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Brant identifies eight longshot Heisman contenders for the 2026 college football season. His sleeper picks include Malachi Toney, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and more.
Talking Heisman this far out from the season may seem silly, but it’s always something that comes up when discussing college football during the offseason. Who are going to be the biggest stars in the sport in 2026?
Way-too-early Heisman favorites include Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, Texas quarterback Arch Manning, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, Ohio State duo Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, and Miami quarterback Darian Mensah.
Let’s look beyond the favorites for the award and dig deep. Who is flying under the radar right now in the early stages of spring ball that could find themselves invited to New York in nine months?
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (+4000)
A blossoming star, rising sophomore receiver Malachi Toney has the second-shortest odds of all receivers to win the award, falling behind only Smith of Ohio State. A former three-star prospect, Toney exploded as a true freshman with 109 receptions for 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns.
MALACHI TONEY IS 18 YEARS OLD
If this man isn't a top 5 pick in 2028... pic.twitter.com/uSmdvOjn52— Joe (@JoeA_NFL) January 9, 2026
With the plethora of quarterback talent in college football, it makes sense that Toney’s odds to win the Heisman are so long. A receiver has not won the Heisman since DeVonta Smith won it in 2020, and that may not change this season. But if it does, Toney has as good a chance as anybody to bring it home.
The electric playmaker will surely be transfer quarterback Mensah’s top target and will have a great chance to put up even better numbers as a sophomore.
Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU (+6000)
BYU has not had a Heisman finalist since Ty Detmer in 1991. After starting as a true freshman and leading the Cougars to a 12-2 season, Bear Bachmeier could change that narrative. Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while rushing for 527 yards and 11 scores last season.
The dual-threat quarterback with a linebacker appearance repping jersey number 47 was one of college football’s biggest breakouts in 2025, and his 2026 season should only continue to build on that.
Bachmeier will lose star receivers Chase Roberts (NFL) and Parker Kingston (dismissed from the team), but he has the talent on his own to fully command the offense.
Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (+7500)
Alabama has a quarterback battle on its hands with Ty Simpson headed off to the NFL as a potential first-round pick. Austin Mack, who has followed Kalen DeBoer around for his entire career, has the experience edge, but redshirt freshman Keelon Russell has the talent.
Russell is considered such a Heisman longshot because there is no guarantee that he wins the starting job in Tuscaloosa, but talent will win out, and the former five-star prospect will be under center this season as DeBoer fights to regain good standing with the fanbase.
This is why I think Alabama QB Keelon Russell is going to be a Superstar⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ixnchhyFDr
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) March 4, 2026
If Alabama has a good season and Russell flashes all of the talent that he contains in his first year as the starter, he could end up in New York when it is all said and done.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, QB, Cal (+8000)
As a true freshman, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flashed elite traits. This guy could very well be the first overall pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. Sagapolutele threw for 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, displaying elite accuracy despite lacking weapons or an adequate coaching staff around him.
As a sophomore, Sagapolutele not only has a year of experience under his belt, but all of the dominoes may be falling into place. California has a very manageable schedule, as they dodge Miami. The toughest matchups appear to be Clemson at home, and SMU and Virginia on the road. If the Golden Bears manage to go 10-2 or better, they could be a CFP team.
With former Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi set to coach, Sagapolutele now has a leader with big-game experience calling the shots.
Lupoi added weapons for Sagapolutele in the transfer portal in the form of wide receiver Ian Strong (762 yards, five touchdowns at Rutgers) and tight end Dorian Thomas (560 yards, four touchdowns at New Mexico). With an upgraded room of weapons, an upgraded coaching staff, a manageable schedule, and another year of experience, Sagapolutele has a shot if everything falls into place.
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri (+10000)
The SEC’s leading rusher in 2025, Ahmad Hardy, is arguably the most talented running back in the nation. Under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri has consistently been a top-25 program. As long as that holds true in 2026, why would the best running back in the nation not be a Heisman contender?
NEW: Missouri star RB Ahmad Hardy tells @Clowfb he turned down big transfer portal money to remain in CoMo to 'keep building' his legacy🐯
"I won't spread any names out there, but it was a lot of schools from a lot of different conferences."
Story: https://t.co/7CMlsxBkBd pic.twitter.com/3gji2X25eg
— On3 (@On3) March 12, 2026
Hardy ran for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first season in Columbia. The rising junior is a force on the ground. If he takes those numbers up another notch, he cannot be ignored as a Heisman contender.
Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (+15000)
Mississippi State has not been in the mix in the college football world since Dak Prescott was under center in 2015. 11 years later, and the Bulldogs have a quarterback who has shades of Dak in his game. Kamario Taylor played sparingly as a true freshman, but he was dazzling when he was on the field.
Taylor threw for 629 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception while also running for 458 yards and eight touchdowns. The dual-threat quarterback will be a problem for opposing SEC defenses in his first year as the starter. If he hits his full potential, Taylor could blossom into one of college football’s stars in 2026. Jeff Lebby hasn't won at a high level in Starkville yet, but this could be the year his offense blossoms.
Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida (+30000)
Jadan Baugh’s talent is undeniable. Just watching him play, there isn’t much he can’t do. His size-speed combo is next-level, and he has the talent to be a superstar at the position.
The reason he isn’t a household name is that he is at Florida. Despite being stuck in an atrocious offense in 2025, Baugh still rushed for 1,170 yards and eight scores while catching 33 passes for 210 yards and two more touchdowns. With Jon Sumrall in town, the Gators could be one of the most improved teams in the country in 2026. The offense will undoubtedly flow through Baugh, and he could rise to the top of the college football world.
Julian Lewis, QB, Colorado (+40000)
It isn’t a Heisman longshot list if we don’t include someone from Deion Sanders’ Colorado squad. Julian “JuJu” Lewis started two games as a true freshman and is now expected to lead the Buffaloes’ offense in 2026. After Colorado had a down season in 2025, the former-five star has the talent to get them back on track.
In limited action as a freshman, he threw for 589 yards and four touchdowns. While he did not commit a turnover in his limited snaps, Lewis did take 12 sacks. He will need to speed up his process if he is going to be the key to a Colorado turnaround, but if he is, he could be the next big thing at a program that suddenly gets a ton of attention.
