First-Team All-SEC Standout Named College Football’s No. 1 RB Entering 2026

The competition for the best college football running back in 2026 is squarely between a pair of SEC starters.

Ahmad Hardy of Missouri and Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss finished behind Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame in the Doak Walker Award voting in 2025. With Love off to the Arizona Cardinals, Hardy and Lacy are now poised to compete for the accolade in 2026.

Ari Wasserman of On3 released rankings of the 10 best running backs in college football on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly, Hardy and Lacy are the two highest-ranked running backs on the list, and Hardy narrowly edged out Lacy for the top spot.

Hardy’s production prior to 2026

The 5-foot-10, 206-pounder began his college football career at Louisiana-Monroe in 2024.

Hardy wasted no time producing for the Warhawks, rushing for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns and eclipsing 100 yards rushing in eight different games. Hardy’s outstanding 2024 season landed him a spot on the All-Sun Belt First Team offense and earned him the honor of Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.

Following his prolific freshman campaign, Hardy transferred to Missouri in the 2025 offseason. Hardy’s production increased in his first season of SEC football; he finished the year with 1,649 rush yards and 16 touchdowns. His most notable performance was a 300-yard, three-touchdown outing in a 49-27 victory over Mississippi State.

Hardy was a member of the 2025 All-SEC First Team offense, along with the aforementioned Lacy. Additionally, Hardy was a recipient of multiple All-America First Team selections, along with his status as a Doak Walker Award finalist.

Hardy is recovering from a gunshot wound

On May 10, Hardy sustained a gunshot wound to his leg while attending a concert in his hometown of Oma, Mississippi.

In the days after the incident, there were questions surrounding whether or not Hardy would suit up for Missouri in 2026. However, there is optimism around the Missouri football program that Hardy will return to full form and play for the Tigers this season.

Even if Hardy’s production is weakened as a result of the injury, the Tigers possess another proven commodity in their backfield in Jamal Roberts. The 6-foot, 212-pounder ran for 753 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 and is capable of more production in the receiving game than Hardy.

Head-to-head meeting between Hardy and Lacy

Missouri will travel to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and face Ole Miss on Oct. 17, a game that features a can’t-miss battle between the nation’s two best running backs in 2026.

Interestingly, Lacy began his college career with the Tigers before transferring to Ole Miss in 2025. He was buried Nate Noel, Marcus Carroll and the aforementioned Jamal Roberts on the depth chart; Lacy finished 2024 with 23 carries for 104 yards.