Where things stand with top 2026 IMG Academy standouts
BRADENTON, Fla. — The underclassmen were all the talk at IMG Academy’s Pro Day workout on Thursday evening, but the 2026 class will still be the anchoring group for the Ascenders.
Rivals connected with many rising-senior recruits at the national program and sets the stage for the remainder of the recruiting process with the program’s top uncommitted prospects.
Favorite: Penn State
Top Threats: Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas
The new arrival to IMG is well-traveled in his prep career and he will be counted upon immediately once he sets foot on the field. Brickle is from Philadelphia originally and while Penn State didn’t get in the race as early as he’d hoped, it has been very consistent since jumping in for the big defender. The payoff with Brickle is likely to be long awaited, however, as he is in the early stages of the process and expects to take the race much deeper into the cycle. Georgia and Ohio State are looming and will have him on campus in the month of March.
Favorite: Georgia
Top Threats: Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, Miami
There are twists and turns to be said in the recruitment of the big New York native, but the program that is always near the forefront of the discussion seems to be Georgia. Carey told Rivals he was recently on the phone with Kirby Smart following the coach spending time at IMG Academy to see him and others in January. He has yet to officially name top schools and is still working on a dense visit schedule, however.
Favorite: Florida
Top Threats: Tennessee, Georgia, Miami
The Sunshine State native is playing the long game, even bringing up the Early Signing Period in December as a timeline for an actual college decision. Still, there are programs that have their heels collectively dug into the interior blocker like SEC rivals Florida and Tennessee. This may be the early top two and it could be interchangeable, but UF has played the long game on its end here as well. Tennessee is picking up momentum most of all options, yet Miami and Georgia will also be in line to soon host Carr and potentially make a play up his list.
Favorite: Florida State
Top Threats: Cincinnati, Michigan
The Peach State native has been busy on the visit trail in addition to transitioning to IMG this year. Florida State has done a great job of getting him on campus dating back to his days in Georgia, but Forkpa says Cincinnati has been the most consistent program courting him of late. Official visits to Michigan and others will no-doubt make this one interesting, especially as some teams view him as an inside linebacker and others see more pass-rushing potential in his future.
Favorite: USC
Top Threats: Notre Dame, Washington, Florida, Georgia Tech
The Inglewood native made an early commitment to Miami but backed off last year when coaching changes were made. Since that point, Jiles has been viewed as a relatively open book despite the rumblings of a likely return to the West Coast. The latter is back on the table these days, even as the official visits will end up being coast to coast when completed. USC should have an inside track here in not only familiarity, but also in the revamped national staff it has brought in to supplement the 2024 group. Keep an eye on Notre Dame the longer this recruitment rolls on, though.
Favorite: Florida State
The in-state programs will be tough to overcome for Jones and the shift multiple UCF coaches made away from Orlando has created its own ripple effect here. Florida State, in hand, has been able to get Jones in front of the new staff and there was already plenty of familiarity there, so the ball could be in Mike Norvell and company’s court going forward.
Favorite: Miami
Top Threats: Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Texas
One of the longer-tenured prospects on the national team, Kolojay is in no rush to make a verbal commitment despite plenty of blueblood programs hot on his trail. There are still programs pushing for the late May official visit and that could throw a wrinkle into the list of contenders, but there is no doubt Miami, Georgia and Michigan are in a rock solid spot at this point. The Hurricanes are able to utilize several coaches to potentially expand that IMG pipeline, and combined with the proximity to IMG compared to other options, gives Miami a leg up early on.
Favorite: Oklahoma
Top Threats: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Florida, Florida State, Miami
The one is truly wide open, but we give an early edge to the Sooners because of continuity. Oklahoma was one of Kruel’s first scholarship offers and the battery of head coach and assistant coach hasn’t changed since the elite pass rusher’s recruitment went national. The Big Ten powers and in-state programs certainly have his attention and he’ll return to most of those campuses before all is said and done.
Favorite: Illinois
A Michigan native dreaming of an offer from the Wolverines, there are other programs in the Big Ten pushing much harder at the moment. He’ll trip to Illinois, Purdue and Indiana the first three full weekends of June and that could reflect the current pecking order in the recruitment as things currently stand. The dust will settle before the season with McHaney.
Favorite: Miami
Top Threats: USC, Florida, Georgia, Washington
The Trojans were of course the program he grew up following on the West Coast, but since his move to the Sunshine State, Mario Cristobal has led the way in the Hurricanes bridging that gap in short order. He’ll return to Miami to kick off a busy official visit slate that will take him across the country once more. Pepe has been courted as long as any recruit in IMG history, which says a lot, so these unique trips can create separation one way or the other.
