EA Sports on 1 July unveiled the first wave of player ratings for its forthcoming “College Football 26” video game, due for release on 10 July with early access beginning 7 July. The company published position-by-position leaderboards as well as overall offensive and defensive rankings, giving fans an early look at the digital pecking order ahead of the college season. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith tops all athletes with a 98 overall rating, while teammate Caleb Downs leads the defensive side at 96. Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are next at 95 on offense, matching the 95 grade assigned to Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor and Utah tackle Spencer Fano headline the offensive line at 94. Quarterback ratings start at 92, a mark shared by Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State’s Drew Allar. EA Sports also detailed specialist leaderboards, including the 10 fastest players, led by South Carolina wideout Nyck Harbor with a 99 speed score. The ratings drop comes a week and a half before launch and aims to build momentum for the second edition of EA’s revived college football franchise, which returned last year after an 11-season hiatus. Player grades will be updated during the season through live patches, the company said.