Reacting to CBS’s 15 potential breakout players in 2026
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In the last three years, no college football conference has been quite as successful as the Big Ten. In the last three years alone, the conference has produced each of the last three national champions, sent five different teams to the college football playoff, and seen nine players selected in the top ten of the NFL Draft.
And it seems like the sports journalism world — in particular, the good folks at CBS Sports had an article which compiled notes from Big Ten insiders on some of the conference’s breakout candidates. So I, as any overly opinionated sportswriter would, sat down, read the article, and wrote down some of my own takes on CBS’s takes on the insider’s takes. Call it take-ception!
Josh Burnham, EDGE, Indiana
What they think: CBS puts a premium on Burnham’s experience, noting his 40 games played and 15 starts across town with Notre Dame over three years. Pairing him with fellow transfer Chiddi Obiazor, who’ll move inside, will unlock his pass-rush.
What I think: Physically, I think Burnham projects well at the position, standing at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds. He’s also slowly but surely seen his sack numbers go up over the past three seasons, tallying three last season while mostly playing rotational snaps. The Hoosiers leaned on a “by committee” approach on defensive line last season, with six players recording five or more sacks — a benchmark that I think it’s reasonable to expect Burnham to hit, given what his numbers looked like without starting games, which I expect him to do in Bloomington.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Devon Jackson, LB, Oregon
What they think: Jackson is one of three returning linebackers for the Ducks, bringing speed, dynamism and range across the field to the group. He’s already been solidly productive, and stepping up from being a rotational piece to a starter will see his numbers go up.
What I think: Jackson’s a freak athlete — according to CBS Sports, he runs a 4.30 40 while being 250 pounds. He’s posted upwards of 40 tackles in each of the past two seasons, with 26 and 15 solo tackles in the past two seasons, respectively, showing an ability to finish both his own plays and others’ plays. Being paired with returning starter Jerry Mixon should allow Jackson to display his athleticism all over the field — a prospect that will surely be terrifying for Oregon’s opponents this season.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Luke Dehnicke, TE, Northwestern
What they think: Dehnicke put together an excellent season at Minnesota-Duluth this past season, logging 1,100 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns en route to an All-American nod. His size and frame make him a prime candidate to receive a hefty share of targets in Chip Kelly’s Wildcats offense.
What I think: I’m admittedly a little skeptical of DII production translating directly to the Big Ten, but I don’t hate this take. I think it comes down to Northwestern’s QB situation. The Wildcats will be rolling out Michigan State transfer Aidan Chiles under center. Quarterbacks in new systems tend to rely on a big, reliable short-yardage target to move the chains, and I think Dehnicke can be that target.
VERDICT: They’re right.
JJ Buchanan, WR, Michigan
What they think: Buchanan played substantial snaps at Utah last season as a true freshman, to the tune of 26 catches for 427 yards and five touchdowns. At 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, his frame should make him a viable option for short-yardage, chain-moving situations, even if he doesn’t need to be a volume receiver.
What I think: One of our own!
It’s not about Buchanan. I like the pickup, and I think pairing him up with his former OC Jason Beck will be great for him. But I just don’t know how much room there is for him to showcase his talent. Andrew Marsh should command the lion’s share of targets after a very promising freshman year, and the Wolverines can be expected to run the ball a lot, both with QB Bryce Underwood and highly touted freshman Savion Hiter. I think Buchanan will flash talent, but I just don’t know if he’ll get enough targets to truly “break out.”
VERDICT: They might be wrong.
Floyd Boucard, DL, USC
What they think: Boucard is a versatile lineman who excels at defending the run. He’s expected to be just a rotational piece, but can help round out an already potent Trojans defensive line room.
What I think: A similar situation to Buchanan, in that there are already too many mouths to feed. USC is already returning the likes of more proven talent in Jahkeem Stewart, Kamryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby. I think that’s a level of competition that can help Boucard long term, but for the time being, I doubt he’ll see enough meaningful snaps to qualify as a “breakout” candidate — if this were 2027, though, I think it’d be a different story.
VERDICT: They might be wrong.
Malachi Goodman, OT, Penn State
What they think: Goodman has all the physical, athletic and technical tools to be the Nittany Lions’ next great lineman. The offensive trenches have been one of the program’s strengths in the last few years, and Goodman could continue that trend.
What I think: Goodman, at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, possesses the ideal frame for an offensive lineman. Given the internal murmurs about his skillset and the fact that Penn State successfully developed Olu Fashanu into the 11th overall pick a year ago, I feel very good about this pick.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Devin Sanchez, CB, Ohio State
What they think: Sanchez is a former five-star, technically skilled and has the propensity to adjust. He’ll immediately have room to shine as the Buckeyes move to replace Davison Igbinosun and Caleb Downs.
