight end.

Michigan's OC Jason Beck was already raving during spring practice, but another anonymous source said, "He's a stud. Very confident. Very poised. And his demeanor as a young guy is really good too."

Michigan landed the #1 TE in the Transfer Portal, JJ Buchanan 〽️ pic.twitter.com/Psz7eyeT39

— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) January 12, 2026

Jacob Lane, EDGE, Washington

Lane started all 13 games for the Huskies in 2025 and led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss, along with four sacks, but those close to the program believe his best football is still ahead of him. 

The way he closed out 2025 grabbed attention, recording seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and half a sack over his final two games against Oregon and Boise State, capped by Washington’s 38-10 LA Bowl rout. And with veteran pass rushers Zach Durfee and DeShawn Lynch exhausting their eligibility, Lane becomes the unquestioned centerpiece of the Huskies' front.

He is entering his senior year as the go-to guy, with the defense being rebuilt around him. As one source put it: "I think he's going to have a big season."

Washington defensive end Jacob Lane (48) celebrates following a blocked punt during the second quarter against Wisconsin | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Luke Dehnicke, TE, Northwestern

The most jaw-dropping name on this list comes from a Division II transfer.

Dehnicke, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound redshirt freshman from Andover, Minnesota, absolutely shredded D-II competition at Minnesota-Duluth in 2025, recording 61 catches, 1,119 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns, the second-most receiving yards in all of Division II.

He earned D2CCA and AFCA All-American honors and reportedly chose Northwestern over several other top Power Four programs, including Minnesota, Vanderbilt, and Iowa State.

The jump from D-II to Big Ten speed is massive, and the fact that reports are saying he's already made it look seamless this spring is stunning. A source who saw him in practice couldn't contain it: "A newcomer who was like, 'whoa' is Luke Dehnicke. REALLY GOOD."

Maryland Terrapins defensive back Messiah Delhomme (33) celebrates after recovering a fumble | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Messiah Delhomme, S, Maryland

Delhomme, a 6-foot-2, 196-pound sophomore from Newport News, Virginia, arrived at Maryland as a four-star recruit and the No. 6 safety in the country per Rivals, and immediately lived up to the hype. 

As a true freshman in 2025, he played in all 12 games, racked up 39 tackles, an interception, and four pass break-ups, while becoming one of just 11 players in all of college football to block two kicks. Maryland named him Freshman Special Teams Player of the Year.

After a strong freshman season in a Big Ten loaded with receiving talent, Delhomme has kept stacking strong practices. The buzz around him is growing, with one source saying it flat out: “He’s definitely got a shot to be a future NFL guy.”