Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy will not play again this season because of a left shoulder injury, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Lacy entered the year viewed as a possible Heisman Trophy contender, but he has been absent for the past two games for the No. 19 Rebels. He dislocated the shoulder during a 34-27 defeat at Texas on Oct. 24 and has not suited up since.
The school had already revealed through the SEC's initial availability report that Lacy would not take part in Saturday's road game at Oklahoma, and it is now clear his junior campaign is over entirely.
Across six appearances this season, Lacy produced 388 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 78 carries. It is a modest return compared with his standout sophomore year, when he piled up 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground and helped power the Rebels on a surprise run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Following that breakout season, Lacy committed to another year at Ole Miss after the program prevailed in a recruiting tug-of-war with former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin and LSU.
Lacy still has one season of college eligibility left, leaving him with several paths forward. He could return to Oxford for one more year, move to another FBS program in an effort to raise his professional profile, or declare for the 2027 NFL draft.
Draft evaluators already hold him in high regard despite the shortened season. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Lacy rated as the fifth-best running back available, while ESPN's Jordan Reid places him at No. 42 among all prospects.
In Lacy's absence, freshman Shekai Mills-Knight figures to shoulder an even larger load in the Ole Miss backfield. The native of Montreal, who played his high school football at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was ranked by ESPN Recruiting as the No. 3 player in that state in the Class of 2025.
Mills-Knight has paced the Rebels on the ground over the past two weeks, gaining 71 yards with a touchdown in a 45-15 win over Auburn and adding 52 yards with another score in a 42-7 loss to Georgia last week. Junior Makhi Frazier, who has collected 365 rushing yards this season, has also taken on increased responsibility in the offense.
On3 first reported that Lacy would be sidelined for the rest of the season.
