The following depth chart is intended to show what players exist at what positions, which also shows the needs from the transfer portal and perhaps the February signing day for the 2026 class.
- QB Jadyn Davis (transfer portal)
- QB Mikey Keene (transfer portal)
- QB Davis Warren (transfer portal)
- RB C.J. Hester (transfer portal)
- RB Bryson Kuzdzal (transfer portal)
- RB Jasper Parker (transfer portal)
- RB John Volker (graduation)
- WR C.J. Charleston (graduation)
- WR Donaven McCulley (graduation)
- WR Fredrick Moore (transfer portal)
- WR Semaj Morgan (transfer portal)
- WR Peyton O'Leary (graduation)
- WR Anthony Simpson (graduation)
- TE Max Bredeson (graduation)
- TE Marlin Klein (NFL draft)
- TE Brady Prieskorn (transfer portal)
- OL Greg Crippen (graduation)
- OL Giovanni El-Hadi (graduation)
- OL Jake Guarnera (transfer portal)
- OL Connor Jones (transfer portal)
- OL Ben Roebuck (transfer portal)
- OL Andrew Sprague (transfer portal)
- OL Kaden Strayhorn (transfer portal)
- EDGE Devon Baxter (transfer portal)
- EDGE T.J. Guy (graduation)
- EDGE Tyler McLaurin (graduation)
- EDGE Derrick Moore (graduation)
- DT Rayshaun Benny (graduation)
- DT Enow Etta (transfer portal)
- DT Ike Iwunnah (graduation)
- DT Damon Payne (graduation)
- DT Tre Williams (graduation)
- LB Jaishawn Barham (graduation)
- LB Ernest Hausmann (graduation/medical retirement))
- LB Jaydon Hood (graduation)
- LB Cole Sullivan (transfer portal)
- DB Caleb Anderson (graduation)
- DB Elijah Dotson (transfer portal)
- DB Jaden Mangham (transfer portal)
- DB Rod Moore (graduation)
- K Beckham Sunderland (transfer portal)
- K Dominic Zvada (graduation)
It assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in the fall of 2026, which is obviously not true.
Hit the jump for the depth chart.
QB: Bryce Underwood (So.), Chase Herbstreit (RS Fr.), QB Brady Smigiel (Fr.), Tommy Carr (Fr.)
RB: Justice Haynes (Sr.), Jordan Marshall (Jr.), Micah Ka'apana (RS So.), Donovan Johnson (RS Fr.), Savion Hiter (Fr.), Jonathan Brown (Fr.)
WR1: Andrew Marsh (So.), Kendrick Bell (RS Jr.), Jacob Washington (So.), Travis Johnson (Fr.)
WR2: Channing Goodwin (RS So.), Jamar Browder (So.)
WR3: I'Marion Stewart (RS So.), Jaylen Pile (Fr.)
TE: Hogan Hansen (Jr.), Jalen Hoffman (RS Jr.), Zack Marshall (RS Jr.), Deakon Tonielli (RS Jr.), Eli Owens (RS Fr.), Mason Bonner (Fr.)
LT: Andrew Babalola (RS Fr.), Malakai Lee (Fr.)
LG: Blake Frazier (RS So.), Lawrence Hattar (RS Sr.), Luke Hamilton (RS So.)
C: Brady Norton (RS Jr.), Nathan Efobi (RS Jr.), Adrian Hamilton (Fr.)
RG: Evan Link (RS Jr.), Avery Gach (RS Fr.), Brooks Bahr (RS Jr.)
RT: Ty Haywood (So.), Marky Walbridge (Fr.), Tommy Fraumann (Fr.)
EDGE: Dominic Nichols (RS So.), Nate Marshall (So.), McHale Blade (Fr.)
DT: Benny Patterson (So.), Ted Hammond (RS So.), Bobby Kanka (RS Fr.), Titan Davis (Fr.), Alister Vallejo (Fr.)
NT: Trey Pierce (Sr.), Manuel Beigel (RS So.), Travis Moten (RS Fr.)
Rush LB: Cameron Brandt (Sr.), Lugard Edokpayi (RS So.), Julius Holly (RS Fr.), Carter Meadows (Fr.), Tariq Boney (Fr.)
MIKE: Jimmy Rolder (RS Sr.), Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (So.), Aden Reeder (Fr.), Kaden Catchings (Fr.)
WILL: Troy Bowles (RS Jr.), Chase Taylor (So.), Zach Ludwig (RS So.), Markel Dabney (Fr.)
CB: Jyaire Hill (RS Jr.), Jayden Sanders (So.), Jo'Ziah Edmond (Jr.), CB Tevis Metcalf (Jr.)
CB: Zeke Berry (RS Sr.), Shamari Earls (So.), Jeremiah Lowe (RS So.), Jamarion Vincent (Fr.)
Ni: T.J. Metcalf (Sr.), Jordan Young (So.)
FS: Mason Curtis (Jr.), Jordan Deck (Fr.)
SS: Brandyn Hillman (RS Jr.), Jacob Oden (Jr.), Kainoa Winston (RS Fr.)
K: Micah Drescher (Fr.)
P: Hudson Hollenbeck (RS Jr.)
LS: Nico Crawford (RS Sr.), Trent Middleton (RS Jr.), Colton Dermer (Fr.)
Valiant effort Thunder, but CFB is beyond chaos these days
ReplyDeleteInteresting assumption buried above is Link and Frazier moving inside to OG after playing OT exclusively (I think). It makes sense though especially with Sprague coming back and Babalola (seemingly) locked in at OT. Could be some shuffling for sure with the new coaching staff in place.
ReplyDeleteAllow me to pontificate for a minute.
ReplyDeleteNot quite there yet as a fan, but it wouldn't be entirely wrong to think every year is a clean slate for the roster. We got guys who graduated coming back. We got guys in the portal coming back. We got freshman who barely played moving to another school and freshman who played a ton moving on to another school. We got guys saying they are staying and then going in the portal. We even have guys signing damn contracts and then ignoring them immediately. Chaos reigns.
Anyway, the portal is just a matter of marketing. Indicates degree of interest to some degree, but not really, because I think every single guy on scholarship at least contemplates it. The most desired ones have agents talking to other schools before they enter but even the 100th man is probably wondering if he couldn't get more playing time next year if he went off to Dartmouth or whatever.
In other words, everyone's in the portal every year, in a way. So don't assume anyone is coming back until they say they are coming back, and then even then you need some salt.
So yeah, team 147. The O seems to be coming together with a more or less plausible starting 5, a starting QB, probably Marsh, probably Marshall and Hiter. Most of the way there to a functional rotation between freshman and confirmed returners.
The defense though... pure clean slate. Berry and air.
Until somebody announces they are coming back, I assume they are probably gone. My version of the above depth chart is blank spaces and freshman and then a fingers-crossed emoji on every sophomore, junior, and senior, and a shrug emoji on Rod Moore, Jimmy Rolder and other post-grads.
Looking forward to hearing what Hill, Metcalf, Curtis, Pierce, Etta, etc decide in the days/weeks to come... or if Utah reverse manifest destiny hits and those guys see their starting spots disappear.