Four-star defensive back recruit Chace Calicut from Houston’s North Shore High School has emerged as one of the most sought-after prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. He recently committed to Georgia over Texas and Michigan, making it a strong recruiting week for Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs.

Calicut represents the type of high-profile recruit programs that often pursue significant NIL packages in today’s college football. However, the Texas native’s recent comments about his decision-making process suggest he prioritizes factors beyond financial incentives.

2026 Recruit Chace Calicut Says He Prioritizes Development Over Dollars

Four-star safety recruit Chace Calicut made his commitment to Georgia official this week, on Friday, June 27, after a recruiting process that saw Texas and Michigan push hard for the defensive back. The Houston North Shore standout turned heads not just with his decision but with his reasoning behind it.

“I’m not picking a college because of money,” Calicut said, according to an X post shared by Jed May of Rivals. The four-star defensive back stressed that his choice centered on coaching staff relationships and development potential rather than financial packages.

Chace Calicut on NIL:

“I would definitely say I’m leaving a couple thousands off the table, hundred thousands, I’d say… I’m choosing a college that will prepare me for the NFL. I’m not picking a college because of money and the other things about it.”https://t.co/blB64fFBFM

— Jed May (@JedMay_) June 27, 2025

He is more focused on his connection with Georgia’s defensive coaching staff and their proven track record of preparing cornerbacks for the NFL.

Calicut elaborated, “I would definitely say I’m leaving a couple [sic] thousands off the table, hundred thousands, I’d say… I’m choosing a college that will prepare me for the NFL. I’m not picking a college because of money and the other things about it.”

Calicut is one of the top safeties in the 2026 class, and college programs have taken notice. The four-star prospect from North Shore High School has collected over 20 scholarship offers from programs like Oregon, Michigan, and Texas.

According to 247Sports Composite rankings, he is ranked as the No. 162 overall prospect nationally and the No. 13 safety in the country. He also claims the No. 23 spot among all prospects in Texas.

While Calicut plays safety in high school, Georgia plans to move him to cornerback, where his physical style and press coverage skills should translate well. He is listed at 6’3” and 190 pounds, providing significant size for a defensive back.

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He plays with an edge and has a knack for finding the football. Whether he is covering receivers or helping in run support, coaches say he sees the game differently than most players his age.

Georgia won out during a busy six-day stretch of his recruitment, with defensive backs coach Donte Williams telling Calicut he has NFL potential. The commitment gives the Bulldogs another piece for what is shaping up as an elite secondary class alongside fellow four-star commitments Justice Fitzpatrick and Caden Harris.

Georgia has sent defensive backs like Kelee Ringo, a fourth-round pick in 2023, and Kamari Lassiter, a second-round pick in 2024, to the NFL within three years of their arrival in Athens.

The Bulldogs have had four defensive backs selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2019, including Malaki Starks in 2025. Calicut’s focus on development over money could pay off bigger than any NIL deal if he follows the same path.

With his NFL Draft stock on the rise, Cade Klubnik continues to thrive in the NIL space with a $3.4 million On3 NIL Valuation. The Clemson quarterback will now have his own action figure.

Klubnik is joining forces with Collegiate Legends, the company told On3. He is the latest college football star to receive a custom action figure through an NIL deal, joining a group that includes South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers and Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe. This will be Collegiate Legends’ last NIL activation this year.

In addition, Klubnik will be donating a portion of the proceeds to charity and make a special appearance to gift the toys to children in the community. He will also donate toys to Clemson Athletics for fan engagement and athlete programming.

“Cade is more than just a top-tier quarterback. He’s a leader, a role model, and exactly the kind of athlete who motivates the next generation,” said Holly Tanory, President of Collegiate Legends, in a statement to On3. “He’s the perfect choice to represent our first ACC partnership and to kick off what promises to be an unforgettable college football season.”

Klubnik is coming off a breakout season at Clemson in 2024, leading the Tigers to the College Football Playoff. He threw for 3,649 yards and 36 touchdowns – an impressive bounce-back from an up-and-down 2023 season.