What I think: Sanchez got a few early-season starts for Ohio State last season and didn’t look out of place, save for a few bad penalties. In the Buckeyes’ final four games of the season, he allowed just four catches for 33 yards on 51 coverage snaps. He’s had sky-high expectations for a while, but looks capable of meeting them.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Jahsear Whittington, DT, Nebraska
What they think: Whittington came to the Cornhuskers relatively undersized for a defensive tackle, at 6-foot, 250 pounds, though he’s since added 15 pounds to his frame. He should slot into a Nebraska defensive line that’s aiming to get better at attacking the run.
What I think: “Undersized” defensive linemen tend to carry themselves as slight question marks, but considering what the Cornhuskers want out of Whittington, I think it could even work in his favor. Being relatively smaller might give Whittington some additional speed and burst, which would help him rip through the trenches and attack the run at the source.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Quaid Carr, RB, Washington
What they think: Carr is a versatile running back whose vision and patience translate well to attacking zone-based offensive concepts. He’s competing with Oregon transfer Jayden Limar and Troy transfer Trey Cooley for the job, but is the favorite to land it.
What I think: At 189 pounds, Carr’s frame is somewhat slight for a running back, but given that he likely won’t be the lone workhorse in the backfield, there maybe doesn’t need to be a significant concern that his body won’t be able to handle it. With projected starter Jordan Washington sidelined for much of spring practice with a neck injury, Carr has had a chance to earn some additional reps. And while he still won’t be taking on workhorse duties, I do think he’ll take the majority of snaps at running back for Washington, giving him the perfect opportunity to make his mark.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Jamal Rule, RB, Nebraska
What they think: Rule quickly stood out in spring camp for the Huskers, staking a claim for the title of RB1, and will feel right at home in Matt Rhule’s physical offense.
What I think: Just last season, we saw Nebraska lean on a power running back in standout Emmett Johnson. I’m not saying Rule will be putting up 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns off the bat — that would be a rather wild expectation of a true freshman — but I do think there’s a good chance he flashes shades of being able to eventually become that player.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Cam Buffington, LB, Iowa
What they think: Buffington is built to play linebacker, at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, and there’s already been raving about his motor and instincts. The Hawkeyes have had a history of producing great linebackers, and Buffington looks to extend that lineage.
What I think: Iowa has had linebackers selected in four of the previous nine NFL drafts, most notably Detroit Lions standout Jack Campbell in 2023. Last season, he logged seven tackles and an interception despite playing extremely limited snaps. He has the tools to be an every-down linebacker, and I think this could be one of the safer picks on here.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Tre Bell, CB, Michigan State
What they think: Bell was already reliable as a Power Four starter for Iowa State last season, starting the final eight games and snagging two interceptions, but CBS expects him to take a step beyond just being reliable and turn into a key contributor in the Spartans’ secondary.
What I think: I think this one is a little hard to call, because it depends on what “breakout” really means. Bell has already “broken out” in terms of proving he can start at a power conference school — the natural next step, then, would be elevating his game into a true number one corner. And the reports that he’s yet to secure a starting role in the secondary lead me to think that he might not be there just yet, though I do think he’ll remain a capable player.
VERDICT: They might be wrong.
Brian Rowe, WR, UCLA
What they think: Rowe caught 19 passes for South Carolina last fall as a freshman, and will be one of three starters on the outside for the Bruins this year, with a chance to flash his athleticism more consistently than previously.
What I think: Rowe’s yards per catch last season was a modest 7.8 last season, and he walks into a UCLA team facing uncertainty under center, as the Bruins look set to roll with Nico Iamavalea again despite a deeply disappointing 2025 season. Receiver production often depends quite heavily on QB play — so I’ll file this one with Boucard in the “ask me again next year” category.
VERDICT: They might be wrong.
Chase Taylor, LB, Michigan
What they think: Taylor is a physical second-year defender who emerged as a special teams contributor in 2025, flashing his athleticism. He’s expected to take a step forward into being someone who’s reliable enough to be a situational defender.
What I think: Another one of ours!
I like this pick a lot. Linebacker is arguably the biggest question mark on the Wolverines’ entire roster this season, with nearly the entire starting group gone, and while Michigan did reload with transfers, there’s still plenty of room for a returner to make a mark. A year ago, we saw Cole Sullivan step forward and carve out a name for himself with some big plays — and while Taylor may not have quite the same level of impact, the precedent is there.
VERDICT: They’re right.
Davion Chandler, WR, Indiana
What they think: The Hoosiers have had a track record of developing wide receivers, and given Charlie Becker’s breakout late last season, it stands to reason that Chandler could be next in line for more of the same.
What I think: Chandler had one catch that went for 65 yards against in-state rivals Purdue last season, and I think that could be a portent of things to come. He’s been described as having good route-running skills, and I think that’s an ability that translates well to any wide receiver room.
VERDICT: They’re right.
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