Here are the top five most difficult players to rank when personally sorting through my Devy rankings. There certainly is reason to like all of these players, but also reason to be skeptical. Without further delay, here are my challenging players to rank.
Bryce Underwood, Michigan
My Rank: QB6
Bryce Underwood still holds a lot of intrigue based on his elite profile coming out of high school. In theory, he is a quarterback with plenty of arm talent and athletic ability. His adequate size, recruiting pedigree, and opportunity all should increase his odds of success.
However, his freshman season lacked the anticipated seamless translation from high school. It is easy to blame the coaching staff, and perhaps the new coaching regime at Michigan can change things in 2026. There was no doubt that Underwood’s decision-making and accuracy were lacking as a freshman. There have even been mixed reports regarding his performance this off-season heading into his sophomore year.
I still think Underwood is one of the more talented college quarterbacks around, and I actually like how Michigan’s receiving options are shaping up. Nonetheless, Underwood is a massive projection at this point. His upside still warrants a reasonably aggressive rank, but the downside is certainly there and is not often discussed enough.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
My Rank: QB7
Many people believe that Julian Sayin is one of the top, if not the top, quarterback in college football. Sayin led an offense with the nation’s number-one wide receiver and another first-round receiver in the 2026 draft. While he had great weapons to help him out, he seemed to help their production as well.
There is no doubt he produced a very nice 2025 season, though in the last two games of the year he struggled against Indiana and Miami. Those were obviously formidable opponents, but the concerns around his play against difficult competition are valid. The argument that he was a product of the system is understandable.
As an athlete, Sayin lacks dynamic rushing upside, and his arm strength is not necessarily elite either. However, he is a good decision-maker who shows polish and accuracy in his game. He profiles, assuming his ongoing development, as a game-managing quarterback. Sayin can build on his first year as a starter and do so with a revamped, though less proven, wide receiver group in 2026.
His projection to the NFL level is a bit murky, but he is a safe option, albeit one with a slight lack of upside becoming a concern. I still think an NFL future is more likely for him than for some of the numerous “upside” quarterbacks in the college landscape at this time
Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech
My Rank: RB2
I am still very optimistic about Justice Haynes. He had an impressive 2025 season at Michigan after flashes at Alabama over his first two seasons. He was a highly anticipated recruit out of high school, and his explosiveness on the field leads me to project him as a very capable athlete. Power, vision, burst, and agility are all strong attributes that Haynes possesses. Pass-catching skills are likely underdeveloped based on his lack of receiving production thus far. He will catch passes, but is not deployed in down-the-field situations. Haynes also had an injury at the end of the 2025 season, which I believe caused him to stay another college season, instead of opting into the NFL draft.
Haynes also made another interesting decision to transfer closer to home and join Georgia Tech for 2026, which brings uncertainty about how that will ultimately affect his draft stock. His profile is volatile, but I still firmly believe in his talent as a rusher. In many ways, Haynes reminds me of Kenneth Walker’s strengths and weaknesses. In a landscape filled with backs with incomplete profiles, I still have Haynes ranked and tiered among the best college running backs.
Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
My Rank: RB9
Lacy is one of those backs who can break off chunk plays, flashing a solid burst. His production at the SEC level should, in theory, earn our attention. Even his pass-blocking flashes are solid. He was a good recruit and appears to be a solid athlete with sufficient size.
Lacy lacks some finer skills at the running back position, based on my evaluation. I am unsure of his ability to be a higher-end receiving option. He has seen volume in the passing game, but downfield usage or special receiving playmaking is lacking. Some nuanced aspects of his game are lacking, which are vital for running backs, such as stringing together missed tackles and showing an easy change of direction. I would also like to see more power from him. Unless you are a freakish, size-adjusted athlete at running back, lacking those traits does cause me some concern.
I also see his production numbers being aided by playing in the Ole Miss offense. Peeling back the raw numbers, Lacy did seem to struggle with his efficiency more than is typically discussed in his profile. Admittedly, he is a very solid college back, but likely not the elite back he has been hyped as. Lacy is being valued by many as a top-three running back in the 2027 class, but I have my doubts that he deserves that lofty ranking.
Duce Robinson, Florida State
My Rank: WR9
There is a lot to like about Robinson’s profile, starting with his lofty recruiting status coming out of high school. Understandably, there are questions around that same recruiting profile, as he was a possible tight end coming out of high school. He always had the athletic upside and versatility to be a wide receiver; the question was whether he would build out his larger frame and bulk up to become a tight end.
Robinson has committed to the WR position since the start of his college career and has developed into a formidable receiving threat. He had pedestrian production in his first few years at USC, but was ultimately involved in both of those first two seasons with explosive flashes.
The transfer to FSU was exactly what he needed in order to truly have a breakout season. He broke 1,000 receiving yards, cleared a 35% receiving-yard market share, and posted an intriguing 3.17 receiving yards per team pass attempt. He displayed big-play ability, continued to showcase his impressive ball skills, and carried on as a better mover than he gets credit for. He was able to gain yards after the catch effectively for a tall wide receiver.
There is uncertainty about what the 2026 season will look like for raw production, but he is likely to easily lead the room in receiving again and continue with his impressive development. A player of that athleticism, size, and skill should go very highly in the NFL draft. However, there are certainly questions and concerns, for example, if a quarterback can support a high-end receiver at FSU this season.
