National attention landed squarely on Oxford this week as the Associated Press included four players from the Ole Miss roster on its preseason All-America teams. Ole Miss preseason All-Americans now form a core group the program will rely on to meet heightened expectations for 2026.
The honors span skill positions, special teams and the interior defensive front, and they underline which players opponents will game-plan for when the Rebels open the season, as reported by Ole Miss Rebels On SI.
Key Takeaways
- Ole Miss preseason All-Americans include a first-team AP selection and three second-team selections, signaling national expectations for the program.
- Running back Kewan Lacy earned first-team preseason All-America honors after rushing for 1,567 yards and a conference-best 24 touchdowns in 2025.
- Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was named a second-team preseason All-American after throwing for 3,937 yards and finishing top-10 in Heisman voting.
- Senior kicker Lucas Carneiro and defensive tackle Will Echoles both made second-team All-America lists based on pivotal game moments and disruptive line play.
Why Kewan Lacy AP first-team nod matters
Kewan Lacy’s first-team spot on the AP preseason All-America list formalizes what onlookers saw last season: a running back capable of shaping defensive game plans. In 2025 Lacy rushed for 1,567 yards and led the SEC with 24 rushing touchdowns on 306 carries while adding 29 receptions for 177 yards.
Those numbers reflect both volume and efficiency in a fast-paced, spread offensive system that leaned on his ability to produce consistently. Defenses faced a clear dilemma with Lacy on the field, often having to choose between committing extra defenders to slow the run or staying lighter to cover a wide-open passing game.
Trinidad Chambliss rise from Ferris State to All-America resume
Trinidad Chambliss’s second-team honor traces a rapid ascent that began with a Division II national championship at Ferris State two years ago. After stepping in early in 2025 following a teammate’s injury, Chambliss threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions while completing 66.1 percent of his passes.
Chambliss also added 527 rushing yards and eight scores, finishing top-10 in Heisman Trophy voting and helping propel Ole Miss to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance. The preseason nod recognizes both his statistical production and the way he changed the program’s national profile.
Lucas Carneiro and Will Echoles impact on special teams and line play
Special teams and the interior defensive front can swing close games, and both Lucas Carneiro and Will Echoles earned preseason All-America recognition for those exact reasons. Carneiro was perfect on field goals in the Sugar Bowl, going 2-for-2 and drilling a 47-yard attempt to win the game.
Will Echoles anchored a disruptive defensive line last season and entered the preseason as a proven interior playmaker after totaling 68 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while earning first-team All-SEC honors. Their returns stabilize two phases that are often decisive late in tight SEC matchups.
Comparing the four preseason All-Americans by role and resume
| Player | Primary role | Verified resume highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Kewan Lacy | Feature running back | 1,567 rushing yards and SEC-best 24 rushing TDs on 306 carries; 29 catches for 177 yards; AP first-team preseason All-America |
| Trinidad Chambliss | Starting quarterback | Threw for 3,937 yards, 22 TDs and 3 INTs with a 66.1% completion rate; 527 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs; finished top-10 in Heisman voting; AP second-team preseason All-America |
| Lucas Carneiro | Senior placekicker | Went 2-for-2 on field goals in the Sugar Bowl including a 47-yarder that decided the game; AP second-team preseason All-America |
| Will Echoles | Defensive tackle | Recorded 68 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks last season; earned first-team All-SEC recognition and is an AP second-team preseason All-American |
Ole Miss preseason All-Americans and the SEC and CFP implications
Having four preseason All-Americans raises expectations for Ole Miss within the SEC and on the national playoff radar heading into 2026. Those players address three complementary phases of the game: explosive running, quarterback play that balances efficiency and mobility, and late-game kicking alongside interior defensive disruption.
From a recruiting standpoint, preseason honors serve as proof points when communicating development pathways to prospects, while on-field matchups against conference opponents will now include game plans specifically designed to limit these players. For College Football Playoff ambitions, sustaining the production that earned these preseason honors will be essential when the margin for error against top-tier SEC competition is small.
