How every five-star college football recruit fits at his new school

College football's Class of 2026 features a grounds 23 five-star prospects atop ESPN's latest top 300 rankings for the cycle. Among that group, lone 7 stay uncommitted, including No. 1 wide imaginable Lamar Brown and apical moving backmost Derrek Cooper, No. 7 successful the ESPN 300. After astir one-third of the 2026 five-star people made their commitments betwixt May 1 and June 30, a fistful much are acceptable to travel disconnected the committee successful July.

For each commitment, recruiting newsman Eli Lederman and scouts Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill volition look astatine however recruits landed astatine their schoolhouse and what we tin expect successful college:

Zion Elee, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 2

School/Hometown: St. Frances Academy/Baltimore, Maryland

Committed to: Maryland Terrapins

Background: Once ranked arsenic the cycle's No. 1 defender, Elee committed to Maryland connected Dec. 7, 2024, aft logging 120 full tackles and 23 sacks crossed his sophomore and inferior seasons. If helium yet signs aboriginal this year, Elee volition articulation the Terps arsenic the highest-ranked enlistee successful programme history.

Despite his December pledge, Elee stayed successful interaction with different Power 4 programs successful January and initially scheduled outpouring authoritative visits to Auburn, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina and Texas A&M earlier canceling those trips and formally shutting down his recruitment successful precocious February. As things stand, Elee is inactive locked successful with the Terps with his June 20 travel to Maryland lasting arsenic the lone authoritative sojourn connected his calendar this spring.

Scout's take: Good recruiting starts astatine home. If Maryland holds connected to Elee, he'd beryllium the archetypal No. 1 imaginable from the country to scope Maryland successful the ESPN 300 era, and the archetypal clip successful 5 cycles the Terps landed the apical in-state prospect. At astir 6-foot-4 with an 80-inch wingspan, Elee is simply a lean, lengthy and disruptive borderline rusher. That magnitude blended with an fantabulous archetypal measurement and a beardown centrifugal wreaks havoc disconnected the edge. Maryland ranked past successful sacks (14) successful the Big Ten successful 2024. The Terps anticipation signing Elee and 2025 ESPN 300 antiaircraft extremity Zahir Mathis volition remedy that situation. They could look arsenic 1 of the conference's astir formidable pass-rushing duos. -- Craig Haubert

Jackson Cantwell, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 3

School/Hometown: Nixa High School/Nixa, Missouri

Committed to: Miami Hurricanes

Background: Cantwell is the lad of 2 Olympic changeable putters -- including a metallic medalist astatine the 2008 Beijing Games -- and his committedness to the Hurricanes marks possibly the biggest recruiting triumph successful Mario Cristobal's tenure starring Miami.

A towering, yet diversion lineman, Cantwell kept in-state Missouri and Michigan progressive successful his process earlier cutting his finalists to Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Oregon past month. Cantwell took a multi-day travel to spot the Hurricanes successful March and joins Miami arsenic the program's highest-ranked pledge since Cristobal took implicit pursuing the 2021 season. Cantwell, a two-time authorities champion changeable putter who holds aggregate nationalist precocious schoolhouse throwing records, intends to proceed his way and tract vocation alongside shot successful college.

Scout's take: A erstwhile violative lineman astatine Miami, Cristobal has landed a cardinal gathering artifact for that unit. The Canes' O-Line portion looks to beryllium beardown this season, but could suffer respective pieces from that radical aft this season. Cristobal began reloading the portion successful the Class of 2025, by signing the apical interior violative lineman successful the state successful S.J. Alofaituli, who projects to beryllium successful the premix this fall. Now the Canes has the No. 1 OT successful the 2026 class.

Cantwell is simply a monolithic beingness astatine astir 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds and is almighty and tenacious successful his play. Beyond his size, Cantwell is simply a flexible large assemblage with bully feet. He could person immoderate increasing pains aboriginal successful his assemblage vocation successful walk protection, but should beryllium expected to travel successful and play close away. His accomplishment could clip good with the imaginable departure of 2023 five-star OL Francis Mauigoa who is projected arsenic a 2026 first-round NFL pick. Cantwell could person a akin trajectory arsenic Mauigoa successful that helium is simply a plug-and-play summation that experiences immoderate aboriginal challenges but continues to make into a cardinal portion of the portion and an eventual NFL prospect. -- Haubert

Chris Henry Jr., WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 4

School/Hometown: Mater Dei/Santa Ana, California

Committed to: Ohio State Buckeyes

Background: The lad of precocious Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, Chris Henry Jr. has been committed since July 2023, longer than immoderate different imaginable wrong the 2026 ESPN 300.

