Heading into the 2026 season, running backs are gearing up to take center stage, particularly in the SEC. Three RBs from the conference are in ESPN analyst Greg McElroy\u2019s Top 10 rankings at the position this week.<\/p>\n
Missouri<\/a> running back Ahmad Hardy<\/a> leads the list, though McElroy acknowledged the uncertainty around his status for 2026. Hardy was shot in the leg while attending a concert earlier this month and Eli Drinkwitz<\/a> said there\u2019s a chance<\/a> the star back could suit up this year. The program is taking things \u201cday by day,\u201d though.<\/p>\n Hardy leads the charge with three SEC running backs in the top slots of McElroy\u2019s rankings. Here is his full Top 10, as revealed on Always College Football<\/a>.<\/p>\n 1. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri<\/p>\n After arriving at Mizzou last season, Ahmad Hardy<\/a> emerged as one of the top running backs in the nation as he totaled 1,649 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Greg McElroy said the Always College Football crew discussed how to handle the uncertainty around his 2026 season, but said Hardy\u2019s spot atop the rankings is a testament to his achievements last year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were trying to figure out, how should we handle this situation?\u201d McElroy said. \u201cWe don\u2019t know right now if Ahmad Hardy will be available for the Missouri Tigers in 2026. But here\u2019s where I land on this: The ranking stays. Ahmad Hardy is the best running back in college football heading into 2026. That\u2019s a statement about who he is and what he proved last year.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss<\/p>\n One of the key pieces to Ole Miss\u2019<\/a> College Football Playoff run a season ago, Kewan Lacy<\/a> comes in as Greg McElroy\u2019s No. 2-ranked running back. He ran for 1,567 yards and an SEC-best 24 touchdowns as a sophomore. Even though new offensive coordinator John David Baker<\/a> is now at the controls, McElroy doesn\u2019t think Lacy will miss a beat, given the similar scheme.<\/p>\n \u201cThe system might shift just ever so slightly, but we know what they\u2019re going to do,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to feature Kewan Lacy not just as a runner, but also as a guy that\u2019s going to get touches out of the backfield as a pass-catcher, as well. \u2026 If his workload can reduce and his production can sustain, he\u2019ll be able to prove that week-in and week-out here in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Jadan Baugh, Florida<\/p>\n In an up-and-down year for Florida<\/a>, Jadan Baugh<\/a> was a bright spot with 1,170 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He was a key retention for the new coaching staff, which is why Greg McElroy said Baugh could shine under new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner<\/a>. In fact, there\u2019s a new mantra around the facility.<\/p>\n \u201cThe phrase that\u2019s being used inside the program is \u2018Run The Baugh,’\u201d McElroy said. \u201cLook what Buster Faulkner did the last couple years at Georgia Tech<\/a>. They run the ball unbelievably well. He creates run lanes. And there is a little uncertainty at quarterback right now. \u2026 The one thing that\u2019s not [unresolved], when it comes to the Florida backfield, that\u2019s Jadan Baugh.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Mark Fletcher, Miami<\/p>\n Although he could have declared for the NFL Draft after Miami\u2019s<\/a> run to the national title game, Mark Fletcher<\/a> is back for his senior season. He led the ACC with 1,192 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while also totaling the most rushing yards in a single postseason. Even after his record-setting season, Greg McElroy thinks Fletcher is on an upward trajectory in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cTo have the College Football Playoff single-postseason rushing record, that\u2019s not a stat against directional schools. \u2026 He comes back from all of that, decides to pass on the NFL Draft,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cSays he wants to play just one more [season]. He wants that opportunity to take the ball and just be the man as a senior. \u2026 You listen to everybody that\u2019s watched Fletcher this year, it sounds like he\u2019s on a mission.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. LJ Martin, BYU<\/p>\n As a junior at BYU<\/a> last season, LJ Martin<\/a> broke out with a Big 12-leading 1,305 rushing yards to go with 12 touchdowns. He played through injury in the back part of the year and underwent surgery in December, but now that he\u2019s getting back to full strength, Greg McElroy said the Cougars star will present plenty of challenges to defenses in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if you look at where LJ Martin is, he\u2019s a problem,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cHe\u2019s a problem for every single defender that comes to make a tackle on him. Look at BYU, everybody that\u2019s back, you have a backfield weapon that the offense will be designed around. Most defensive coordinators will have a hard time preparing for this. So BYU\u2019s season, it runs through LJ Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n 6. Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State<\/p>\n Following a huge freshman year at North Texas<\/a>, Caleb Hawkins<\/a> is reuniting with Eric Morris<\/a> at Oklahoma State<\/a>. He ran for 1,434 yards and an FBS-leading 25 touchdowns at UNT, which helped him become the No. 11-ranked player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings<\/a>. As Hawkins makes the leap to Oklahoma State, Greg McElroy said his skill set should translate well.