We continue to countdown towards the 2026 football season where Liberty will look to make it back to a bowl game while also competing for a CUSA title.
As we have done the past several years, we will rank Liberty’s top 26 football players entering the 2026 season. In today’s era of the transfer portal and NIL, putting together a list like this is much more challenging than it was previously as a large portion of the two-deep and roster has been turned over from the previous year. We started our ranking previously with #26-21, #20-16, and 15-11, go back and check that out if you missed it. Here is 10-6:
10. CB Elijah Hopkins
The Flames certainly hope Hopkins is able to remain healthy and have a huge impact on the field this season. The veteran corner has been hampered by injuries throughout most of his career, limiting his playing time and impact he has been able to have. After transferring from Coastal Carolina following his true freshman season in 2022, and following the coaching staff to Liberty, Hopkins has played in 17 games over the past three seasons. In each of the past two campaigns, he has been limited to four games played. Last year, Hopkins made 6 tackles while playing just 86 defensive snaps. He’s the one veteran with significant experience at Liberty in the corner back room entering this season.
9. WR Jamari Person
Person was selected by head coach Jamey Chadwell to the CUSA Preseason Player Watch List, as the Flames hope the returning wide receiver can step into big role this season. After transferring from Colorado State, where he had 43 receptions for 478 yards and a touchdown, Person was Liberty’s second leading receiver a season ago, finishing the year with 28 catches for 315 yards. He is the only returnee among Liberty’s top 8 pass catchers last season.
8. WR Makai Jackson
Could Makai Jackson be Liberty’s next big star at receiver? The Flames’ staff certainly hopes so. Jackson spent last season at the eventual national champion Indiana where he played in four games with 3 catches for 15 yards. He ended up redshirting on the season to preserve a year of eligibility, allowing him to transfer to Liberty. Jackson has excelled at both the FCS and G5 level before making the move up to the P4. In 2022, he was an FCS Freshman All-American at Saint Francis when he had 85 catches for 991 yards and 9 touchdowns. Over the next two seasons, he would star at Appalachian State, recording 73 receptions for 1,163 yards, and 7 touchdowns in 25 games. In 2024, Jackson was named third-team All Sun Belt after recording 46 catches for 745 yards and 5 scores, while leading the team in all-purpose yards.
7. DB D-Icey Hopkins
The Flames lost its top 10 tacklers from the secondary last season. Behind new secondary coach Corey Peoples, the Flames have brought in several transfers to the secondary to help offset some of those losses. Enter D-Icey Hopkins. He was recruited by Peoples to Georgia State where Hopkins played in 24 games over the past two seasons. After recording 23 tackles as a redshirt-freshman in 2023, Hopkins had 51 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and a team-leading 5 pass breakups last fall. He was 6th on the team in tackles and had the 2nd most among defensive backs. Hopkins could immediately become one of the Flames’ most important defensive weapons.
6. RB Jaylon Coleman
The highest rated recruit to ever sign with Liberty out of high school, Coleman is ready to explode onto the scene this year. He’s the only back with any experience for the Flames that returns. He worked his way onto the field for the final seven games last year, during his true freshman season, seeing his role increase as the year went on. Being used in the slot and out of the backfield, he finished the season with 11 carries for 79 yards and 10 receptions for 100 yards. He was the third highest rated offensive player on the team last year, according to PFF, only trailing Evan Dickens and Donte Lee. The Flames will do their best to ensure Coleman has opportunities to be involved.