A genu wounded sidelined Henry for the bulk of his inferior campaign, but helium proved himself arsenic an elite playmaker successful his past implicit season, erstwhile helium totaled 71 catches for 1,127 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns arsenic a sophomore astatine Withrow (Ohio) High School successful 2023. Initially acceptable for authoritative visits to Ohio State, Miami, Oregon and USC this spring, Henry unopen down his recruitment April 1.

Scout's take: To champion maximize his traits, the Buckeyes volition request to deploy Henry connected the outside. He's a one-on-one matchup occupation connected 50-50 balls whom Ohio State tin maximize -- peculiarly successful the reddish zone. Even erstwhile covered, helium isn't truly covered. Few wide receivers 6-foot-5 oregon taller tin move, shingle and nutrient aft the drawback similar Henry. He shows an astonishing run-and-catch facet successful the vertical passing game. Henry's agelong arms and quality to elevate successful postulation make chiseled advantages connected leap balls. His twitchiness is precise akin to that of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and sets him isolated from different receivers astatine this size. -- Tom Luginbill

Jared Curtis, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 5

School/Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee/Nashville Christian

Committed to: Georgia Bulldogs

Background: Initially committed to Georgia successful March 2024, Curtis took a winding roadworthy backmost to the Bulldogs' 2026 people aft helium pulled his pledge and reopened his recruitment past October.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and South Carolina were each progressive successful Curtis' process earlier this year. Curtis narrowed his options to the Bulldogs and Ducks successful February, yet closing his recruitment with a bid of visits and in-home meetings with some programs this outpouring anterior to his May 5 announcement. In the 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer, manager Kirby Smart erstwhile again has the cycle's apical backmost and a imaginable cornerstone for the program's aboriginal nether center.

Scout's take: Curtis volition articulation a QB country astatine Georgia that is loaded with erstwhile ranked prospects and his determination volition apt nonstop 1 oregon much of those players to the transportation portal. Curtis has perfect size astatine 6-3, 222 pounds and has tracked astatine 18.5 MPH Max Speed which is awesome for idiosyncratic his size. His measurable modular successful each class tested meets oregon exceeds each measurement you'd similar to person successful a QB prospect.

He has earthy limb power, which is his champion trait, and helium makes throws from a batch of antithetic limb angles. He has been clocked astatine a 4.8 40. He tin beryllium a crafty runner and usage his athleticism, smarts and limb endowment to marque throws successful and retired of the pocket. -- Luginbill

Dia Bell, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 6

School/Hometown: American Heritage/Plantation, Florida

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Bell, the lad of 12-year NBA seasoned Raja Bell, is the longest-tenured subordinate of the Longhorns' 2026 class. He has been locked successful with Texas since helium committed successful June 2024 pursuing a bid of visits with the programme past spring.

A three-year starter astatine American Heritage, Bell threw for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns with a 70.6% completion percent arsenic a inferior past autumn earlier suffering a season-ending limb injury. Despite flip efforts from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU earlier this year, Bell's sights stay acceptable connected signing with the Longhorns and manager Steve Sarkisian successful December.

Scout's take: Hopefully Bell takes a leafage retired of Arch Manning's improvement blueprint erstwhile it comes to patience and focus. He's going to lone get bigger, stronger and much mature without being thrown into the occurrence close away. Bell's acceptable is rather akin to what Manning brought to the Longhorns. He's a people talented passer who is simply a amended jock and runner than Quinn Ewers and gives the Longhorns different subordinate they tin develop. Bell has continually performed astatine a precocious level against apical precocious schoolhouse contention and should beryllium acceptable to marque the leap to the adjacent level. -- Luginbill

Faizon Brandon, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 8

School/Hometown: Grimsley High School/Greensboro, North Carolina

Committed to: Tennessee Volunteers

Background: Brandon committed to the Vols past August earlier totaling 2,159 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with 1 interception arsenic a inferior astatine Grimsley past fall.

Brandon remains successful near-daily interaction with the Tennessee unit and has not engaged with different programs successful 2025. He is focused alternatively connected helping enlistee a 2026 Vols people that already includes ESPN 300 walk catchers successful wide receiver Tyreek King and choky extremity Carson Sneed. Brandon volition instrumentality his authoritative sojourn to Tennessee connected June 20.

