Malachi Toney wears No. 10 on the field for the Miami Hurricanes, but he's No. 1 in college football.
ESPN recently released its list of top playmakers in college football and the sophomore receiver sits in the top spot. The story wanted to add the disclaimer that these were the top 'non-quarterback' playmakers, but when it comes to Toney, it doesn't matter because he's also a better playmaker than any quarterback in the country, and if he decided to focus on quarterback instead of wide receiver, he'd probably start over at least half of the ones in the Power 4 conferences.
Who are the top non-QB playmakers around college football in 2026? I identified 15 of them, spanning different positions, conferences and career paths, and spoke to their coaches about why they stand out. https://t.co/b9AyXpIKZO
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) June 4, 2026
"The ACC Rookie of the Year was one of 16 players to record 10 or more receiving touchdowns and had five or more receptions in all but two games, including in every CFP contest," Adam Rittenberg writes. "He had 10 catches for 122 yards and a score against Indiana in the national title game, and had touchdown catches in six of the final seven games."
Malachi Toney is the top playmaker in college football
Miami has had a lot of amazing playmakers over the years. A program doesn't win five national championships in a 40+ year span without some dudes. You can go back to Melvin Bratton, Eddie Brown, Michael Irvin, Randal Hill, Edgerrin James, Frank Gore and many, many more. But what separates Toney from many of the great Hurricane playmakers of the past is that he's multi-faceted in how he can control a game. First and foremost, Toney is an exceptional receiver that can move the chains and stretch the field. His 109 receptions as a freshman led the country and showed that Toney is not just a big-play guy, but someone that can beat you with volume.
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But it doesn't stop there. Toney can make plays out of the backfield. He'll be used on end arounds and inside sweeps and will line up in various places on the field, whether it's the slot or as a running back. Toney forces defenses to account for him in every situation. Toney will also throw the occasional pass. He played some quarterback in high school and most notably led American Heritage to a state championship, playing the position when an injury forced the change. In that game, Toney was 15-for-18 passing with 188 yards and a touchdown and completed nearly 75 percent of his passes during the postseason. He was also involved in the return game, fielding 23 punts and averaging nearly 13 yards on returns.Â
By all accounts, Toney is more than ready for the expectations he'll face as a sophomore. He's packed on some more muscle to handle the workload. Toney joins Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as the only non-quarterbacks among the top-20 Heisman favorites. Everything gets leveled up for Toney in the 2026 season. Everyone knows what Toney is capable of now and Miami opponents will do whatever they can to stop him, but it's unlikely any of them can.
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