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at this young man, his game translates at every level,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be an issue, I think, going from North Texas to Oklahoma State. I think he is going to be every bit as productive this year \u2013 assuming he\u2019s healthy from start to finish \u2013 as he was a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n 7. Nate Frazier, Georgia<\/p>\n Part of a two-headed monster with Chauncey Bowens<\/a> in the Georgia<\/a> backfield, Nate Frazier<\/a> became the Bulldogs\u2019 leading rusher with 947 rushing yards to go with six touchdowns as a sophomore. Back for his junior year, Greg McElroy sees him as a Top-10 running back in college football as he looks to take a leap in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of question marks surrounding the receiving corps, but the offensive line, the run game, the quarterback position in Gunner Stockton, you know they\u2019re going to try and establish the run,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cDefenses are going to have to load the box against Georgia this year, and Frazier, he\u2019s probably going to have to make some guys miss. But he\u2019s always done that. \u2026 He was one of the highest-graded backs in the entire country last year, and that was as a sophomore.\u201d<\/p>\n 8. Isaac Brown, Louisville<\/p>\n After initially planning to enter the transfer portal, Isaac Brown<\/a> instead chose to stay at Louisville<\/a> after an injury-ridden 2025 season. He ran for 884 yards and seven touchdowns across nine games, one year after topping the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman. But Greg McElroy predicted Brown could surpass that number and more if he\u2019s at full strength in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is fully healthy in spring,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cIt\u2019s probably the best he\u2019s looked in a couple years. He\u2019s got a new quarterback in Lincoln Kienholz<\/a>, who adds a little bit of mobility to the room, as well \u2013 which might open a few more holes for Brown. \u2026 At full health, this is a guy who could flirt with 1,400 yards in the ACC.\u201d<\/p>\n 9. Cam Cook, West Virginia<\/p>\n In one season at Jacksonville State<\/a> in 2025, Cam Cook<\/a> broke out for an FBS-leading 1,659 rushing yards to go with 16 rushing touchdowns. Now at West Virginia<\/a>, Greg McElroy sees a strong fit with new head coach Rich Rodriguez<\/a>, who\u2019s known for his desire to run the ball effectively.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s one thing we know, it\u2019s that Rich Rodriguez, the head coach, he wants to run the football,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cAnd he needs a dynamic, space-eating back that can handle 20 or 25 carries a game and contribute as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Well, that is Cam Cook\u2019s resume right there.\u201d<\/p>\n 10. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers<\/p>\n In his first year as Rutgers\u2019<\/a> lead back after Kyle Monangai\u2019s<\/a> departure for the NFL, Antwan Raymond<\/a> made the most of the opportunity. He ran for 1,241 yards and 13 touchdowns to lead the high-powered rushing attack, and Greg McElroy thinks he\u2019s in line to be a Top-10 running back as a junior in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cYou look at the speed, you look at the size, all that stuff\u00a0\u2013 it\u2019s not going to jump off the page to you,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cBut the production and how difficult is he to get to the ground? He\u2019s really good with his vision, he\u2019s very elusive and he made a bunch of guys miss last year. \u2026 If he got the national spotlight every week, I think people would realize just how good this young man is because he\u2019s probably the most under-exposed top-end back in the entire Power Four.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the SEC is leading the charge, there isn\u2019t a shortage of running back talent in college football this season. It\u2019s shaping up to be a big year at the position.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Heading into the 2026 season, running backs are gearing up to take center stage, particularly in the SEC.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":653572,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[172810,281762,125634,281763,399,160796,272965,140562,272967,281764,270326,398,396,397,99],"class_list":["post-653571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-ahmad-hardy-24-lawrence-county","tag-antwan-raymond-24-clearwater-academy-international","tag-caleb-hawkins-25-north-rock-creek","tag-cam-cook-23-stony-point","tag-football","tag-isaac-brown-24-homestead","tag-jadan-baugh-24-columbia","tag-kewan-lacy-24-lancaster","tag-l-j-martin-23-canutillo","tag-mark-fletcher-23-american-heritage","tag-nate-frazier-24-mater-dei","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-ncaafootball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=653571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/653572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=653571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=653571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=653571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}