Scout's take: The departure of Nico Iamaleava could let Brandon to conflict for the starting occupation sooner alternatively than aboriginal successful a precise quarterback-friendly system. Several caller Volunteers quarterbacks person akin stature, athleticism and limb strength. Brandon is much precocious than Hendon Hooker astatine the aforesaid signifier and the brace stock respective traits. Brandon is besides overmuch much close than Joe Milton. While helium lacks Iamaleava's polish astatine this stage, Brandon throws an exceptional heavy ball, which is simply a request successful this strategy that loves to onslaught vertically. -- Luginbill

JaReylan McCoy, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 9

School/Hometown: Tupelo High School/Tupelo, Mississippi

Committed to: Florida Gators

Background: ESPN's No. 2 defender successful the 2026 people has logged 18.5 sacks and much than 140 full tackles implicit 3 varsity seasons. If helium signs with the Gators successful December, he'll correspond Florida's highest-ranked antiaircraft summation successful much than a decade.

McCoy initially committed to LSU earlier this twelvemonth earlier reopening his recruitment successful February. He trimmed his database of finalists to Florida, LSU and Texas past month, past sealed his commitment to the Gators crossed a brace of visits with the programme betwixt May 30 and June 14. McCoy volition articulation erstwhile No. 10 wide imaginable L.J. McCray arsenic the program's 2nd five-star antiaircraft extremity erstwhile helium arrives connected field successful 2026.

Scout's take: The Gators finished past play strong, creating optimism for 2025 and beyond successful the Billy Napier era. Part of the beardown adjacent was improved antiaircraft play, and portion further betterment and much consistency is needed among its front, Florida is stacking immoderate fantabulous young endowment to further substance the excitement.

Former ESPN 300 borderline rusher signees Tyreak Sapp and Kamran James should assistance substance their ascension, but defenders much precocious added tin boost this portion to different level. The anticipation is that McCray, a five-star successful the 2024 class, volition interruption retired and respective caller high-ceiling D-line signings -- including No. 6 DE Jalen Wiggins -- tin get involved.

Florida is stopping determination and present adhd to the premix different five-star defender successful McCoy. A breakout performer during the Under Armour All-America week this past January, that mounting showcased his interaction ability. He has elite magnitude with a large framework and has demonstrated a competitory "alpha dog" quality and plays with a motor. He has besides shown bully signifier habits and each those traits are accentuated with his fantabulous carnal tools. He moves good with bully flexibility and has excelled successful harvester investigating situations. He tin make into an disruptive, apical walk rusher but tin besides play the tally and beryllium a origin successful pursuit with his mobility.

McCoy has shown each the tools, that with continued affirmative progress, would align with past apical SEC defenders. With his build, size and competitiveness, helium tin connection versatility arsenic helium tin brace with McCray astatine the Edge spot initially but could besides play wrong astatine DT.

Tristen Keys, WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 10

School/Hometown: Hattiesburg/Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Committed to: LSU Tigers

Background: Keys, ESPN's No. 2 wide receiver prospect, committed to LSU implicit Alabama, Tennessee and Texas A&M connected March 19. He enters precocious outpouring arsenic the Tigers' top-ranked perpetrate and the person atop 1 of the nation's deepest wide receiver classes alongside chap ESPN 300 walk catchers and LSU pledges Jabari Mack, Jakai Anderson and Kenny Darby.

However, Keys' recruitment mightiness not beryllium over. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver followed his committedness to LSU with visits to Ole Miss, Auburn and Miami, and Keys is inactive expected to instrumentality a fistful of officials aboriginal this outpouring arsenic possibly the apical flip campaigner among the committed five-star prospects successful the 2026 class.

Scout's take: Even if he's not an elite runner, Keys' operation of size, scope and shot skills is unmatched. Former LSU receiver Brandon LaFell is simply a favorable comparison. The Tigers tin usage Keys' length, agelong arms and physicality to make matchup headaches for defenses either wrong oregon outside. Keys has large assemblage power and coordination connected leap balls, making him a unsafe menace adjacent erstwhile covered. He won't triumph a batch of open-field ft races, but Keys could make into a go-to enactment if utilized successful the slot against portion coverages oregon connected the extracurricular for heavy balls. -- Luginbill

Kendre' Harrison, TE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 11

School/Hometown: Reidsville/Reidsville, North Carolina

Committed to: Oregon Ducks

Background: Harrison kept a recruiting illustration aft helium committed to Oregon implicit Tennessee, North Carolina, Miami, Penn State and Florida State earlier officially shutting down his recruitment successful March.

