EA Sports College Football 26 was officially released on Thursday, and aside from having some of the highest-ranked players in the game in general, there are a couple of freshmen who stand out above the rest.
Blue-chip Texas RB James Simon and WR Kaliq Lockett are ranked as the No.6 and No.8 true freshmen in the game, respectively. Simon was ranked as the 9th overall running back in the 2025 recruiting cycle, while Kaliq Lockett was the 2nd overall wide receiver.
Top Freshmen in EA Sports College Football 26⭐️
— On3 (@On3sports) July 10, 2025
(via @PeteNakos_)
Top 50: https://t.co/JDm494eivk pic.twitter.com/tEBiVszEW8
Much like redshirt freshman RB Christian Clark, Simon could end up seeing the field early in 2025, depending on C.J. Baxter's health and the number of backs that Steve Sarkisian utilizes in his rotation going forward. Though Quintrevion Wisner is obviously the lead man, we could see the Longhorns use more of a committee approach throughout the season in 2025, especially if they've already locked in their spot in the college football playoffs.
Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner points to James Simon as a youngster who “gets it” early on.
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) April 10, 2025
Also says Christian Clark is “not playing timid” after returning from his Achilles injury. @ontexasfootball pic.twitter.com/ozzjURlxFM
Simon also has excellent size at 5'11", 205 pounds, with an advantageous frame that should be conducive to gaining a good amount of muscle in the future without losing speed or quickness. The Longhorns are absolutely stacked in the running back room in both the game and real life.
Kaliq Lockett also has a great path to playing time this year, possibly even more so than Simon at this point. The pecking order is wide open behind Ryan Wingo, DeAndre Moore Jr., and Emmett Mosley V. Players like Parker Livingstone and fellow true freshman Jaime Ffrench will also be in the fold when it comes to competing for snaps. Lockett's ability to be effective both inside from the slot and at X or Z could be the deciding factor in whether or not he gets used more than some of the other depth-level players at the position.
Arch Manning made sure to give true freshman and former 5⭐️ WR Kaliq Lockett a shoutout at the Manning Passing Academy 🤘 pic.twitter.com/fDc3u15sxw
— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) June 28, 2025
Lockett undoubtedly has the size (6'2" 185 lbs.), skillset, and pedigree to be the locked-in WR4 in 2025, assuming that he doesn't get redshirted.
It's easy to see why these two Longhorns are so highly rated in the game and it's going to be incredibly fun to use them in dynasty mode.