College football’s first week of fall camp always creates a little noise, but the names drawing the most attention are usually the ones turning that buzz into something real. Established stars are supposed to shine this time of year. The more interesting story is when a transfer, a freshman, or a young defender starts forcing his way into the conversation.
That’s where a handful of players have landed early in camp, with each one pushing for a bigger role than expected.
At Ohio State, transfer receiver John McCuin is making a serious run at meaningful snaps in a crowded room. He arrived from UTSA after three seasons with the Roadrunners, where he piled up nearly 1,700 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
A three-star transfer, McCuin wasn’t exactly the headline addition when he joined the Buckeyes, and at 6-foot-0, 195 pounds, he doesn’t jump off the page physically. But according to CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford, he’s making a legitimate push to be considered Ohio State’s No. 2 receiver behind Jeremiah Smith.
At this point, he’s even making Brandon Inniss fight to hold onto his spot.
Alabama’s Kevin Crowell is bringing a different kind of intrigue. He’s only a true freshman, and he’s doing it a year early after reclassifying from the 2027 class.
Even with that in mind, the former five-star has already stood out since arriving in Tuscaloosa. CBS Sports noted that once the pads came on, Crowell didn’t blink even though he may have been the youngest player on the field.
He might not open the season as a starter, but he’s in the mix for a significant role in the backfield alongside Daniel Hill, AK Dear, and Kevin Riley. Crowell’s high school résumé helps explain the excitement: he set the Alabama single-season rushing record as a sophomore, then shattered that mark last season while rushing 209 times for 2,632 yards and 35 touchdowns and leading Jackson High School to its second straight state championship.
Miami’s Justin Scott is another name rising as camp gets underway. The Hurricanes are trying to rebuild pieces of a defensive front that helped carry them to the national championship game, and Scott is one of the few returning anchors up front along with redshirt senior Ahmad Moten.
Scott, a former five-star prospect, posted 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass deflection last season. Now heading into year three, he’s more comfortable as a leader and could grow into one of the faces of Miami’s revamped defense.
His strength, according to the report, is jaw-dropping.
Texas safety Michael Taaffe falls into the established-star category, but he’s still getting a fresh wave of attention this preseason. He wasn’t an All-American or All-SEC selection last season, yet he started all 13 games and finished with 80 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 3 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions.
Entering his second season as a full-time starter, Texas is counting on him to take on more leadership, and he has embraced that role. Head coach Steve Sarkisian even asked earlier this month why McDonald isn’t getting more buzz.
Taaffe has elite length and enough athleticism to move around the secondary, and he can answer the noise when Texas hosts Ohio State on September 12.
Indiana sophomore safety Byron Baldwin Jr. may be the most intriguing breakout candidate of the group. He entered last season as the Hoosiers’ top-rated prep signee, but an injury kept him out of the first five games.
Even so, he got into eight contests and picked up valuable reps behind one of the best defenses in America. With Louis Moore and Devan Boykin off to the NFL, Baldwin Jr. is expected to step into a starting safety role.
He brings physicality and playmaking ability to the back end, though communication will be the main test as an underclassman. Curt Cignetti will keep him in check as Indiana goes after another championship.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Know Coleman Coliseum Still Has One Homecourt Problem
Alabama is making visible strides inside Coleman Coliseum, with athletic director Greg Byrne announcing upgrades to the video board and sound system as part of a broader push to improve the basketball programs facilities. The planned new arena is still on hold after rising costs shifted attention toward the new practice facility that opened recently, leaving the Tide to keep sharpening the building they already have instead of starting over from scratch.
Even with those improvements, the biggest question around Coleman is less about hardware than atmosphere. The building can be upgraded, but the homecourt feel still depends on how Alabama shapes the student section and the rest of the crowd experience, and that is where some of the most interesting ideas are starting to surface. For now, the facility plans are moving forward, but the larger challenge of making Coleman feel like a tougher place for visiting teams remains very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Metz Is Forcing Alabama Fans To Rethink This Linebacker Battle
Alabama brought in Caleb Woodson from Virginia Tech to stabilize a linebacker group that needed reinforcements after losing key contributors, but the bigger internal question in fall camp has quickly become who lines up next to him. Sophomore Luke Metz and junior Reese are both in the mix for that starting spot, and Metz has been one of the more noticeable risers as camp has unfolded, showing the kind of physicality that can change a competition in a hurry.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has liked what he has seen from Metzs development, and Alabama appears to have more than one workable answer at the position heading toward the 2026 season. Even if the Tide dont need to settle the battle immediately, the way Metz has pushed himself into the conversation gives this one a different feel than the usual depth-chart placeholder, especially with Woodson already expected to anchor that group. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Running Back Battle Just Got More Crowded Behind EJ Crowell
The race behind Alabamas top back has started to take shape, and it already looks crowded. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb pointed to EJ Crowell as a freshman with promising physical traits and upside, while also noting that Daniel Hill is expected to lead the group. Behind them, Kevin Riley, AK Dear and Trae'shawn Brown are all in the mix, giving the Crimson Tide a room full of options as the staff sorts out roles.
What stands out for Alabama is how much of this battle is still about the details, not just raw talent. Grubb has been pleased with the progress and maturity of Dear and Brown, especially as the group works through the finer points of the position, including learning the offense and handling blocking responsibilities consistently. With so many backs competing for snaps, the next step may come down to who can make the biggest strides in the parts of the game that keep trust in the huddle. [Read more 🡒]