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Pair of talented receivers top 2026 college football 'freak' list
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- Pair of talented receivers top 2026 college football 'freak' list
Division I college football players must have a certain level of physical ability to compete in the first place, but there are a handful of players whose athletic prowess shines above the rest.
It's the cream of the crop leapers, speedsters and force multipliers that Bruce Feldman of The Athletic focused on in his 2026 college football 101 "freaks" list.
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Potential top five 2027 NFL draft pick Jeremiah Smith out of Ohio State slotted in at No. 2, as the pass catcher can do things most wideouts can only dream of. Smith has said that he feels even faster this year than he has been in prior campaigns.
Feldman had South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor as his top freak, writing, "To be this big and this blazing fast is truly rare. NFL scouts who came through Columbia this offseason measured him at 6-foot-6, 243 pounds with over 35-inch arms. His wingspan is 82 1/2 inches. He ran a 10.1 in the 100 and 20.20 in the 200 for the Gamecocks track team, where he's competing in the NCAAs against runners 60 and 70 pounds lighter than him."
The first defensive player on the list was Oregon defensive tackle A'mauri Washington, who checked in at number three. Ducks coach Dan Lanning said that the team has put limits on how much Washington is allowed to squat because Washington has powered through every other reasonable threshold.
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The first quarterback on the list came in at number 28, as Feldman gave props to South Dakota State's Chase Mason. Feldman noted that Mason "vertical jumped 40 inches this offseason and was clocked at 22.7 mph on the Catapult system. He can launch a football 82 yards."
A long snapper even made the list, as Michigan's Gavin Magorien appeared at number 78. Magorien is a former high school wide receiver and defensive back.
The list is rounded out at slot 101 by Ball State kicker Brody Boehm, who Feldman notes "has a leg good from 60 yards out, vertical jumped 41 inches and broad jumped 10-0 this offseason."
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Pair of talented receivers top 2026 college football 'freak' list
