Ole Miss has plenty of expectations and hype – cautious and otherwise – heading into the 2026 season and a lot of that is having Trinidad Chambliss back under center this Fall.
Ole Miss has two obvious award candidates heading into 2026, and everyone already knows their names.
Trinidad Chambliss is coming off a season that turned him into a national storyline, a playoff star and a Heisman contender before the next season even kicks off.
Kewan Lacy is a returning All‑American running back with video‑game numbers and a real shot at the Doak Walker.
If you’re making a preseason awards list, those two are the layups.
ESPN went the same direction in its way‑too‑early breakdown, tagging Chambliss as the Rebel most likely to bring home hardware. Oddsmakers agree, slotting him near the top of the Heisman board. Lacy sits further down the list, but everyone knows he’ll be in the thick of the running back awards once the season starts.
But here’s the thing: picking the quarterback and the star running back is too easy. It’s the safest answer in the room.
Ole Miss is coming off a playoff run, returning a ton of production and opening the season as a top‑10 team. That usually means there are more award candidates hiding in plain sight.
So instead of rehashing the obvious, let’s look at the other names on this roster who could make a jump. The guys who aren’t headlining the Heisman odds but could still walk away with real hardware in December. The players who might not be the first names mentioned on talk shows but could end up on award lists anyway.
Those are the ones worth talking about next.
WR Johntay Cook II or Darrell Gill Jr.
One of these two former Syracuse wide receivers, or both, have a chance to end up as the Rebels’ top receiver. Catching passes from a quarterback with Chambliss’ skillset and run game led by an reigning All-American should open up the passing lanes.
Both will be eligible for SEC Newcomer of the Year, but could also vie for an offensive player of the year award.
LB Suntarine Perkins
The Rebels’ returning leader in tackles last year is back to lead a defense that has gotten better despite a couple big name departures. Defensive player of the year awards usually go to a defensive lineman with a high sack total or a defensive back with a lot of interceptions. But those awards also go to linebackers who post 100+ tackles and lead one of the best defenses in the nation. That would be Perkins.
LB Luke Ferrelli
Now wouldn’t this be something?
The cause of a lot of noise about tampering in the transfer portal winning a major award at the school he landed at after spending a week inside another program would garner a lot of headlines.
But apply everything said above about Perkins and apply it to Ferrelli. Whoever has more tackles between the two should be the favorite for a post-season award. But don’t forget, the sports gods have a good sense of humor.
DE Kam Franklin
Some consideration was given for Will Echoles, but defensive tackles winning defensive player of the year awards is rare and requires some broken records. Defensive ends, who record more sacks usually, have an easier path, though. So, that’s why Franklin gets the nod. If he continues to grow and develop like he did last season, a post-season award isn’t out of the question.
