{"id":688753,"date":"2026-06-06T22:58:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T22:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/688753\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T22:58:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T22:58:09","slug":"cbs-sports-identifies-12-breakout-sec-players-ready-to-become-household-names-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/688753\/","title":{"rendered":"CBS Sports identifies 12 breakout SEC players ready to become household names in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every college football season introduces a new wave of stars across college football, and especially inside the SEC<\/a>. From former blue-chip recruits<\/a> to veteran transfers<\/a> and young players waiting for opportunities<\/a>, they all often emerge as some of the top stories in the conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With roster turnover and transfer portal movement reshaping depth charts, several programs are counting on new faces<\/a> to make immediate impacts in 2026. Among them are contenders like Georgia<\/a>, Alabama<\/a>, Texas<\/a> and LSU<\/a>, as they\u2019re undergoing significant changes at key positions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All told, those openings have created opportunities for talented players to step into larger roles. With that in mind, CBS Sports\u2019 Brad Crawford<\/a> highlighted 12 SEC players<\/a> he believes are poised for breakout seasons<\/a> this fall.<\/p>\n

$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

Crawford pointed to Linton as the next potential standout pass rusher in Georgia\u2019s defensive pipeline. The redshirt freshman flashed his potential during spring practice and in the Bulldogs\u2019 spring game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With additional snaps available off the edge, Linton could become a major contributor in passing situations. Georgia\u2019s track record of developing edge rushers only adds to the excitement surrounding his future.<\/p>\n

Thomas arrives at Ole Miss after earning All-Big 12 honors at Baylor. Defensive coordinator Bryan Brown praised the senior linebacker and said he exceeded expectations this spring.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thomas recorded 99 tackles last season and is expected to become a leader in the Rebels\u2019 rebuilt linebacker room. He joins a defense that leaned heavily on the transfer portal this offseason.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma believes Okoye possesses elite NFL-level traits. The former five-star prospect recorded two sacks as a situational pass rusher last season and is expected to see a much larger role in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His combination of size, speed and explosiveness fits perfectly in Brent Venables\u2019 aggressive defense. If Okoye breaks out, Oklahoma\u2019s defensive line could become one of the SEC\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

The highest-rated receiver ever signed by Tennessee could quickly become a star in Josh Heupel\u2019s offense. Keys arrived in Knoxville with enormous expectations after finishing as the No. 1 receiver in the 2026 recruiting cycle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Though he had a limited spring, Tennessee expects him to push for a starting role. His speed and route-running ability make him an ideal fit in the Volunteers\u2019 system.<\/p>\n

Alabama added Thompkins from USC to strengthen its defensive front. The veteran defensive lineman totaled 31 tackles and three sacks last season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Coaches believe his disruptive ability could eventually make him an NFL Draft first-round prospect. His versatility should provide immediate help for the Crimson Tide.<\/p>\n

Odom gives Ole Miss another dangerous weapon in its offense. At 6-foot-5, he can line up at multiple positions and create matchup problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Crawford noted that quarterback Trinidad Chambliss\u2019 ability to extend plays should only increase Odom\u2019s production. The Rebels believe he is capable of delivering a huge season.<\/p>\n

Florida coaches and players consistently praised Hanks throughout spring practice. The redshirt freshman emerged as one of the Gators\u2019 most reliable defensive backs and is battling for a starting role.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Teammates highlighted his instincts and confidence despite his youth. His development could be critical for Florida\u2019s secondary.<\/p>\n

Phillips played in 12 games as a freshman and enters 2026 with much higher expectations. Texas believes an offseason in the strength program has elevated his game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The sophomore is expected to become a key piece of the Longhorns\u2019 secondary. His confidence and ball skills stood out during spring practice.<\/p>\n

Saka brings proven production to College Station after recording 12 career sacks at Northwestern. Texas A&M believes his explosiveness will translate well to SEC competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His ability to create pressure should make him an immediate contributor. The Aggies view him as a major addition to their defense.<\/p>\n

Auburn\u2019s coaching staff loves Deas\u2019 athleticism and speed. He is expected to help stabilize the middle of the Tigers\u2019 defense alongside Xavier Atkins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Deas excels at attacking downhill and fitting gaps quickly. His skill set aligns perfectly with Auburn\u2019s defensive philosophy.<\/p>\n

Russell transformed his body during the offseason and impressed coaches throughout spring practice. Arkansas expects him to receive a much larger workload in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At nearly 240 pounds, he brings a physical running style capable of wearing down defenses. The Razorbacks hope he becomes the centerpiece of their ground attack.<\/p>\n

Gardner remained with Kentucky despite a coaching transition and impressed during spring practices. The young cornerback fits defensive coordinator Jay Bateman\u2019s aggressive scheme.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kentucky believes he can handle one-on-one responsibilities on the outside. If his development continues, Gardner could become a major contributor this fall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every college football season introduces a new wave of stars across college football, and especially inside the SEC.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":688754,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[209316,299130,299131,299132,189577,299133,299134,299135,209320,399,1398,299136,398,396,397,99,299137],"class_list":["post-688753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-anto-saka-22-loyola-blakefield","tag-ben-hanks-iii-25-booker-t-washington","tag-braylen-russell-24-benton","tag-bryce-deas-25-st-frances-academy","tag-caleb-odom-24-carrollton","tag-chase-linton-25-north-atlanta","tag-danny-okoye-24-noah-homeschool","tag-demarcus-gardner-25-cedartown","tag-devan-thompkins-22-edison","tag-football","tag-kade-phillips-25-hightower","tag-keaton-thomas-22-ponte-vedra","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-ncaafootball","tag-sports","tag-tk-keyes-24-taylorsville"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=688753"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688753\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/688754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=688753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=688753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=688753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}