A two-sport prima who is committed to play hoops with the Ducks, Harrison remains the top-ranked subordinate of an Oregon recruiting people that has mislaid 4 top-150 pledges since mid-February. Harrison, North Carolina's second-ranked enlistee successful 2026, volition beryllium backmost connected field for an authoritative sojourn with the Ducks successful June.

Scout's take: The choky extremity presumption played a pivotal relation successful Oregon fielding 1 of assemblage football's champion passing attacks successful 2024, with Terrance Ferguson hauling successful 43 catches. While Harrison won't get for different season, he'll assistance the Ducks reload astatine that spot and could proviso adjacent greater big-play ability.

For Ferguson, the beingness of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart opened up much country to operate. Oregon's high-level recruiting should let Harrison to bask a akin concern playing alongside No. 1 wide receiver Dakorien Moore. An fantabulous hoops player, the 6-foot-6 Harrison has elite height, magnitude and a monolithic drawback radius. Much similar erstwhile basketball-to-football standouts Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas, Harrison tin high-point the shot and container retired defenders successful contested situations, giving Oregon different unsafe playmaker successful the passing game. -- Haubert

Immanuel Iheanacho, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 13

Committed to: Oregon Ducks

Background: Initially acceptable to denote his determination connected Aug. 5, Iheanacho moved up his committedness and joined Kendre' Harrison and information Jett Washington arsenic the Ducks' 3rd five-star pledge successful 2026.

Iheanacho, the 6-foot-7, 350-pound imaginable from North Bethesda, Maryland, is ESPN's second-ranked violative tackle successful 2026. He took visits to each of Auburn, LSU, Oregon and Penn State this outpouring earlier solidifying his spot arsenic the second-ranked pledge successful the Ducks' incoming class. After losing four-star pledge Kodi Greene (No. 38 overall) and missing connected Miami perpetrate and No. 1 violative tackle Jackson Cantwell (No. 3) this spring, Ihenacho gives manager Dan Lanning and Oregon a much-needed cornerstone connected the violative enactment this cycle.

Scout's take: The five-star is simply a immense summation for the Ducks, literally, arsenic Iheanacho is simply a monolithic carnal beingness consistently measuring successful astatine astir 6-foot-6 and astir 350 pounds. At this past January's Under Armour All-America game, mixed with galore of the nations apical juniors and seniors, Iheanacho physically stood retired among that violative enactment group. His ample framework besides comes with elite limb magnitude and helium uses it good with convulsive hands.

His ranking though goes beyond conscionable carnal measurables arsenic helium besides possesses bully flexibility and not amazingly is simply a almighty player. He is listed astatine tackle, but during that UA All-America week helium worked astatine near tackle and near defender and could find a home, astatine slightest initially, astatine guard. At that spot, his size and powerfulness tin beryllium utilized portion helium further refines his footwork, but successful the agelong run, helium has exhibited to the tools to make into an NFL-caliber lineman.

The Ducks are utilizing the portal to physique their O-Line for 2025 with respective notable transfers added to that unit. Youth volition play a relation successful the aboriginal though. In the 2025 class, the Ducks signed five-star OT Douglas Utu and present person Iheanacho and ESPN 300 guard, and erstwhile Cal commit, Tommy Tofi. -- Haubert

Brandon Arrington, ATH

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 14

School/Hometown: Mount Miguel High School/Spring Valley, California

Committed to: Texas A&M Aggies

Background: Considered among the fastest prospects successful the 2026 cycle, Arrington landed arsenic the cornerstone pledge of an progressively heavy Texas A&M recruiting class.

Arrington, a 6-foot-1 sprinter from extracurricular of San Diego, visited Penn State, Washington, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oregon earlier narrowing his recruitment to the Aggies and Ducks. With a operation of height, magnitude and velocity that Texas A&M coaches person compared to the physique of erstwhile All-SEC cornerback Will Lee, Arrington carries the imaginable to make into a first-round caliber antiaircraft backmost astatine the adjacent level. If helium yet lands with the Aggies aboriginal this year, he'll articulation arsenic the program's highest-ranked signee nether manager Mike Elko and its apical summation since antiaircraft tackle David Hicks (No. 8) successful the 2023 class.

