Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy will miss the remainder of the 2026 football season due to injury. The development is not entirely unexpected, as Lacy has dealt with physical issues throughout the year and was limited in action for most of the games he did play. He has not appeared on the field since the Rebels suffered a loss to Texas on October 24.
Lacy finished the season with 388 rushing yards and five touchdowns across six appearances. These numbers are significantly lower than the high expectations set before the year began, which were driven by his outstanding performance in 2025. His inability to stay healthy derailed his campaign almost immediately, leading to a noticeable decline for the Ole Miss rushing attack.
Last year, Lacy was a breakout star who led the nation with 306 rushing attempts. He capitalized on those opportunities to gain 1,567 yards and score 24 touchdowns. He also contributed to the passing game with 29 receptions for 177 yards. His explosiveness was evident in every game last season, but his absence this year has seen the team's average rushing yards per game drop from 176.3 in 2025 to 147.3 in 2026.
The injury forces Lacy to make a critical decision during the offseason. While he is projected to be a top prospect in the NFL Draft, there is debate over whether he has the talent to be the first running back selected. One option is to return to college for another season to demonstrate his abilities while fully healthy, which could potentially boost his standing on draft boards. However, this path carries its own risks.
As a true sophomore last year, Lacy was not eligible for the draft, which may have been the peak of his early stock. His value has taken a significant hit following this season. Mike Renner of CBS Sports projected Lacy as the No. 59 overall pick for the Minnesota Vikings. Renner noted that Lacy is not even close to being a first-round pick after his 2026 campaign, citing concerns about his size, which is listed at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, as well as his health history.
Broader trends in the NFL Draft also complicate Lacy's situation. Teams have become less willing to select running backs in the first round. In the last five drafts, only three running backs were chosen in the first round. The most recent selections include Jeremiyah Love at No. 4 and Jadarian Price at No. 32 in 2026, and Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 and Omarion Hampton at No. 22 in 2025. Prior to that, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were selected in 2023.
The last four first-round running backs have been considered disappointments, raising questions about whether Lacy is viewed in the same elite tier as players like Robinson and Gibbs. Based on current insights, it does not appear that teams see him in that category. Lacy must decide if moving up 20 to 30 picks on the board by returning to college is worth the risk of another injury, which could lead to a late-round draft projection.
There is no clear path forward for Lacy. He could return to Ole Miss or use the transfer portal to find a new team and potentially earn more money. The pre-draft process will be crucial in helping him determine whether to enter the NFL Draft immediately or take a calculated risk on an additional year of college football.
