The college football season is underway, and each week is an opportunity for NFL Draft hopefuls to make an impression on league scouts. A year ago, most would have scoffed at the idea of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and Stanford edge rusher David Bailey being top-five overall picks.
The term "breakout" is subjective. In some cases, it is as simple as a young prospect taking on a larger role. In others, it may be a name-brand prospect elevating his craft or a transfer making the most of a new situation.
Who could be some of college football's breakout stars this season and parlay that into earlier NFL Draft consideration?
Quarterback: CJ Carr (Notre Dame)
CJ Carr's inclusion on the list may be an oddity, but there is a disconnect between how he is being discussed as a prospect and what he showed on his 2025 tape. Through summer scouting, he is my No. 43 overall prospect.
The grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr has great size but looked like a player in his first season as the starting quarterback. His footwork often disrupted the timing of routes. He looked uncomfortable when the walls began to close around him. He would drift in the pocket or throw off-platform unnecessarily because the escapability and mobility just were not where they needed to be yet.
Having said that, CJ Carr looks like a more confident quarterback this offseason. A year ago, he was competing with Kenny Minchey, who is now the starter at Kentucky, and the book on Carr was that he was trying to be perfect in practice. With more snaps under his belt and banked time as the team's starter, he should be able to play faster this season. If that occurs, Carr could legitimately become one of the best quarterbacks eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft and a top-10 overall pick.
Illinois' Katin Houser could fall into the Graham Mertz/Joey Aguilar category: a player who has played a lot of college football and is overlooked because he does not have any overwhelming qualities but ends up being drafted.
Running back: Matt Fuller (South Carolina)
The feature back is returning to the NFL, and Matt Fuller has the size (5-foot-11, 221 pounds) to handle the workload. Last season, he trailed Rahsul Faison in touches, but he now takes on a larger role. He is a really fluid player who can break his feet down in space and leverage defenders.
A native of Georgia, Fuller averaged 0.07 yards before contact last season, according to TruMedia, the second-lowest total among running backs with at least 70 carries. He may as well have been nocturnal with as little daylight as he saw.
The Gamecocks spent on a few transfers and should have an improved offensive line. If the line can open holes, there is no question Fuller will be able to capitalize.
Houston's Makhi Hughes is another name to monitor. He was one of the most sought-after transfers last offseason but was not a fit for the Oregon offense. Returning to head coach Willie Fritz, will the spark be reignited?
Wide receiver: Braden Pegan (Utah)
Braden Pegan (6-foot-3, 210 pounds), a California native, signed with UCLA out of high school before transferring to Utah State. At his size, he ran the 100-meter dash in 10.61 seconds as a high school senior.
It is easy to be in awe of the physical profile, and he turned that into production last fall. Can he now carry that production over against a higher level of competition?
In his final season with the Aggies, Pegan accumulated 60 receptions for 926 yards and five touchdowns.
Tight end: Ethan Davis (Tennessee)
Ethan Davis lines up all over the formation. Having held multiple Power 4 offers as a basketball recruit out of high school, he is a natural athlete with some elusiveness post-catch. There is some nuance to his route-running.
Davis' stock may be capped until he becomes a more impactful blocker, but he could soar up draft boards with proficiency in that area of his game.
Last season, Davis caught 21 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns.
Kentucky's Willie Rodriguez is another to monitor this season. At 6-foot-4 and 249 pounds, he figures to play a more prominent role in the passing attack this season under new head coach Will Stein, who has developed NFL tight ends such as Kenyon Sadiq and Terrance Ferguson.
Offensive tackle: Fox Crader (Oregon)
Oregon spent big on transfer offensive tackle Isaiah World last offseason, but an injury cost him a portion of the season. Fox Crader stepped in and allowed zero sacks and one pressure on 61 pass-blocking snaps, according to TruMedia. The Washington native is patient working his pass arc, shows good independent hand usage and has good foot mobility to pull across the formation.
South Carolina left tackle Josiah Thompson was great last season and would have been a candidate had it not been for an injury that will cost him the 2026 season. Ohio State's Ian Moore was ultimately the runner-up.
Offensive guard: Luke Montgomery (Ohio State)
Luke Montgomery (6-foot-5, 313 pounds) has now played more than 1,000 snaps in his time with Ohio State but was not draft eligible until after the 2025 season.
Montgomery has a basketball background, and his footwork is a strength. There is still room for refinement with his technique and handling games along the front. If he puts it all together, he could see a Chase Bisontis-type rise.
Last season, TruMedia credited him with three sacks and 16 pressures allowed on 426 pass blocking snaps.
Center: Brock Riker (Penn State)
In doing transfer portal evaluations for 247Sports, Brock Riker (6-foot-4, 291 pounds) was a young prospect who stood out.
At Texas State, he did not get many opportunities to showcase his talents against a high level of competition. However, they were on full display against Arizona State.
With a full offseason in a Power 4 strength program and a stiffer slate of competition, Riker could solidify himself as one of the best at his position.
Defensive line: Tavion Gadson (Kentucky)
Tavion Gadson (6-foot-5, 303 pounds) played 35 defensive snaps before taking on a larger role with the Wildcats in 2025. He has great play strength and shock in his hands to disengage from blocks. Last season, he amassed 2.5 sacks for UK despite being a little rough around the edges.
As he learns how to set up pass-rush moves and string them together as part of a larger rush plan, Gadson's stock could really take off.
His brother, edge rusher Lorenzo Cowan, is also expected to play a role with the SEC program this fall.
Edge rusher: Marquise Lightfoot (Miami)
Miami lost edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor to the first round of the NFL Draft, but it is next man up in Coral Gables. Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II is the known commodity in the room, but the expectation is that either or both Armondo Blount and Marquise Lightfoot take the next step this season.
Lightfoot (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) was a top-50 recruit out of high school with offers from every corner of the country. The burst and overall athleticism are impressive, but play strength will remain a concern until he addresses it.
He arrived on South Beach weighing around 210 pounds, and that number has slowly climbed like the mountain climber from The Price Is Right's Cliff Hangers game.
Linebacker: Payton Pierce (Ohio State)
Ohio State saw two linebackers meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the 2026 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes' loss may be Payton Pierce's gain. He will see an uptick in playing time alongside Wisconsin transfer Christian Alliegro, who may also become a more high-profile prospect.
Pierce played fewer than 300 snaps last season. He has added some good weight and has the burst and speed to play sideline to sideline. The athletic potential is a bit easier to bottle than that of his predecessors, but Pierce displays good instincts.
Cornerback: Ja'Bril Rawls (Florida State)
Ja'Bril Rawls (6-foot-1, 178 pounds) is another prospect I watched during the transfer portal cycle, but he opted to return to Tallahassee. He has good click-and-close ability downhill and is comfortable in zone coverage. Rawls has been susceptible to double moves and has almost zero ball production, but the traits are there for him to take a big leap.
Miami cornerback Romanas "OJ" Frederique Jr. missed some time last season with an injury. He has the potential to be among the best at his position with his man-coverage skills.
Safety: Dashawn Spears (LSU)
Dashawn Spears (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) is a bigger safety with a track background, having competed in the long jump, triple jump and 100-meter dash.
He played down in the box quite a bit and will fight through blocks to offer support in the run game. With just a 4.2% missed-tackle rate in 2025, according to TruMedia, Spears does a good job finishing plays. His length also shuts down passing windows for the opposing quarterback.
With A.J. Haulcy off to the NFL, the junior may be asked to play a more diversified role.
