Practices are underway across college football, and the SEC’s freshman class is about to get its first real test.
A handful of newcomers arrive with the kind of pedigree that turns heads before they ever take a snap, but the bigger question is which ones can actually matter once the games start. In a league this unforgiving, one freshman can change the feel of a roster fast - and maybe even swing the difference between playoff contention and watching from the outside.
Here are five SEC freshmen to keep an eye on in 2026.
At Alabama, EJ Crowell steps into a backfield that needed help. The Crimson Tide’s rushing attack fell short of its usual standard last season, and Crowell arrives with the chance to stabilize it right away. One of the state’s best running backs in recent memory, he could become a dependable outlet for either Austin Mack or Keelon Russell as Kalen DeBoer tries to rebuild the ground game.
Tennessee has its own quarterback storyline, and Faizon Brandon is right in the middle of it. He may not open the season as the starter, but the expectation around him is obvious: Brandon is viewed as the Vols’ quarterback of the future. As camp gets going, he’s battling George McIntyre for the job, and if Brandon wins it, the first five-star test in SEC play will be worth watching closely.
At Vanderbilt, Jared Curtis brings a different kind of buzz. Any time a five-star quarterback prospect chooses to stay home rather than head to Georgia, he belongs on this kind of list. Curtis takes over the spot vacated by Diego Pavia, who lifted the program to historic heights, and the Nashville native has his own résumé to lean on after back-to-back state titles and more than 4,900 passing yards with 76 touchdowns over his junior and senior seasons.
LSU may also have a freshman ready to force his way into the spotlight. Deuce Geralds turned heads in spring ball, where he was penciled in as a starter and worked with the first team.
With roster turnover creating openings, a freshman could end up becoming one of the most important names on the Tigers’ roster as the season unfolds. Richard Anderson could have fit here too, which says plenty about how quickly Lane Kiffin got rolling in recruiting after taking the head coaching job in Baton Rouge.
And then there’s Auburn’s Zion Wilkes, whose commitment became one of the program’s biggest wins. He stayed with the Tigers despite the South Florida attention that will surely get plenty of talk before the season. If Wilkes makes his mark in DJ Durkin’s defense, he could become much more than just a quick fan favorite on The Plains.
In Other News...
Auburn Fans Are Getting An Early Look At Alex Goleshs Culture
Auburns fall camp has taken on a different feel under Alex Golesh, with the Tigers spending 13 days at the Marriott Grand National as the new staff pushes for more bonding, sharper focus and fewer outside distractions. The setup is designed to keep the roster together, and the daily routine has been built around football, with officials on hand at practice to create a more game-like setting.
Golesh has made clear this is about raising the temperature of camp without letting anything drift off track. Players are being housed together in carefully chosen roommate pairings, and the whole arrangement is meant to sharpen habits before the season begins, while also giving an early glimpse of the culture he wants to build in Auburn. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Offense Already Feels Different Under Alex Golesh
Byrum Brown has already seen enough to know Auburns offense is operating with a different feel under new coordinator Alex Golesh. After the Tigers installed most of the playbook during spring practice, fall camp has been less about learning the basics and more about polishing the little things, with the emphasis shifting to situational football and getting the details right.
Brown and several other players who already know Goleshs system are helping push that process along as Auburn works to build tempo and comfort before the 2026 season. The early returns suggest the offense is settling in faster than a typical reboot, even if the real test still waits once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Freshman WR Is Already Forcing People To Notice
DeShawn Spencer arrived in Auburn with a little more intrigue than star power, and that has only made his early buzz more interesting. The former Duke commit flipped to the Tigers and now has people inside the program talking about a freshman wide receiver who has already stood out in practices and offseason work, even if he did not come in with the kind of national ranking that usually turns heads right away. Coaches and teammates have pointed to his football intelligence, work ethic and maturity as reasons he has earned attention this early under head coach Alex Golesh.
For Auburn, the bigger picture is what Spencer might mean in the 2026 season if that early promise keeps building. Immediate playing time is still uncertain, but the tone around him has been unusually strong for a player just starting out, which is why he is becoming one of those names fans tend to remember once camp conversations start heating up. In a receiver room that is always being sorted by opportunity and trust, Spencer has already done the first part of the job: making people notice. [Read more 🡒]