After the first two months-plus of the 2026 college football season, ESPN stacked up the freshmen who have impressed the most to this point.
Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds is now ranked No. 25 overall in ESPN’s updated ranking of college football’s top 40 freshmen.
Reynolds was previously ranked No. 22 in early October, when ESPN’s list featured 25 freshmen.
Here’s what analyst Billy Tucker wrote about Reynolds in ESPN’s updated freshmen rankings:
“Reynolds hasn’t put up huge numbers, but Clemson has asked a lot of him. He helped the Tigers finish off Georgia Southern after Christopher Vizzina went down, then they beat North Carolina and California in his first two starts. There have been some freshman moments — he has been sacked 24 times in eight games [entering the Week 10 game at Syracuse] — and the production isn’t eye-popping, but Reynolds ended October with his best performance of the season in a 36-24 win over Florida State.”
Reynolds followed up that strong performance at FSU by accounting for 222 yards of total offense at Syracuse, including 161 passing yards on 17 of 28 passing with one interception, and 61 rushing yards on 15 carries. He iced the game with multiple first down runs on the game’s final possession.
After Vizzina started each of Clemson’s first two games this season, Reynolds was officially named the starter for Clemson’s ACC opener vs. North Carolina in Week 3 and has started every game since.
In nine game appearances, including seven starts, Reynolds has completed 155 of 240 passes (64.6 percent) for 1,446 yards with three touchdown passes and four interceptions.
A former four-star prospect according to ESPN, the Queen Creek, Ariz., native has also rushed for 310 yards and two more scores on the ground.
Reynolds and the Tigers return to action Saturday (12:30 p.m., The CW) when they host Georgia Tech at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.
Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree tops ESPN’s list of college football’s top 40 freshmen, with LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds, Georgia offensive guard Zykie Helton, Miami running back Javian Mallory and Notre Dame running back Jonaz Walton rounding out the top five.
South Carolina offensive tackle Darius Gray is ranked No. 10, while Gamecocks defensive tackle Noah Clark is No. 28.
Along with Reynolds and Miami’s Mallory, the other freshmen from the ACC on the list are Miami safety JJ Dunnigan (No. 11), Pitt running back Damon Ferguson Jr. (No. 12), Wake Forest cornerback Somad Eaddy (No. 23) and Syracuse wide receiver Calvin Russell III (No. 37).
