College Football Freshman Quarterbacks to Watch in the 2026 Season
Bryce Underwood, Michigan
The most anticipated freshman debut of the 2026 season belongs to Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class who enrolled early but redshirted behind a disastrous Michigan quarterback situation. Underwood’s elite physical tools — a rocket arm paired with legitimate 4.5 speed — make him the highest-ceiling signal-caller in Ann Arbor since at least J.J. McCarthy, and arguably since Jim Harbaugh first arrived. Head coach Sherrone Moore has signaled that Underwood will be the Week 1 starter, and early camp reports suggest he has already separated himself from the competition. Michigan’s season — and perhaps its entire trajectory under Moore — depends on whether Underwood can translate his prodigious talent into college production. If he hits, Michigan is a Big Ten contender. If he struggles, the Wolverines could be looking at a second consecutive season outside the playoff conversation.
College football in 2026 belongs to the quarterbacks — not the polished fifth-year seniors who dominated the last decade, but the true freshmen and redshirt freshmen who represent the sport’s next wave. With the expanded 14-team College Football Playoff creating more opportunities than ever for programs to break through, the right freshman signal-caller can transform a program overnight. Here are the freshman quarterbacks to watch as the 2026 season approaches, based on spring practice reports, recruiting pedigree, and the situations they are stepping into.
Bryce Underwood, Michigan
The most anticipated freshman debut of the 2026 season belongs to Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class who enrolled early but redshirted behind a disastrous Michigan quarterback situation. Underwood enters 2026 as the presumptive starter, and head coach Sherrone Moore has signaled that the offense will be built around his dual-threat capabilities. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds with a rocket arm and legitimate 4.5 speed, Underwood’s physical profile is the highest-ceiling signal-caller in Ann Arbor since at least J.J. McCarthy. Early camp reports suggest he has already separated himself from the competition. Michigan’s season — and perhaps its entire trajectory under Moore — depends on whether Underwood can translate his prodigious talent into college production.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Ohio State entered spring practice with a three-way quarterback competition and exited it with Julian Sayin as the clear winner. The five-star prospect from the 2024 class — who originally signed with Alabama before transferring to Columbus — beat out Lincoln Kienholz and fellow five-star Tavien St. Clair for the starting job, generating the most consistent buzz of any quarterback in the Buckeyes’ camp. Sayin is not the physical specimen that Underwood is, but his processing speed and accuracy in the short and intermediate areas have drawn comparisons to Justin Fields in terms of how quickly he can make the Ohio State offense hum. With a supporting cast that includes an elite offensive line and several future NFL wide receivers, Sayin does not need to be a superhero — he just needs to distribute the ball efficiently. Ohio State enters the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason Coaches Poll, and Sayin’s development will determine whether the Buckeyes stay there.
DJ Lagway, Florida
DJ Lagway is not a true freshman — he played in 2025 — but the 2026 season is his first as the unquestioned starter in Gainesville, and the early returns under new head coach Joe Brady and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen have been electric. Lagway was dominant in spring practices, showing the kind of downfield accuracy and off-platform creativity that made him the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. Brady’s offense — an NFL-style system that emphasizes pre-snap motion, RPOs, and vertical passing — is a natural fit for Lagway’s skill set. The question is not talent; it is consistency. Lagway’s freshman season was a rollercoaster of brilliant throws and baffling decisions, and Florida’s schedule — which includes road games at Georgia, LSU, and Texas A&M — will test whether the high points have become the norm or remain the exception. If Lagway takes the leap, Florida is a playoff team.
Tavien St. Clair, Ohio State (and Other Names to Know)
Tavien St. Clair lost the Ohio State quarterback competition to Julian Sayin, but the fact that a true freshman was even in the conversation at a program of Ohio State’s caliber speaks to his talent. St. Clair is the likely successor to Sayin whenever the starter departs for the NFL, and his spring performance — particularly his deep-ball accuracy — has the coaching staff excited about the future. Beyond the headliners, several other freshman quarterbacks are worth monitoring: Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola enters his second season with the program after a promising but uneven 2025 campaign; Miami’s young signal-caller is generating buzz in the ACC; and a handful of true freshmen at Power Four programs could see playing time before the season ends. The quarterback carousel never stops spinning — and the 2026 freshman class is already accelerating the cycle.
Sources
- CBS Sports — 2026 college football quarterback battles: Ohio State, Texas jobs settled (July 2026)
- ESPN — College football freshman quarterback rankings: Who will start in 2026? (July 2026)
- FanSided — 2026 College Football Quarterback Battles: Winners and Losers of the Offseason (July 2026)
- CBS Sports — Coaches Poll top 25: Ohio State starts 2026 at No. 1 (August 2026)