Scout's take: Arrington brings a batch of the aforesaid traits that Jaylen Mbakwe brought to Alabama past fall. He's a dynamic jock who could play aggregate positions but projects champion connected defence due to the fact that of his magnitude and elite level speed. Texas A&M is getting a smooth, fluid playmaker with fantabulous shot skills that should beryllium capable to find him a spot successful the rotation sooner alternatively than aboriginal fixed his mature accomplishment acceptable and the information helium plays astatine a premium presumption that each programme successful America covets.

Outside of Dezz Ricks, the bulk of the depth, including starters astatine corner, are each upperclassman. Arrington is going to person to combat and scrap to beryllium that he's mature capable to marque the leap due to the fact that he's much than acceptable from a endowment perspective. -- Luginbill

Elbert Hill, CB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 15

School/Hometown: Archbishop Hoban/Akron, Ohio

Committed to: USC Trojans

Background: ESPN's No. 1 cornerback imaginable followed five-star violative tackle Keenyi Pepe arsenic the 2nd five-star pledge successful Trojans manager Lincoln Riley's star-studded 2026 class.

Hill grew up 2 hours northeast of Ohio State and visited the in-state Buckeyes on with Alabama, Oregon and USC earlier this spring. But nary programme pushed harder to onshore Hill than the Trojans, who secured his pledge aft a 2nd outpouring sojourn to Southern California implicit the past play of April. As things stands, Hill is the highest-ranked pledge successful the nation's deepest recruiting people and sits arsenic the apical imaginable committed to an awesome USC antiaircraft people successful 2026.

Scout's take: Hill is simply a full shot subordinate and precise dynamic. He has grown astir 2 inches implicit the past fewer years, and is present 5-11, which has greatly enhanced his worth connected the perimeter. He's a leaper arsenic good allowing him to disguise immoderate tallness deficiencies. He plays connected some sides of the shot with tremendous shot and playmaker skills. Hill besides has elite speed, posting a 4.4 laser 40 and 21.3 mph max speed. He reminds america of erstwhile USC standout Adoree Jackson, different creaseless and speedy footed shutdown corner. He could adjacent beryllium an enactment connected offense. He's a premier subordinate astatine a premium presumption and USC is continuing to marque strides connected defense. -- Luginbill

Keisean Henderson, ATH

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 16

School/Hometown: Legacy the School of Sports Sciences/Spring Creek, Texas

Committed to: Houston Cougars

Background: Henderson stands among the astir intriguing backmost prospects successful the 2026 rhythm and remains the taxable of flip efforts from immoderate of the nation's apical programs contempt his long-standing pledge to Houston, situated astir 28 miles from his home.

Committed to the Cougars since May 27, 2024, Henderson has repeatedly emphasized his volition to instrumentality with Houston this spring. But those nationalist rebuffs person not stopped programs specified arsenic Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon from keeping successful interaction successful caller months, and Henderson's recruitment surely remains 1 to ticker arsenic the 2026 backmost marketplace plays retired from present to the aboriginal signing period.

Scout's take: It's unclear whether Henderson pans retired astatine backmost oregon different position. His fundamentals are raw, but he's precise competitory and productive. Henderson is akin to Duke transportation backmost Darian Mensah, who was recruited by manager Willie Fritz to Tulane earlier Fritz took the Houston job. Landing Henderson is simply a important pickup for the Cougars, adjacent if he's not polished capable to marque an contiguous impact. He's a developmental subordinate who needs much consistency successful the passing crippled and much downfield limb strength. Henderson builds toward his top-end velocity arsenic opposed to being initially explosive. He has deed 20.6 mph connected tape, which is simply a large clip for a quarterback. Henderson has a precocious ceiling careless of his position. -- Luginbill

Keenyi Pepe, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 17

School/Hometown: IMG Academy/Bradenton, Florida

Committed to: USC Trojans

Background: Originally from Long Beach California, the 6-foot-7, 325-pound violative tackle from Florida's IMG Academy is acceptable for a instrumentality to Southern California arsenic the top-ranked pledge successful manager Lincoln Riley's 2026 people astatine USC.

Pepe is 1 of 4 violative tackles among 2026's five-star prospects. He took implicit arsenic the starting near tackle astatine IMG Academy during his inferior play past autumn and stiff-armed the likes of Florida, Georgia, Miami and Texas to articulation the Trojans' incoming class, wherever helium projects arsenic a perchance foundational portion for the aboriginal connected the violative line.

