As the 2026 college football season approaches, Legacy Library has been studying up on former South Florida high school players poised to thrive at the mid-major level this fall.
After previously looking at the American and Conference USA, we’re moving to the Mid-American Conference. Because so many MAC schools effectively use the South Florida pipeline, we’ll start off with seven of the conference’s 13 football programs. This list covers Akron through Eastern Michigan.
For this list, we are defining South Florida as Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Given the current state of college athletics and the ever-changing rosters in the transfer portal era, we have included only schools that have publicly released official 2026 rosters.
Akron
Keyveon Johnson, DB, Western, R-Sr.: Johnson played in three games last year after redshirting in 2024. We’ll see whether the 6-foot-2, 185-pound defensive back can find a regular spot in Akron’s rotation.
Marcel Williams, WR, Blanche Ely, R-Sr.: Williams led the Zips with 45 receptions and 641 yards after transferring from Marshall. Both of his touchdowns came in a 14-catch, 206-yard performance against Kent State last November. Akron needs Williams at his best if the Zips are to record their first winning season since 2015.
Ball State
Jacob Jeudy, OL, Palmetto, R-Sr.: The 6-foot-3, 289-pound Jeudy was an All-Mountain East Conference standout at Division II Concord University (WV) last year. He began his college career at Delaware State before transferring to Monroe College (New York). In what will likely be his final college season, Jeudy looks to leave his mark and put himself on NFL teams’ radars.
Jamarion McDougle, WR, Tru Academy, R-Sr. Jamarion McDougle ended his initial Ball State campaign in style, catching a 27-yard touchdown pass on the Cardinals’ final offensive play of the season. We must note that Ball State lists McDougle as a redshirt senior, even though it claims last year was his sophomore season. Regardless, he’s poised to take another step forward in 2026.
Maverick Gracio, EDGE, Cardinal Newman, R-Jr.: Gracio transfers in from Pitt, where he had four tackles and a sack. Panthers fans will never forget his blocked punt in 2024, which led to a touchdown in a 38-34 victory over rival West Virginia. The 6-foot-4, 252-pound Gracio has the size and potential to thrive in the MAC.
Kaleb Stewart, LB, Chaminade, R-So.: After redshirting at UConn, Stewart transferred to Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) and earned honorable-mention all-conference honors. Stewart tallied 26 tackles, two sacks, and recovered a fumble for the Ravens. Don’t be surprised to see him quickly prove why he’s back at the FBS level.
Bowling Green
Mike Wright III, DB, Palm Beach Gardens, Jr.: Wright played in 20 games at FAU, and he now has an opportunity to restart his career at Bowling Green. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Wright had 14 tackles and an interception with the Owls.
Kal-El Pascal, S, Dr. Michael Krop Senior, Jr.: Pascal broke out in his first year as a starter, recording 80 tackles (including four for a loss), an interception, two forced fumbles, and five pass breakups. You should plan on seeing Pascal compete for All-MAC first-team honors. He’s a ballhawk and a fearsome playmaker.
Buffalo
Jonathan Rousseau, S, Cardinal Gibbons, R-Fr.: Despite redshirting to begin his college career, the 6-foot, 193-pound Rousseau is nonetheless a familiar name for those in upstate New York. His brother, Greg, was a 2022 first-round pick of the Bills and has 32 sacks over five seasons. As for Jonathan, he also held offers from Michigan State and Pittsburgh before committing to Buffalo.
Central Michigan
Donavan Philord, DB, Norland, R-So.: The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Philord tallied 46 tackles, an interception, and a team-leading eight pass breakups at Campbell (North Carolina) last year. He arrives at CMU with three years of eligibility remaining and should have a chance to contribute immediately.
Matthew McKenzie, DB, The Benjamin School, Jr.: Not only is the 6-foot-3, 190-pound McKenzie an NFL-sized cornerback, but he’s fresh off a breakout campaign at Bethune-Cookman. McKenzie picked off two passes and recorded 33 tackles in 2025. Last year marked only the Chippewas’ third winning season since the start of 2018, and McKenzie’s presence should help CMU in a big way.
Eastern Michigan
Benson Prosper, WR, Champagnat Catholic, Sr.: EMU used Prosper as both a receiver (21 catches for 177 yards) and a rusher (nine carries for 41 yards) in his first season with the Eagles. He was previously a steady starting receiver at the JUCO level for Highland Community College and Hutchinson Community College, both in Kansas.
Rayquan Adkins, DB, Northwestern, Jr.: Adkins transfers in from Iowa Western, where he had 19 tackles and eight pass breakups last year. While at Cincinnati, the former three-star recruit followed in the footsteps of Indianapolis Colts star Sauce Gardner as the only true freshman to start at cornerback.
Check back later this week for Kent State through Western Michigan!
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