College Football 27 set to feature handful of true freshmen. Who are the top ranked?
College Football 27 set to feature handful of true freshmen. Who are the top ranked?
Alex Martin, USA TODAYThu, July 2, 2026 at 10:02 AM UTC
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Over the past three years, a thousands of Division I college football players have been able to play as themselves in a video game.
Now, it's time for the next crop of true freshmen to join the party, along with the seasoned veterans.
College Football 27 is slated to release nationally on July 9, with plenty of new faces in the game this year, in what's expected to be a highly anticipated release. While some notable names did not make the game initially (they'll be added in later roster updates), there are plenty of recent 4- and 5-star recruits who did make the cut.
Here's a look at the top 10 true freshmen in the game on release listed in order from highest to lowest overall, and what they accomplished in high school last fall.
Lamar Brown, LSU DL
Overall: 84
High School: University Lab (La.)
Highlights: Brown is LSU’s first No. 1 signee since Leonard Fournette over a decade ago, earning First Team All-State in Class 3A as a junior. He had 29 tackles, 9 for loss, adding 3 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in 2025. He also earned MaxPreps First Team All-American honors in 2023 and 2024.
Brandon Arrington, Texas A&M DB
Overall: 83
High School: Mount Miguel (Calif.)
Highlights: Arrington helped Mount Miguel to a 17-7 record over two seasons, recording 78 tackles as a sophomore, junior, and senior. He had offensive capabilities as well, catching 68 passes for 1,342 yards and 13 touchdowns. His speed was also noteworthy and one that will be easily noticed in the game, having broken Noah Lyles’ San Diego County record in the 200 meters during high school.
Jackson Cantwell, Miami OT
Overall: 83
High School: Nixa (Mo.)
Highlights: Cantwell was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school, especially after a junior year where he finished with 158 pancake blocks. The Springfield News-Leader Player of the Year, and Gatorade National Football Player of the Year will head to Coral Gables to work with Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal, two of the best when it comes to coaching up the trenches.
Savion Hiter, Michigan RB
Overall: 83
High School: Louisa County (Va.)
Highlights: Hiter was an elite running back at Louisa County as a senior, rushing for just under 1,445 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior. As a junior, he ran for 1,698 yards on 156 attempts with 26 scores, adding 199 receiving yards and three special teams touchdowns on kickoffs. Louisa County went 11-1 in Hiter’s final season.
Zion Elee, Maryland EDGE
Overall: 83
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High School: St. Frances (Md.)
Highlights: Elee is the Terps’ highest rated recruit of all-time, passing Stefon Diggs for that mark. Elee was elite at St. Frances, earning Under Armour All-American Game and Polynesian Bowl invites as a junior. As a senior, Elee had 72 tackles (20 for loss), adding 12 sacks and 4 forced fumbles.
Khary Adams, Notre Dame DB
Overall: 82
High School: Loyola Blakefield (Md.)
Highlights: Adams was a 5-star recruit out of high school, ranked as one of the best to come out of Baltimore. At 6-foot-3, Adams finished with 37 tackles and a pair of interceptions as a senior, as teams opted to stay away from him throughout the season. He was a part of the Baltimore Touchdown Club’s Super 22, as well as an Under Armour and Navy All-American.
Mark Bowman, USC TE
Overall: 82
High School: Mater Dei (Calif.)
Highlights: Bowman is a three-year high school product, opting to forgo his senior year at Mater Dei. With the Monarchs, he had 31 catches for 370 yards and a pair of scores as a junior. As a sophomore, Bowman caught 31 passes for 427 yards and 8 touchdowns. Bowman earned MaxPreps Preseason All-America First Team honors heading into his junior season.
Naeem Burroughs, Clemson WR
Overall: 82
High School: Bolles (Fla.)
Highlights: Burroughs was a playmaker at Bolles, racking up 4,000 career all-purpose yards in the Jacksonville area. The 5-foot-11 wide receiver finished with 1,275 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in his final year with the Bulldogs, accumulating 3,782 yards and 52 receiving touchdowns over a four-year career.
Javian Osborne, Notre Dame RB
Overall: 82
High School: Forney (Texas)
Highlights: Osborne looks to be next in line in terms of Notre Dame running back greats, rushing for 2,015 yards and 32 touchdowns in his senior season, leading the Jackrabbits to a 10-3 season and a top 40 ranking in Texas. Osborne ran for 1,085 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior in nine games.
Luke Wafle, USC EDGE
Overall: 82
High School: Hun School (N.J.)
Highlights: Wafle was viewed as the top recruit in the country by On3 and Rivals, recording 99 tackles, 37 for loss, adding 23 sacks. Wafle was an All-USA TODAY East Football team, earning Defensive Captain honors. At the Navy All-American Bowl, Wafle was named MVP, and will look to break into the starting mold with the Trojans.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College Football 27 true freshmen overall ratings
Source: “AOL Sports”