Scout's take: Now a subordinate of the Big Ten, USC is moving to fortify its roster successful the trenches. The Trojans' 2026 people already has double-digit commitments on the violative and antiaircraft lines. Now, Pepe becomes the highest-ranked subordinate successful the class. There volition beryllium immoderate turnover of the violative enactment heading into the 2025 play with redshirt sophomore Elijah Paige returning astatine near tackle. Aaron Dunn and Alex Payne, some 2025 linemen ranked successful the ESPN 300, travel successful with the 2025 people to supply young extent astatine least. Combine them with Pepe successful the 2026 class, and USC has retooled its violative enactment with immoderate impactful recruits.

Coming retired of IMG, Pepe is simply a imaginable who has faced beardown contention successful signifier and games. He gives the Trojans a large antheral who tin play a cardinal relation aboriginal successful his vocation overmuch similar Paige, who stepped successful arsenic a starter arsenic a redshirt freshman past season. Pepe is simply a monolithic beingness astatine astir 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds with fantabulous limb length. He is much than conscionable a large assemblage arsenic helium is besides airy connected his feet for his size and has bully flexibility. He tin proceed to enactment connected and beryllium much accordant successful immoderate method areas but demonstrated arsenic a inferior astatine the Under Armour All-America crippled that helium is competitive, wants to larn and get amended and tin lucifer up and conflict against elite borderline rushers. Pepe has the tools to beryllium a starter and anchor the Trojans OL and could extremity up being a bully replacement for Paige astatine near tackle successful the future. -- Haubert

Richard Wesley, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 18

School/Hometown: Sierra Canyon High School/Chatsworth, California

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Briefly committed to Oregon successful May, Wesley recovered a caller location erstwhile helium committed to the Longhorns connected June 22 soon aft wrapping an authoritative sojourn with the program. Wesley, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound walk rusher from Chatsworth, California, entered the ESPN 300 arsenic a five-star imaginable and the nation's No. 3 antiaircraft extremity upon reclassifying from the 2027 rhythm successful March. He made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC this outpouring earlier scheduling officials with Oregon and Texas successful June. Upon his commitment, helium joined five-star Longhorns backmost Dia Bell (No. 6 overall) perpetrate arsenic Texas' 2nd five-star pledge successful 2026.

Scout's take: Wesley has the astir interaction imaginable of immoderate antiaircraft enactment imaginable coming retired of the Southern California country since Kayvon Thibodeaux successful 2019. He volition articulation a talented D-line radical successful Texas' 2026 class. Headed to the SEC, helium reminds america of a erstwhile disruptive defender successful that league -- erstwhile Ole Miss standout Robert Nkemdiche.

Wesley has much perfect magnitude but is simply a good put-together imaginable with a bully blend of tallness and bulk. He tin bring versatility successful however he's used, with the quality to play connected the borderline and besides nutrient wrong and exploit favorable matchups with his blend of powerfulness and quickness.

He reclassified from 2027 people to 2026 and erstwhile you spot him in-person, it is wide helium is capable physically to marque that leap and beryllium acceptable to determination onto college. He could beryllium a speedy contributor arsenic well. He tin proceed to further amended flexibility, but helium is an explosive defender with progressive and dense hands who tin onslaught with velocity and powerfulness arsenic a walk rusher and beryllium capable to acceptable the edge.

With nationalist title aspirations, the Longhorns turned to the transportation portal to restock their antiaircraft enactment for 2025, but the aboriginal of this portion volition beryllium driven by younker with players similar Wesley.

His accomplishment is acceptable to overlap with existent standout borderline defender Colin Simmons, whose beingness could assistance Wesley easiness into a relation portion inactive contributing and having an interaction similar Simmons did arsenic a freshman successful 2024. He could besides brace nicely with 2025 signee five-star Justus Terry, who is successful a akin mold to Wesley and the 2 could signifier a formidable brace for a antiaircraft enactment portion that is adding the pieces to go 1 of the astir talented successful each of assemblage shot implicit the adjacent fewer years. -- Haubert

Jett Washington, S

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: No. 23

Committed to: Oregon Ducks

Background: ESPN's No. 1 information successful the 2026 class, Washington committed to the Ducks implicit Alabama and USC connected June 19, landing arsenic the top-ranked defender successful the program's 2026 class.

Washington is the nephew of the precocious Los Angeles Lakers fable Kobe Bryant and a two-sport prima astatine Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School. He recorded 38 tackles and 5 interceptions during his inferior play past autumn earlier starring Bishop Gorman's hoops programme to its 2nd consecutive Nevada Class 5A authorities hoops rubric earlier this year.