Early Roster Impressions

In today’s ever-shifting college football landscape, there’s no telling who we’ll actually see suit up this season, but the roster is posted, so here are our first impressions:

DB room steals the show – With Kamara and Daniyan as the headliners, this has the makings of a historically great safety class. Kamara can flip a game on its head with his uncanny nose for takeaways, while Daniyan is the crafty veteran who’s almost never caught out of position. Schmidt might be the best open-field tackler in FCS. Eastep has spent his career inches away from highlight-reel plays, so this feels like the year he finally puts it all together. Webster has to clean up the penalties, but the shutdown-corner potential is immense. Barkley-Smith and White should be key corners, and don’t be shocked if a freshman or two breaks into the rotation.

LB woes continue – The slide at linebacker may not have hit bottom just yet, with Grant as the top returner and precious little depth behind him. Grant stepped up in a big way in 2025, and outside of a handful of snaps in the first half of the season, he was as reliable as you could ask for. There’s talent that could turn the tide, but it’ll take a massive summer of development to shore up the room. The hopes of the defense could rest on offseason leaps from players like Partin and Schutzman.

DL is stout – Tate is back as the big anchor at DT, with the rising Austin and Johnson equally capable of wreaking havoc up front. Jackson-Bass is set up for a great season at end, and Coleman needs only minor refinements to reach the next level after meaningful playing time as a freshman. Cave and Rivers both flashed in bursts last season. Getting Larry and Egodogbare back on top of all that would have been simply unfair to the rest of the Ancient Eight!

QB is shored up barring injury – Reno clearly cemented himself as QB1 after a solid campaign, and many weapons return around him. Depth is a major concern, but Reno proved far more durable than expected, bouncing back after absorbing some heavy blows in the playoffs.

RB will make it or break it – Recruiting and developing a star back in the shadow of a four-year all-conference player is never easy, but that’s exactly the task in front of the Bulldogs. Djeumeni Kemeni has all the physical tools but will need to sharpen his patience and vision. Adams could emerge as the primary option, though the injury history looms. Pandolfi remains unproven, and the rest of the room is freshmen.

TE is the moneymaker – Blocking production will take a hit with Mermans transferring out, but the return of Smith and Wagner gives Reno credible downfield targets. The extra time to gel with Reno should pay off most for a player like Wagner, who always seemed to be laying out in hopes of a miraculous catch in 2025.

OL must plug a few holes – Lewis leads the returners up front after an Honorable-Mention All-Ivy season at guard in 2025. McGown was thrown into the fire as a freshman at tackle and held his own. St. Aubyn started at tackle in 2024 as a sophomore, and expectations were high for his continued climb before injuries derailed his 2025 campaign. Anderson arrived with plenty of recruiting buzz and could fill the role vacated by Charron, while Garrity banked valuable experience at center spelling Bluhm at times. If neither McGown nor St. Aubyn can slide over to right tackle, the window could open for someone like Hoey, who backed up Bennett last season.

Wideouts will continue to impress – Santiago went down with an ugly injury in the playoffs, but if he can get back to his old self, opposing defensive backs will not fare well in one-on-one matchups. Anderson looked like a seasoned veteran during the playoff run and brings even more deep-threat juice than Santiago. Maltarich and Tattersall both seem primed for big seasons, and you know Tattersall would love nothing more than to one-up his brother at Harvard. It sounded as though Kemp would not return based on an interview with Mason Shipp, but he remains listed on the roster and would be a crucial addition. After Nico Brown’s explosive 2025 season, fans are curious what other hidden gems the Bulldogs have kept on the sidelines.

No concerns with Specialists – With Piper back at kicker, Keeney back at punter, and Fornter back as the long snapper, the Bulldogs should enjoy an immediate special-teams edge over most opponents.

Class of 2030 breakdown to follow soon!