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Florida RB Jadan Baugh, Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor, and Cal safety Kingston Lopa
Every year in college football, guys we have never heard of make a name for themselves. That’s once again the case in 2026, as there are a number of players who’ve made it clear they shouldn’t be ignored over the first month of the season.
These Are 7 Breakout Stars Of The 2026 CFB Season
Guys like Trinidad Chambliss and Malachi Toney have lit it up early since the 2026 college football season got underway, but we already knew how special they were.
Even a guy like Darian Mensah, who has certainly outperformed expectations, isn’t necessarily “breaking out” because of what he did at Duke last year.
This list is for guys who weren’t on anyone’s radar to have the season they are having through three weeks of the season.
And yes, the season is young, but what these guys have put on tape and in the stat sheet really stands out, and they are showing no signs of slowing down.
Kamario Taylor, Quarterback, Mississippi State
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Kamario Taylor has skyrocketed up the Heisman odds for good reason; he opened the year at +15000 and is now the third favorite at +1100. The Bulldogs are 3-0 largely because of his play, and they even cracked into the top 25 this week.
Taylor has thrown for 832 yards and 11 TDs (2nd in the country) in just three games. But the stats don’t do justice to what he’s done; his long ball is elite, and he is on track to be a household name.
Jesse Legree, Wide Receiver, Oregon State
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Not many people picked Jesse Legree as the nation’s leading receiver, but he is so far. Legree has racked up 476 yards and four touchdowns, and he’s not doing it against bad competition.
Oregon State has played ranked opponents in two of their first three games, and yet the true freshman from Baltimore has put up more yards than anyone. Legree even had a staggering 250-yard, two-touchdown performance against a solid defense and top-15-ranked Texas Tech.
Lincoln Kienholz, Quarterback, Louisville
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Lincoln Kienholz had limited opportunities at Ohio State to start his college career, and transferring to Louisville was a chance to show what he’s got and have a full season as a starter.
Kienholz took the opportunity and ran with it, literally, already turning in four rushing TDs in three games. The QB has also racked up 816 passing yards and zero interceptions in three games, two of which were against ranked opponents (Ole Miss and SMU).
Kingston Lopa, Safety, Cal
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It’s hard to make a noticeable impact in just three games as a defensive back, but Kingston Lopa has done everything in his power. Lopa has five interceptions in three games and leads the nation in the category.
Lopa also converted one of his INTs for a TD against Syracuse in their second game of the year. The DB has a pick in every game and 14 solo tackles, making him impossible to leave off this list.
Jadan Baugh, Running Back, Florida
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This is Jadan Baugh’s third season of college ball. In his first season, he had seven touchdowns, and in his second, he had eight. However, he only needed three games to match that second number in 2026
Baugh showed flashes as a freshman and sophomore, but as a junior, the Atlanta native is now the second-leading rusher and the leader in rushing touchdowns. Florida is 3-0, and it’d be hard to argue they don’t have the best running back in the country.
Michael Hawkins Jr., Quarterback, West Virginia
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Michael Hawkins Jr. never got a full season as an Oklahoma Sooner, so he took his talents to West Virginia and has shined as a full-time starter. The QB has five passing touchdowns and six as a runner in just three games.
Hawkins Jr. has also not thrown an interception thus far, and the West Virginia Mountaineers are 3-0 after beating the No. 25-ranked Virginia Cavaliers last week. They’ll be tested again this week as they host red-hot Oklahoma State Cowboys, but a win likely propels them into the rankings.
William “Pop” Watson III, Quarterback, UMass
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William “Pop” Watson and the UMass Minutemen were the story of Week 1 when they knocked off Rutgers as 30-point underdogs. It was the Minutemen’s first win against a power conference team since 1978.
Pop Watson has kept them rolling since, starting the season 3-0 after they went 0-12 last year. He himself has had an efficient 75% completion rate and seven total TDs, and led his teammate to the end zone as the lead blocker in a play that won’t show up on the stat sheet.