ESPN’s latest look at the freshmen most likely to matter in 2026 put a clear SEC stamp on the list, and the conference showed up in force.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports identified 51 freshmen across the country as players poised to make an impact in 2026, and 10 of them came from the SEC. ESPN ranked those league newcomers 1 through 10, with Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis leading the way.
Here’s ESPN’s SEC top 10:
Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt QB
Faizon Brandon, Tennessee QB
Deuce Geralds, LSU DT
EJ Crowell, Alabama RB
Zykie Helton, Georgia OG
John Meredith III, Texas CB
Kaiden Prothro, Georgia TE
Jermaine Bishop Jr., Texas WR
Lamar Brown, LSU DT
Brandon Arrington, Texas A&M CB
The top two names hardly came as a shock. Curtis at No. 1 and Brandon at No. 2 fit the buzz around the Volunteer State’s pair of quarterbacks, since Tennessee produced the top two passers in the Class of 2026. ESPN noted that both could be in starting roles for their teams by Week 1, and at the very least, both are expected to see the field regularly this season.
That outlook leaves George MacIntyre and Blaze Berlowitz on the outside looking in.
LSU also made a strong showing with a pair of defensive tackles in Geralds and Brown. And there’s another name to keep in mind in Baton Rouge: Richard Anderson. The freshman defensive lineman has been drawing attention this offseason and even worked with the first team alongside Geralds early in fall camp.
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