Now’s the point in the college football offseason where you can basically smell the fall coming. This past weekend, several teams around the country concluded spring football with intrasquad games, giving fans a preview of what their team looks like heading into the home stretch of the offseason.
Scrolling through Instagram has afforded me the opportunity to see several highlights, stat lines and emerging players who look ready to have an immediate impact come fall. That being said, here are five players whose spring game performances raised eyebrows and, more importantly, showed signs of translating when the games start to matter.
Ethan Grunkemeyer, Quarterback (Virginia Tech)
Filling in for the injured Drew Allar at Penn State last season, Ethan Grunkemeyer showed flashes of being “the dude” for a college football team after leading the Nittany Lions, who had head coach James Franklin fired, to a 7-6 season and a win in the Pinstripe Bowl over Clemson. After the season ended, Grunkemeyer entered the transfer portal and followed Franklin to Blacksburg to turn the struggling Virginia Tech program around.
In their spring game Saturday, the rising sophomore completed 13 of his 17 passes for 136 yards, one passing touchdown and an interception, which is very impressive for a spring game. He ran Virginia Tech’s offense to a tee, displaying both accuracy and excellent arm talent. Though he’s currently in a battle for the starting quarterback spot with redshirt freshman Bryce Baker, Grunkemeyer’s performance should give him momentum for that role.
Chris Henry Jr., Wide Receiver (Ohio State)
Since his commitment in 2023, Buckeyes fans have been frothing at the mouth to see Chris Henry Jr., the second-ranked wide receiver in the class of 2026, in action. And he did not disappoint in the Ohio State spring game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The 6-foot-5 true freshman hauled in four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, with two of those catches being flashy, deep completions in traffic. As physically imposing as he is right now, he’s still developing and has a full summer to prepare. In an already stacked wide receiving room with veterans Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss, Henry is proving himself as a legitimate wide receiver-three target.
Alberto Mendoza, Quarterback (Georgia Tech)
Everybody knows Fernando Mendoza. After all, he’s on the verge of being drafted first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft in just a few days. However, let’s not take our sights away from his little brother, Alberto, who looks poised to be the starting quarterback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets this fall.
Sitting behind his brother for the 2025-26 national champion Indiana Hoosiers, Mendoza saw minimal action, amassing only 24 passing attempts in the final minutes of several Indiana blowout victories. However, he looked like a seasoned veteran over the weekend after completing 12 of 16 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He even had head coach Brent Key refer to him as “the guy.” Should Mendoza win the starting job over rising freshman Grady Adamson, the Yellow Jackets are a serious threat to make a run at an ACC title.
Savion Hiter, Running Back (Michigan)
Even though his 10 carries for 44 yards in Michigan’s Maize and Blue game aren’t crazy on paper, true freshman running back Savion Hiter certainly impressed Saturday. The five-star prospect from Mineral, Virginia, showcased power against one of the best defenses in the country, ripping off several chunk plays while falling forward on nearly every carry.
Hiter’s size is second to none. Measuring in at 6-foot, 210 pounds, he should have no problem plowing through Big Ten defenses and becoming the next great Wolverine running back. Not to mention, new offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s offense is nearly identical to a traditional Michigan offense, with the use of tight ends in the run game, so Hiter should fit right in and thrive early.
Braylon Conley, Cornerback (Georgia)
Looking at the defensive side of several spring games, Georgia’s Braylon Conley was one of the many names to stand out in discussions after Georgia’s G-Day on Saturday.
Conley spent the last two seasons at USC, transferring to Athens after playing in nine games for the Trojans. Despite recording only 14 total tackles last season, he looks to be a key cog for Kirby Smart’s defense in 2026.
The cornerback was targeted several times by the Georgia offense, allowing just one completion throughout the scrimmage, and finished the day with two tackles and a pass breakup. Despite being behind veteran corners Ellis Robinson and Demello Jones, Conley looks to provide terrific depth on the Bulldogs’ defense in hopes of another SEC championship title.