Week 1 in college football is upon us. While a lot of the spotlight will be on the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft class, headlined potentially by Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier, there are quite a few players you haven’t heard of yet that will catch you by surprise to start the season.
With big matchups come a chance for those lesser-known players to make an impact — while also putting themselves into position to skyrocket their draft stock. These are the unknown stars that will catch the eye of NFL scouts with big performances under bright lights in Week 1 of the college football season.
All eyes will be on Texas and Ohio State, but there will be other popular matchups, including LSU at Clemson; Notre Dame at Miami (FL) and Alabama at Florida State. Here are 10 NFL Draft prospects you will need to know after Week 1.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Gamecocks
You may have heard of him before this season thanks to the latest edition of the EA Sports College Football franchise that made its triumphant return in 2024. And if you think he’ll be just like the virtual, video-game version of himself, you’d be making a good bet: He’s one of the most destructive dual-threat quarterbacks in college football, built like Cam Newton with an arm like Josh Allen.
While Sellers may be one of the last quarterbacks mentioned in this deep draft class, a big game against Virginia Tech to start the season could very well see his name rocket up toward being one of the first quarterbacks off the board next spring.
Peter Woods, Clemson Tigers
Peter Woods could very well be one of the first non-quarterbacks taken in next year’s draft. He’s a beast of an interior defender, and if he manages to wreak havoc against Nussmeier and LSU it could solidify him as a top-10 pick. He had a breakout 2024 season, when he recorded 18 solo tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. Another in a long line of Clemson linemen that includes Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and more.
Avieon Terrell, Clemson Tigers
That last name may sound familiar, because he’s the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons cornerback (and former Clemson lockdown corner) A.J. Terrell. Clemson’s defense is built to cause a whole lot of destruction this year, and Terrell as a lockdown weapon will certainly help. There’s quite a few cornerback-needy teams that will jump at the first chance to land him if he has a strong Week 1 against one of the best passing attacks in the country.
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jeremiyah Love made a loud welcome to the College Football Playoff a year ago, erupting for a 98-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score. It was the play that highlighted his big-play ability and why he’ll be one of the top running backs in college football this year. Look for him to give Miami fits all game, especially now that he’s fully healthy again.
Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes
Malaki Starks was a first-round selection last year as a safety; could Caleb Downs be the next? There’s been a lot of hype around him this season and ahead of next year's NFL Draft based on how good he looked anchoring the Buckeyes defense last year. He landed at Ohio State last year after transferring from Alabama. This year, he has a chance to have an even bigger impact in the Buckeyes secondary, and what better test than against Manning and the Longhorns?
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas Longhorns
Last season was a coming out party for Anthony Hill Jr. with Texas; he finished his sophomore season with 113 total tackles, with 59 of them being solo tackles, and he had eight sacks and four forced fumbles. He has Dallas Cowboys written all over him after they decided to part ways with Micah Parsons.
T.J. Parker, Clemson Tigers
Another elite EDGE rusher in the 2026 draft class is Clemson’s T.J. Parker. While Woods will clog the interior, Parker is a dangerous threat on the exterior. He exploded for 11 sacks last season with 34 solo tackles and six forced fumbles last season. He's another player that could land in Dallas as they eagerly wait for their next elite defender (who they will no doubt eventually trade).
Carnell Tate, Ohio State Buckeyes
While we will have to wait another year for Jeremiah Smith to be one of the first names called in the NFL Draft, we won’t have to wait for Carnell Tate. He’s in line to be the next receiver from the Buckeyes to make waves in the NFL. They seem to come a dime a dozen from Columbus, and while he's flown under the radar amid a deep position group, a big Week 1 (with some help from Smith attracting a ton of attention) will change that in a hurry.
LT Overton, Alabama Crimson Tide
It wouldn’t be a true NFL Draft prospects list without an Alabama defender on it, right? Look no further than LT Overton, who could creep into the first round in April’s NFL Draft. Last season, he finished with 17 solo tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He’ll get a good test against a Florida State team starving to turn things around after a forgettable 2024 season, and Gus Malzahn's rushing attack is always a pain to try and handle.
Germie Bernard, Alabama Crimson Tide
Ryan Williams may have to wait one more year, but Germie Bernard doesn’t and he’s destined for a big season with the Crimson Tide offense. Last year, Bernard finished with 794 yards and two touchdowns. While Williams will be the center of this offense, every team needs a strong No. 2 option and Bernard could prove he’s good enough to NFL stardom if QB Ty Simpson hits the ground running.