Cade Klubnik set for success on, off field in 2025

The Heisman Trophy buzz is already starting ahead of Cade Klubnik’s senior season, and he’s gaining traction as a projected first-round pick in the NFL Draft. He’s also one of the top names at quarterback in what’s shaping up to be a loaded draft class at the position.

At $3.4 million, Klubnik’s On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 7 in the college football NIL rankings. He also checks in at No. 8 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

After passing on an NFL Draft with question marks at quarterback, Klubnik will now look to get Clemson back to the College Football Playoff and maintain its spot atop the ACC. Speaking with On3’s Pete Nakos, he’s focusing on his development to eventually get to the next level.

“At the end of the day, quarterback is a developmental game, and your relationship with your offensive coordinator is probably the most important relationship in football,” Klubnik said. “So being able to just have more time and more games under my belt with him has been huge. I took a step between two years ago and last year, and I’m trying to take another step this year. That’s kind of my mentality. I played some of my best ball last year, but still not good enough in terms of where I want to be.”

Arkansas baseball made a huge splash with incoming transfer shortstop Dylan Grego out of the portal from Ball State. The Southeastern Conference is going to look a little different than playing in the Mid-American Conference, but the Razorbacks’ new infielder will be a solid fit to replace projected 2025 MLB Draft pick Wehiwa Aloy.

Both Aloy and Grego began their college careers in 2023 with Aloy originally playing his freshman season at Sacramento State in the Western Athletic Conference.

Comparing Dylan Grego and Wehiwa Aloy

2023: Freshman Seasons

Aloy played in all 56 games for the Hornets on his way to being named the WAC Freshman of the Year with a .376 batting average while crushing 14 home runs and 46 RBIs. He was also tabbed as a Freshman All-America First Team honoree by the NCBWA, ABCA, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, D1Baseball and Baseball America. After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Aloy entered the transfer portal and signed with Arkansas.

Grego opened up his freshman year in 2023 by appearing in 21 games (five starts) for the Cardinals where he hit for .294 with three home runs and 12 RBIs while putting together a solid on-base percentage of .385. The Kansas City, Mo. native began to show promise with a six-RBI game against the Butler Bulldogs on March 22 as well as hitting his first career collegiate home run in a 19-2 midweek victory.

2024: Sophomore Seasons

Aloy immediately made an impact as the everyday starting shortstop for the Hogs in 60 games. He led the team with 14 homers, 56 RBIs and 45 runs scored. His average did take a dip to .270, but his fielding percentage was boosted to .963 with six errors committed on 161 total chances. Aloy was named to the All-SEC Second Team and was on his way to becoming one of the biggest names in college baseball.

He spent the summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League, where he started making adjustments to his swing. Aloy cracked eight home runs in 21 games with 24 RBIs while logging a .309 average in 21 games played.

Grego transitioned into the everyday starting shortstop for Ball State in 2024 with 49 appearances (44 starts) after having a solid summer for the Alexandria Aces in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League. The switch hitter put up a low batting average of .242 with five bombs, 20 RBIs and 25 runs scored but did collect eight multi-hit performances including three games where he had three hits. He struggled a little bit in the field with 14 errors committed on 162 chances for a fielding percentage of .914.

2025: Junior Seasons:

Aloy registered a huge season at the plate with a .350 average, 21 homers, 68 RBIs and a .434 on-base percentage while amassing a 1.107 OPS across 65 games. He was named the SEC Player of the Year and became the third Razorback in program history to win the Golden Spikes award, joining Andrew Benintendi (2015) and Kevin Kopps (2021). Not only was Aloy a beast at the plate, but was dazzling in the field with some spectacular plays with a fielding percentage of .978. His big year shot him up the draft board and helped the Hogs reach the College World Series semifinals.

In 2025, Grego’s power numbers skyrocketed with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs, 58 runs scored and an average of .376 with an on-base percentage of .429 in 58 games. He committed just five errors in the field on 230 chances for a fielding percentage of .978 and was named a 2025 First Team All-MAC and All-MAC Defensive Team honoree.

