David Pollack Names College Football Player Who Will Make a Name For Himself in 2026

College football analyst David Pollack. | Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2026 college football offseason is in full swing. While it has kind of hit a lull between spring practices and summer workouts, that doesn't mean that there aren't things to discuss.

College football analyst David Pollack has done a series on his podcast, "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack," in which he discusses different "dudes" in the Power Four conferences. These are high-impact players that some people know about, but others are flying under the radar.

In an episode, he discussed the "dudes" from the ACC, and he got to the Duke Blue Devils. He mentioned how the Blue Devils lost star quarterback Darian Mensah, who threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns last season, to the Miami Hurricanes.

Despite that, he feels they still have a star at tight end.

Duke Blue Devils tight end Jeremiah Hasley (85) runs the ball after a catch for a touchdown. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

That tight end is Jeremiah Hasley, who had 454 yards and six scores last season in his first year playing a major role for the offense.

Pollack believes that many people might not know about him right now, but they will.

"You don't have the greatness of Mensah, but you do have the greatness of this dude at tight end," Pollack said. "I think he's going to be a baller. I think he's going to be their biggest weapon in this offense. He's going to be used all over the place. One of the best tight ends returning in all of college football... You'll know his name. Everybody who plays him will make sure he's starred on their schedule."

A tight end can be a quarterback's best friend. They are constantly used as a safety net, as someone the quarterback can count on to get the team key first downs and also as a legit red zone target.

At 6-foot-3, the redshirt senior can be just that for whatever quarterback wins the starting job. Walker Eget is the favorite to start. The San Jose State transfer didn't utilize the tight end much at San Jose State. Jackson Canaan had just 315 yards but no scores.

Every year, a player comes out of nowhere and becomes a household name and Hasley could just be that. If he can improve on the 454-yard season he had in 2025, not only will he give Duke a great chance of defending its ACC championship, but he also could help overcome the major hole Mensah left when he spurned the Blue Devils for their conference rival.