Louis Riddick names ‘best all-around’ running back in college football

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick praised a standout running back in the midst of a dominant and record-breaking season.

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick shared his opinion on social media that Ole Miss Rebels running back Kewan Lacy is the "best all-around back" in the country. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The college football world often lingers on quarterbacks when the headline moments roll in. Yet on Tuesday, a respected voice in the sport changed the conversation. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick took to social media to single out one running back as the “best all-around” in the country. His declaration arrived as that back quietly rewrote his program’s history and propelled his team toward uncharted territory.

The man under the spotlight is sophomore running back Kewan Lacy of the Ole Miss Rebels. Lacy transferred from the Missouri Tigers after appearing in six games as a freshman and rushing for just 104 yards without reaching the end zone.

He arrived at Ole Miss last winter and right away embraced the chance to lead the backfield in head coach Lane Kiffin’s system. “It was just finding the best fit for me and where I can show my abilities,” Lacy said in April. “I just love the offense and how fast-paced it is and how it’s NFL-ready.”

Best all around RB in the country. https://t.co/MRxWHKoO7y

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) November 18, 2025

Since then, Lacy has delivered. In the Rebels’ 34-24 victory over the Florida Gators, he carried the ball 31 times for 224 yards and three touchdowns, including a 41-yard run in the first quarter and a 59-yard sprint in the fourth. That performance pushed him to a school-record 19 rushing touchdowns in a single season, on 231 carries, with 1,136 rushing yards and a 4.9 yards-per-carry average.

The contributions extend beyond the stat sheet. At 114 points this season, Lacy set the Ole Miss single-season scoring record by a non-kicker. He has posted at least 100 rushing yards in five games and currently ranks among the national leaders in yards after contact and expected points added—a reflection of his impact as a complete runner.

Louis Riddick Names Lacy As Best All-Around Running Back In The Country

Riddick’s statement did more than praise production. It cast Lacy as a uniquely well-rounded talent at the running back position. The ground game has become central to Ole Miss’s identity under Kiffin, with the team on pace for its first-ever College Football Playoff berth and boasting three straight 10-win seasons for the first time in program history.

Behind that success is Lacy’s ability to carry a heavy workload while generating big plays and consistent impact.

That 224-yard, three-touchdown outing against Florida wasn’t just one big day—it was the capstone of a season built on volume and efficiency. Lacy’s numbers put him in elite company: he leads all running backs in rushing touchdowns, ranks near the top nationally in advanced rushing metrics, and is breaking long-standing records at Ole Miss.

Ole Miss Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) is having one of the best individual seasons in program history. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Yet despite all this, he remains under-discussed in the broader Heisman conversation. Riddick’s endorsement challenges that narrative and demands that observers take notice.

With the Rebels entering a bye week before their annual Egg Bowl matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Lacy’s ascendance could define not just a standout season for him but a breakthrough moment for Ole Miss’s national ambitions.

The Rebels will face Mississippi State in Starkville on Nov. 28 at noon ET on ABC.