College Football 26 continues to raise the bar with elite player drops, and this latest gameplay session puts two of the most anticipated cards under the microscope: Eric Mallister on offense and Ty Redmond on defense. After multiple live-streamed games, red-zone reps, clutch moments, and more than a few "EA moments," one question stands out-are these cards truly top-tier, or just hype-driven stat monsters CFB 26 Coins?
Let's break down the builds, abilities, gameplay performance, and final verdict on two players who are already reshaping the competitive meta.
Eric Mallister: A Prototype WR1 in CFB 26
Right out of the gate, Eric Mallister looks like everything you want in a modern CFB 26 wide receiver. On a theme team, Mallister reaches 96 speed, boasts 90+ route running across the board, and stands at an imposing 6'3". From a raw attribute standpoint alone, he checks every box.
But stats don't win games-performance does.
Ability Setup and Playstyle
The featured ability on Mallister is Gold Takeoff, costing 8 AP. This ability immediately changes how defenses have to play him. Any hesitation at the line or misaligned leverage turns into an instant green-light streak. Throughout the gameplay, Mallister consistently punished shade-down man coverage, single-high looks, and late safety rotations.
He excels in:
Deep streaks and fades
Crosser routes against zone
Whips and quick-breaking routes vs man
Red-zone jump ball situations
Mallister's release package combined with his height and speed allows him to win both vertically and underneath. Even when throws were contested or slightly mistimed, he frequently fought through contact or positioned himself well enough to draw favorable animations.
On-Field Results
The live gameplay showed Mallister dominating in multiple ways:
First-play dots on crossers
Late-route separation against shaded man
Over-the-top touchdowns when safeties hesitated
RAC plays turning short gains into explosive chunks
Even in moments where EA's passing logic clearly intervened-overthrows, strange knockouts, or unexplained drops-Mallister still consistently created offense. The phrase "Fly, Mallister, fly" wasn't just hype-it was a recurring theme as he torched coverage over and over.
Finding an Offense That Works in CFB 26
One recurring theme in this gameplay session was how difficult it is to find a pass-first offense in CFB 26 that doesn't rely heavily on bunch formations. The creator experimented with several playbooks before settling into Missouri State's Trips X Nasty, an offense that provides:
Strong red-zone concepts
Multiple vertical threats
Natural spacing for crossers and whip routes
Trips X Nasty allowed Mallister to thrive without forcing repetitive cheese. There was also experimentation with the Utah playbook, which shows promise thanks to its balance and deceptive passing looks, though it's still being evaluated.
The takeaway? CFB 26 rewards creativity-but punishes predictability. Having a true WR1 like Mallister makes experimenting with new schemes far more viable.
Ty Redmond: The Defensive Answer to Elite Speed
Switching to the defensive side, Ty Redmond immediately stands out in a sea of undersized corners. At 6'2" with 96 speed, Redmond brings something rare: height and elite acceleration.
Many corners at this stage of the game cap around 95 speed but lack physical presence. Redmond doesn't have that issue.
Defensive Abilities and Scheme Fit
Redmond does get Gold House Call for 7 AP, but in this setup, the focus remained on defensive line pressure instead. The ability layout featured:
Quick Jumps on the defensive line
One Gold Legion
Pressure-first defensive philosophy
This approach lets Redmond shine in coverage rather than relying on interception boosts. His size and speed combo made him effective against:
Deep corner routes
Vertical releases
Out routes along the sideline
Even when quarterbacks tested him repeatedly, Redmond held up remarkably well, forcing throwaways, contested catches, and timing disruptions.
Gameplay Chaos: Pressure, Picks, and EA Moments
The gameplay itself was classic CFB chaos. Hard flats refusing to shade correctly, hook curls standing idle, defenders reacting late, and quarterbacks completing passes that had no business being caught.
Despite that, there were standout defensive moments:
User lurks leading to interceptions
Perfect knockouts on contested catches
Red-zone stops that shifted momentum
Swats and forced incompletions against corner routes
Redmond consistently showed up in the toughest moments, especially when opponents leaned on man-beating concepts or tried to abuse verticals.Passing Mechanics and High-Risk Throws
A major talking point during the gameplay was small pass lead and highball mechanics. While these tools are essential for elite passing in CFB 26, they're also inconsistent-sometimes rewarding precision, other times completely selling the user.
Mallister helped mitigate this risk. His catch radius, speed, and size gave throws more margin for error. Even when passes were late or slightly off-angle, he frequently bailed out the quarterback.
This is a key reason why elite receivers matter so much in the current meta. Without someone like Mallister, many of these throws turn into picks or incompletions.
Pack Openings: Reality Check
After the gameplay wrapped up, it was time for Natty packs, and the results were… underwhelming.
Despite flashy animations:
Multiple 88–89 overall pulls
A few conference tour cards
One full rival card at 93 overall
No game-breaking 92+ pulls, and plenty of reminder that pack luck remains inconsistent at best. It reinforced a familiar CFB truth: elite cards like Mallister and Redmond aren't easy to replace, even with heavy pack openings.
Final Verdict: Are These Cards Worth It?
Eric Mallister
There's no sugarcoating it-Eric Mallister is one of the best wide receivers in CFB 26. He belongs firmly in the top tier alongside:
Travis Hunter
Jeremiah Smith
If you want a true WR1 who can:
Stretch the field
Win against man or zone
Dominate in the red zone
Bail you out of bad passing reps
Mallister is absolutely worth the investment.
Ty Redmond
Ty Redmond is equally impressive on defense. His combination of height, speed, and coverage reliability puts him in the conversation for best corner in the game, alongside Travis Hunter.
He's especially valuable for players who:
Face heavy vertical spam
Prefer man coverage
Don't want undersized DBs getting mossed
Redmond brings stability to a defensive backfield that desperately needs it.
Closing Thoughts buy CFB 26 Coins
This gameplay session proved one thing clearly: elite cards still matter, even in a game full of randomness. Eric Mallister and Ty Redmond consistently showed up, created advantages, and gave their team a fighting chance-even when EA mechanics tried their hardest to intervene.
If you're building a competitive roster in CFB 26 and debating where to spend your coins or training, these two should be at the top of your list.
