It's easy to get excited about the established stars of SMU football : Kevin Jennings , Kendrick Raphael, PJ Williams . But each season, players without a trail of pre-season accolades and buzz following them into the start of the season become key pieces for the team's success.
Last year, those Mustangs could include Matthew Hibner or Brandon Booker. Here's who I think has a chance to become a superstar for SMU in 2026.
SMU Mustangs safety Tyren Polley Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It'll be interesting how SMU uses their safeties this year. Isaiah Nwokobia and Ahmaad Moses, the lynchpins of the secondary since SMU's entrance to the ACC, have finally graduated. Then the Mustangs brought in Dallas native Jimmy Wyrick from UTSA and Jarvis Lee, a swiss army knife from USF.
Even with the additions of Wyrick and Lee, Polley will be getting playing time in 2026. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee stated multiple times in 2025 that he wanted Polley to start as a true freshman before he broke his right hand. Polley played in just five games, but reigned in two interceptions despite wearing a club on his hand. With full health and more experience under his belt, Polley can become the top ballhawk in SMU's secondary.
Southern Methodist University Mustangs running back Derrick McFall (0) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Boston College Eagles during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In the two years McFall has spent at SMU, he's had to play second or third fiddle to other running backs. In 2024, it was Brashard Smith and LJ Johnson, and last season he was blocked by TJ Harden and Chris Johnson Jr. Despite that, McFall made the most of his touches, averaging 5.4 yards per carry last season. With Kendrick Raphael as the presumed RB1 this season, and now sporting two years of eligibility, it would be easy to write off McFall.
Instead, SMU seems committed to not letting McFall's talent go to waste. The redshirt sophomore is now listed on the official SMU roster as a running back and wide receiver, implying that the Mustangs could be looking at new ways to get the speedster involved. McFall caught 19 passes for two touchdowns last season, and his 160 receiving yards are the third-most by any returning Mustang.
Depending on Dramecko Green's performance in camp, McFall could land as RB2 on the depth chart. Add on that SMU has a new-look receiver room, and McFall may see a career-high in looks both running and catching the ball. It wouldn't be a shock to see him mold into a Roderick Daniels Jr. archetype for Rhett Lashlee's squad.
The right side of the offensive line has been getting a lot of hype to start the season: Joshua Bates, Addison Nichols and PJ Williams are all regarded as some of the top talent in the ACC. Williams has even received first-round draft pick buzz.
Resultantly, people have seemed to forget that Odoms is the highest-rated prospect in SMU history, and could become as dominant a force at tackle as Williams. A five star from Lamar High School in Houston , Odoms appeared in just four games in 2025, allowing him to redshirt.
At six-foot-six, 318lbs, Odoms outmeasures the rest of SMU's starting linemen. If Odoms starts from the get-go, he'll make his name known early and solidify SMU's offensive line as one of the best not just in the ACC, but the country.
Southern Methodist Mustangs cornerback Marcellus Barnes Jr. (8) celebrates during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After a quiet start on the Hilltop, the Syracuse transfer came into his own in the back half of the season. A former four-star recruit, Barnes Jr. recorded four or more tackles in five of the last seven games of the season. He snagged an interception against his former team and totaled six pass breakups in 12 games played.
Those flashes of brilliance proved that Barnes Jr. is capable of elevating to the next level. It is likely that either Barnes Jr. or Texas A&M transfer Jayvon Thomas will be responsible for covering the biggest threats SMU will face at wide receiver, including Florida State's Duce Robinson or Notre Dame's Jordan Faison .
Barnes Jr. dealt with injuries his freshman year at Syracuse, but after nearly a full season's worth of reps as a starting cornerback, the redshirt sophomore could be an All-ACC caliber player by the end of the year.
Speaking of injury, no one has been held back more by ailments than Alabama transfer Jalen Hale. Hale was a top recruit out of Longview, Texas, ranking seventh nationally among wide receivers. After a decent freshman season in 2023, catching five passes for 148 yards and a touchdown, the speedster suffered a horrific knee injury in practice that left him sidelined for the entire 2024 season.
Hale got surgery and made a miracle return to the Crimson Tide in 2025, but received minimal playing time. He made the decision to transfer, and has quickly impressed in SMU's spring camp . The redshirt junior never got a full chance at Alabama. Now, in an SMU receiving room that lost two of its top deep ball threats in Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson, Hale may get a much-deserved second life in college football.
Prior to injury, he was good enough to play 13 games as a freshman for an Alabama squad still coached by Nick Saban. With reports from SMU's offseason camp saying that Hale looks fully healthy, the Mustangs may have fallen into an electric transfer portal pickup.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/smu as Five Breakout Candidates for SMU Football in 2026 .
