No. 1 projected RB revealed for next college football season

The 2025 college football season is officially in the rearview mirror. A seven-month long offseason separates Indiana's national championship victory from the next college football game.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, various college football media outlets have begun to release way-too-early projections for the 2026 season. These projections have included top 25 rankings, College Football Playoff brackets and Heisman Trophy odds.

On3 released a list of the top 100 college players heading into the 2026 offseason.

The two running backs included on the list were Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss and Ahmad Hardy of Missouri. Lacy was ranked the highest of the two, coming in at No. 7 on On3's list.

Kewan Lacy runs into the end zone in Ole Miss' game against Florida in 2025. — Ole Miss Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Florida Gators | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder was recruited as a three-start by Eli Drinkwitz to Missouri's 2024 signing class. Lacy appeared in six total games for the Tigers, carrying the ball 23 times for 104 yards while catching two passes for nine more yards.

Lacy transferred to Ole Miss in the 2025 offseason. He ran for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns while catching 29 passes for another 177 yards in his first year with the Rebels. He rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of his 15 games in 2025, including a 224-yard outburst against Florida on Nov. 15.

At the conference level, Lacy was named to the All-SEC Coaches First Team along with the aforementioned Hardy on Dec. 9, 2025. The Football Writers Association of America tabbed Lacy with an All-America First Team distinction while outlets such as ESPN and the Associated Press named him to their All-America Second Team.

He was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, given to the best college football running back.

There were questions about what would remain on Ole Miss' roster in 2026 following Lane Kiffin's departure for LSU on Nov. 30, 2025.

Of the 21 members of the 2025 Ole Miss football team that have entered the NCAA transfer portal following the loss in the Fiesta Bowl, four decided to follow Kiffin from Oxford to Baton Rouge.

Lacy was one of the first of the Rebels' key pieces from 2025 to make his return known following the season's end. It was reported that Lacy had signed an extension to stay with the Rebels on Jan. 6, one of two key offensive returnees Ole Miss is hoping to boost in 2026 as it continues the legal fight for Trinidad Chambliss' additional season of eligibility.