Boise State’s first season in the rebuilt Pac-12 is already getting a lot of attention from the obvious names. Quarterback Maddux Madsen, running back Dylan Riley and edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan were all part of a July series from Boise State Broncos On SI that spotlighted the 12 players expected to shape the program’s 2026 outlook.
But the Broncos won’t be built only around the headliners.
There are a few less-heralded pieces on this roster who could end up swinging the season just as much, especially as Boise State tries to chase a fourth straight conference title and make its way back to the College Football Playoff. Three names stand out: receiver Darren Morris, linebacker Ripp and safety Jeron Anderson.
The need for help at receiver is hard to miss. Boise State’s passing game had real trouble with drops last season, and the numbers were ugly: 29 drops in 2025, a 15.6 percent drop rate, both of which led the Mountain West. On top of that, the Broncos lost their top three receivers from a year ago, along with receiving tight end Matt Lauter.
That opens the door for newcomers, and Morris looks like one of the best bets to make an immediate impact. The fifth-year senior transfer from Southern University brings production with him, having totaled 77 career catches for 1,256 yards and nine touchdowns at the Division I level.
He’s also been a steady presence throughout fall camp. Morris might not be in the starting lineup when Boise State opens at Oregon, but the Broncos are counting on him to deliver multiple game-changing grabs during the season.
Ripp is another veteran who could force his way into a bigger role. The fifth-year senior has been around, with 41 appearances over the past three seasons.
He started six games last year and finished with 43 total tackles before losing his spot on the depth chart to Boen Phelps. At 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, Ripp has the kind of size coaches want at linebacker, along with a skill set that gives him a chance to do more if everything clicks this fall.
If that happens, he could become a difference-maker for Boise State’s linebacker group.
Anderson may be the least recognized of the three, but his path to a major role is clear. The sophomore came out of Mission Viejo High School as a three-star recruit and has already played in 18 career games. Last season he was a steady reserve, appearing in every game and finishing with six tackles.
Boise State has a vacancy at safety after losing both starters from last season, Ty Benefield to LSU and Zion Washington to exhaustion of eligibility. Anderson worked well during spring practice alongside Derek Ganter Jr. and appears set for a starting job in 2026.
He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, but he plays bigger than that, brings physicality and ranks among the team’s better tacklers. A breakout season would not be a surprise.
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Boise State Legend DeMarcus Lawrence Nears The End Of A Dream NFL Run
DeMarcus Lawrences long NFL journey is heading toward its final chapter, with the former Boise State standout saying he plans to retire after the 2026 season. For Broncos fans, it is the kind of announcement that makes the pull of the past feel close again, because Lawrence turned his Boise State success into an 11-year run with the Dallas Cowboys before moving on to the Seattle Seahawks last offseason.
Lawrence has stayed productive deep into his career, earning Pro Bowl recognition and stacking up the kind of defensive numbers that helped make him one of the more accomplished linemen to come through Boise State. His move to Seattle also brought a championship payoff, as he helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory, and now the only question left is how he wants the final stretch of that dream run to end. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Faces 3 Early Pac-12 Threats To Its New-Look Dominance
Boise States move into the Pac-12 changes the conversation around the Broncos almost immediately, especially after the run Spencer Danielson has built in Mountain West play. The league they are entering will look a lot like familiar ground, too, with several former Mountain West programs now in the mix and a few early matchups already shaping up as the kind that could test Boise States new-look dominance in 2026.
Fresno State and San Diego State have long been familiar hurdles, but Texas State adds a different kind of problem because of the offensive talent it brings into the conference picture. Boise State will have to navigate a group of teams that already understand its style, know its standard and, in some cases, are arriving with enough recent momentum to make the Broncos prove they still sit alone at the top. [Read more 🡒]