Ranking top-50 freshmen in EA Sports College Football 26 video game

EA Sports College Football 26 officially dropped on Thursday, marking the second consecutive year of the game’s release. The video game made its return last summer for the first time in over a decade.

While EA did not release a full official list, On3 went looking through the video game’s rosters to compile the top-50 freshmen in this year’s edition. It’s worth noting that not every top-ranked high school recruit entering the 2025 season opted in to the game in time to make the intial release date. For example, Ohio State cornerback and No. 6 overall recruit Devin Sanchez is not featured in the game.

For the second time in EA Sports College Football’s history, athletes are being compensated for having their name, image and likeness. That also means on-field performances are being factored into the players’ ratings. Here’s the full breakdown of the top-50 freshmen in EA Sports College Football 26:

1. Oregon WR Dakorien Moore – 84 Overall

The top-ranked freshman in the game, Dakorien Moore, enters the 2025 season with high expectations. Previously committed to LSU and Texas, the Ducks were able to pull the wide receiver from Texas. With Evan Stewart expected to miss time this season, Moore is thrust into a big-time role in Year 1 at Oregon. Over his four-year high school career at Duncanville (Texas), he caught 204 passes, amassing 4,113 yards and 48 touchdowns while averaging better than 20 yards per catch.

2. Clemson RB Gideon Davidson – 83 Overall

Already being tabbed as one of the top running backs in the ACC, Gideon Davidson is expected to contribute immediately this fall at Clemson. Quarterback Cade Klubnik compared Davidson to Clemson great Travis Etienne in fall camp. A four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, the running back finished his high school career with 7,438 rushing yards on 701 career carries with a 10.53-yard average and 118 rushing touchdowns.

3. LSU RB Harlem Berry – 83 overall

The most electric running back in the 2025 cycle, Harlem Berry, has flashed the ability to be a game-changer in the passing game, too. The 5-foot-10, 182-pound running back was heavily utilized in the spring as returners Caden Durham and Kaleb Jackson were the only players getting as many reps as him. He is expected to immediately be a factor in LSU’s passing game. He topped the 2,000-yard mark for rushing yards all four years of high school.

4. Clemson DL Amare Adams – 82 overall

At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Amare Adams was as a top-five defensive linemen in the 2025 cycle. The top-ranked recruit in the state of South Carolina, Adams collected 250 career tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 14 sacks in his high school career. The Tigers have a deep defensive line with Peter Woods and T.J. Parker returning, but Adams will be a contributor as a true freshman.

5. Georgia DL Elijah Griffin – 82 overall

Ranked by On3 as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the class of 2025, Elijah Griffin has turned heads since the minute he arrived at Georgia. He posted 53 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a senior in 2024 at Savannah Christian Preparatory School.

“[Defensive lineman] Elijah Griffin is a bulletproof prospect. Really talented, really driven, one of the best I’ve been around. Maturity, habits — this guy is a pro,” a source told On3 in the winter.

6. Texas RB James Simon – 81 overall

Ranked as the No. 10 running back in the 2025 class in the On3 Industry Ranking, James Simon left Louisiana for the state of Texas as a recruit. As a senior at Calvary Baptist Academy, he rushed for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns on 149 carries. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and logged six 100-yard rushing performances.

7. Maryland ATH Zymear Smith – 81 overall

Zymear Smith was ranked as a top-10 athlete nationally as a recruit, picking Maryland over Penn State and South Carolina. A one-time Alabama commit, Smith carried the ball 71 times for 609 yards and 7 touchdowns while also catching nine passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns as a senior at Denton (Md.) North Caroline. He’s listed as a wide receiver on Maryland’s roster and a running back in EA Sports College Football 26.

8. Texas WR Kaliq Lockett – 81 overall

Kaliq Lockett ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. The five-star recruit is the highest-ranked wide receiver commit of the Steve Sarkisian era. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound wide receiver gives the Longhorns a big-body wideout on the outside. He caught 47 passes for 625 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Sachse (Texas).

9. Kansas State TE Linkon Cure – 81 overall

The biggest win for Kansas State in the 2025 recruiting cycle, Linkon Cure, will immediately be a top target for quarterback Avery Johnson. Cure picked the Wildcats at the end, even with Oregon making a big-time push. The 6-foot-4.5, 225-pound tight end with a 32-inch arm and 10-inch hand finished his senior season with 1,049 yards and 17 touchdowns on 57 catches in just nine games.

10. Michigan QB Bryce Underwood – 81 overall

On3’s No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood, stunned the nation last November when he flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound quarterback finished his high school career with a 50-4 record, winning state championships as a freshman and sophomore. He broke the Michigan high school football records for career passing and total touchdowns.

11. Auburn DL Malik Autry – 81 overall

12. Miami RB Girard Pringle Jr. – 81 overall

13. Florida WR Vernell Brown – 80 overall

14. Texas WR Jaime Ffrench – 80 overall

15. Alabama RB AK Dear – 80 overall

16. Texas DL Justus Terry – 80 overall

17. Alabama OL Michael Carroll – 80 overall

18. Texas A&M OL Lamont Rogers – 80 overall

19. Georgia OL Juan Gaston – 80 overall

20. LSU CB DJ Pickett – 80 overall

21. Georgia Tech RB JP Powell – 80 overall

22. Florida WR Dallas Wilson – 80 overall

23. Ohio State QB Tavien St. Clair – 80 overall

24. Alabama QB Keelon Russell – 80 overall

25. Ohio State RB Bo Jackson – 80 overall

26. Tennessee OL David Sanders – 80 overall

27. Georgia EDGE Isaiah Gibson – 80 overall

28. Oregon RB Dierre Hill – 80 overall

29. Texas CB Kade Phillips – 80 overall

30. Alabama CB Dijon Lee – 79 overall

31. Texas A&M TE Kiotti Armstrong – 79 overall

32. Florida State DL Kevin Wynn – 79 overall

33. Miami EDGE Hayden Lowe – 79 overall

34. Oklahoma OL Michael Fasusi – 79 overall

35. UCLA RB Karson Cox – 79 overall

36. Penn State RB Tikey Hayes – 79 overall

37. Colorado QB Julian Lewis – 79 overall

38. Texas EDGE Lance Jackson – 79 overall

39. Texas WR Daylan McCutcheon – 79 overall

40. UCF RB Taevion Swint – 79 overall

41. Utah RB Daniel Bray – 79 overall

42. Missouri RB Marquise Davis – 79 overall

43. Miami OL SJ Alofaituli – 78 overall

44. Syracuse S Demetres Samuel – 78 overall

45. USC CB Trestin Castro – 78 overall

46. Washington OL Champ Taulealea – 78 overall

47. Penn State TE Andrew Olesh – 78 overall

48. Cincinnati RB Zion Johnson – 78 overall

49. Georgia LB Zayden Walker – 78 overall

50. Florida EDGE Jalen Wiggins – 78 overall

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