The Deluxe Edition cover for College Football 26 has 1 former and 1 current Michigan Wolverine. Interestingly, that 1 current player hasn’t even taken a snap in college football yet:
The main cover and deluxe edition cover for College Football 26 were released on Tuesday. Two young wide receivers — Ohio State ’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams — are featured on the main cover, while the deluxe edition, which features both current and former college football players, included two Michigan Wolverines .
One of them is former quarterback Denard Robinson, who graced the cover of NCAA 14 back in the day and was the final cover athlete up until the video game series made its triumphant return last summer.
The current Michigan player on the deluxe edition cover — true freshman five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood.
NEW: CFB 26 Deluxe Edition Cover https://t.co/ujXhrjeOqm https://t.co/oXzwqyo8Rx pic.twitter.com/JqKVRJJ93F
— On3 (@On3sports) May 27, 2025
Michigan QB Bryce Underwood is the 1st incoming True Freshman to be featured on the cover in EA CFB History 〽️
All before taking a college snap https://t.co/qIYHZMybyC pic.twitter.com/bECiGZxsLF
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 27, 2025
Underwood has all the hype in the world as the No. 1 ranked player in the 2025 recruiting class. His flip from LSU to Michigan back in November was one of the biggest recruiting wins for the Wolverines ever, and it made national headlines that entire week. He is battling redshirt freshman Jadyn Davis — and transfer Mikey Keene, whenever he is fully healthy — for the starting job this fall, and it appears Underwood is in the lead to be QB1 on Aug. 30 against New Mexico.
But even though he is favored to win the starting job, is it a bit too early to include Underwood — or any true freshman, for that matter — on the cover of a video game like College Football 26? I get it’s the deluxe edition cover and not the main one that everyone will look back at years down the road, but it seems kinda crazy to include a guy that, albeit highly regarded, has yet to taken a collegiate snap.
Perhaps I am overthinking this, but I don’t think it’s right to give him this accolade before he has been told by Sherrone Moore that he is the starting quarterback. I’m sure the folks over at EA Sports don’t care what I or anyone else think or say, but I wouldn’t include any true freshmen on the cover of the game, no matter how highly touted they may be.
What do you think? Let us know down in the comments?