Top 10 Power Conference Players To Watch In 2026

SEATTLE: Dante Moore of the Oregon Ducks gestures after a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The Oregon Ducks won 26-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

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This is the time of year on the college football calendar when polls, watchlists and projections dominate the conversation. As the sand slips through the hourglass and Week 0 action gets closer and closer, forbes.com offers its top 10 list of power conference players heading into the 2026 season.

1. Jeremiah Smith
Junior | Receiver | Ohio State
Born: Miami Gardens, Fla.

Smith placed sixth in Heisman voting last season and, like his quarterback at the end of this list, he is a prime candidate for the prized hardware in 2026. It does not matter who he is facing and what type of defense he is going up against. After all, Smith has done nothing but dazzle in two seasons with the Buckeyes while piling up 11 100-yard games. He had six of them last season when he caught 87 passes in 13 games and was fourth nationally in averaging 95.6 receiving yards per contest while hauling in 12 TDs. To think he missed one game and most of another. It would surprise no one if he is celebrated as the game’s top player four months from now.

2. Trinidad Chambliss
Senior | Quarterback | Ole Miss
Born: Grand Rapids, Mich.

Chambliss was granted an additional season of eligibility, which kept the Rebels in the national championship conversation and has the quarterback among Heisman chatter. To appreciate what Chambliss did last season when he threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and all of three interceptions, one must recall that he was not the starter when the season began. That was Austin Simmons, whose early season inconsistency and injury trouble opened the door for Chambliss, a DII transfer (Ferris State) who hoisted the program on his shoulders and led it to the CFP. Though there are new faces at receiver and a couple of new starters on the line, Kewan Lacy (No. 8 below) will be toting the pigskin once again making for quite the QB/RB duo.

3. Malachi Toney
Sophomore | Receiver/All-Purpose | Miami
Born: Miami, Fla.

It did not take long for Toney to introduce himself to the nation a year ago as he opened the scoring in a primetime season-opening victory against visiting Notre Dame. To think he was 17 at the time and on his way to setting a slew of Miami records while totaling 1,622 all-purpose yards. He even threw a pair of touchdown passes in his true freshman campaign. Now at the ripe old age of 18 – he turns 19 on September 17 – Toney is again part of an elite cast that also features Duke transfer Darian Mensah at quarterback. Toney, with a season and another spring/preseason under his belt, offers coordinator Shannon Dawson many tools, so expect even more opportunities to shine as a receiver in 2026.

4. Leonard Moore
Junior | Cornerback | Notre Dame
Round Rock, Texas

We might not hear Moore’s name much this season. That’s because throwing his way will cause offensive coordinators to wake up in a sweat. Hence, it is not advisable. It certainly will not help a quarterback’s pass efficiency rating. Moore starred as a sophomore last season and while the numbers do not provide justice, he intercepted five passes and broke up seven on his way to being tabbed a first team All-American. He is a bundle of speed and size (6-2, 197) in a deep secondary within one of the nation’s best defensive units, if not the best.

5. Dante Moore
Senior | Quarterback | Oregon
Born: Detroit, Mich.

Moore’s performance in 2025, when he threw 30 touchdown passes, was fourth nationally in completion percentage (71.8) and eighth in rating, was all the more impressive considering what he did not have to work with. Injuries spread through the receivers’ room like a virus and it began with a knee injury Evan Stewart suffered during summer workouts that cost him the season. Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant missed late-season matchups due to injuries and others on the depth chart were banged up at times. Stewart and Moore are healthy — Bryant’s eligibility expired – and part of a deep group of pass catchers that also includes impressive tight end Jamari Johnson.

6. Colin Simmons
Junior | Edge | Texas
Born: Dallas, Texas

Even with all of the glamour on the other side of scrimmage in Austin, this is the place to look if looking for a defender who could garner Heisman attention. Simmons made his first career start in last season’s opener and proceeded to pile up an SEC-leading one dozen sacks along with 15.5 tackles for loss. This year, Simmons will line up in a defense drawn up by Will Muschamp, who returned to UT – he was Mack Brown’s DC 2008-10 – after Pete Kwiatkowski was let go. A November that includes trips to Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M could bolster Simmons’ resume along with the Longhorns’ playoff prospects.

7. Carter Smith
Redshirt Senior | Left Tackle | Indiana
Born: Powell, Ohio

There are not many Hoosiers on the 2026 roster who predate Curt Cignetti’s arrival. Smith is one who was around in the dark ages, otherwise known as 2023 when IU needed a trick play in the fourth overtime to defeat Akron. Indeed, times have changed and in remarkable fashion with Smith instrumental in leading the charge. He protected – sealed off? — Fernando Mendoza’s back side a year ago and will do likewise for Josh Hoover this season. The first team preseason All-American is a reason why Indiana could get over the hump in winning Joe Moore Award this season after checking in as a semifinalist last year.

8. Kewan Lacy
Junior | Running Back | Ole Miss
Born: Dallas, Texas

Lacy re-wrote much of the Ole Miss record book last season when he ran for 24 touchdowns, a total that was second nationally and paced the power conference fraternity. He also ran for 1,567 yards on 306 carries. They are numbers he may not duplicate in 2026, and may not have to. After all, that is a lot of work – Lacy also caught 29 passes – and some of it could go to Michigan State transfer Makhi Frazier. That could help keep Lacy somewhat fresh while still piling up the production during what is hoped to be another extended season for the Rebels.

9. Arch Manning
Redshirt Junior | Quarterback | Texas
Born: New Orleans, La.

Manning had everything and then some going for him before he arrived in Austin and has everything going for him heading into his fourth season with the Longhorns and second as the starter. That would include an infusion of top-shelf talent via the portal that includes, among others, receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn) and running backs Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State). Manning threw for 3,163 yards, 26 TDs and seven INTs while capping the season with 155 rushing yards – 155! – in a Cheez-It Bowl win over Michigan. A Week 2 test against Ohio State will be, well, just that. He threw for 170 yards and 1/1 in last year’s season-opening 14-7 loss in Columbus.

10. Julian Sayin
Junior | Quarterback | Ohio State
Born: Carlsbad, Calif.

After playing behind Will Howard as a true freshman in 2024, Sayin took over the Buckeyes’ offense in 2025. What resulted was a first-year starter who was invited to Manhattan for the Heisman ceremony. The Golden State native placed fourth in voting and heads into this season, along with his primary target noted at the top of this list, as a leading contender to become Ohio State’s seventh winner of prestigious award. With Brian Hartline running the show at USF, Sayin has a new OC in former Atlanta Falcons’ head coach, Arthur Smith. Sayin led the nation in completion percentage (77.0) and placed second in rating while throwing 32 touchdowns and only eight interceptions last season. He and Smith can get the hype machine humming early when the Buckeyes meet the Longhorns in Austin on September 12. (By the way, Sayin and Smith are the two leading returning Heisman vote getters from last year.)