Grego is going to be a solid replacement with Aloy most likely getting drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft, but Arkansas is still in need of more talent out of the transfer portal going into the 2026 season.

EA Sports College Football 26 is just two weeks away from its release date on July 10 and more details inside the game are being revealed.

That includes team ratings. So where does Pitt stack up compared to the other teams in the game?

According to CFBrating.com, Pitt’s unofficial overall rating is a 78 — the 62nd ranked team in the game. The Panthers’ offense is an 80 overall, while the defense is an 86 overall.

Pitt boasts a top-10 rated defensive player in the game. All-American linebacker Kyle Louis is rated a 93 overall, which is the 17th highest-rated player and ninth-best defensive player.

Running back Desmond Reid is another one of the best players in the game. He was given a 91 overall rating and is the 90th-best player in the game.

Pitt was also heavily featured in an in-depth Road to Glory trailer that showcases a recruit’s path from high school to selecting Pitt and going onto the National Football League.

Got our guy @EASPORTSCollege https://t.co/Jn0xDsSAAP pic.twitter.com/FhIUpRYt3f

— Pitt Panthers (@Pitt_ATHLETICS) June 27, 2025

It’s interesting to see how Pitt’s overall rating will adjust as the season goes on, but for now, they are on the lower side of Power Four teams and behind rival West Virginia. The Mountaineers were 10 spots higher with an 80 overall rating.

This year’s trailer showcased the Backyard Brawl with quarterback Eli Holstein weaving his way through the West Virginia defense before stretching at the goal line for a touchdown.

For the players sake, they will earn over double the money from EA Sports in the upcoming edition of College Football 2026.

According to a report from Chris Vannini of The Athletic, an email was sent to Football Bowl Subdivision players on Tuesday stating that those who opt into the video game will see name, image and likeness payments increase from $600 to $1,500 for the newest version.

The long-awaited College Football 25 game saw 14,000 players opt in with 11,000 players NIL officially used within the game. The number of players featured in the game is expected to remain the same. CFB25 went on to become the highest-selling sports game of all-time based on dollar sales.

The team ratings have been revealed for EA Sports’ College Football 26, and the Duke football program is towards the top of the list. The Blue Devils were given a team rating of 84, ranked as the 23rd-highest team in the game. SMU, Tennessee, Missouri, and Auburn were also given 84 team ratings upon the release.

The Blue Devils, along with SMU, are the third-highest rated programs out of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the game. Clemson leads the way out of the ACC with a rating of 88, followed by Miami at 86.

EA Sports also released the top 25 offensive and defensive team ratings. Duke didn’t make the mark offensively, but was awarded the 16th-highest defensive team rating with an 88. This comes off a 2024 season where Manny Diaz’s group was one of the top defensive units in the nation, finishing second in the nation in tackles for loss (116), fourth in the nation in sacks (43), and 26th nationally in third-down conversion percentage (33.8). The Blue Devils are looking to build on that stellar defense in year two under Diaz after returning some of their top contributors from a season ago, most notably rising senior cornerback Chandler Rivers, who is viewed as one of the top returning secondary pieces in college football this upcoming season.

Now, Duke didn’t eclipse the top 25 mark offensively, but there’s a chance that offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer can make some magic happen with his rebuilt core. Duke added stud transfer quarterback Darian Mensah from Tulane, who’s poised for a breakout redshirt sophomore campaign after signing a monster two-year, $8 million NIL contract with the program. Duke is also bringing back rising sophomore receiver Que’Sean Brown, who should be one of the most improved wide receivers out of the ACC after coming onto the scene midway through his freshman year.

The Duke program has pressure mounting on it to perform this season after a successful first year with Diaz at the helm, mixed with the huge investment the program made in its quarterback. Despite only being viewed as a middle-of-the-pack ACC team heading into the 2025 campaign, the Blue Devils are looking to push for their first ACC Championship since 1989.