CBS Names College Football's 10 Most Lethal Playmakers Going Into 2026

by Staff Reporter

February 27, 20260 Comments

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports recently compiled a list of the College Football's 10 Most Lethal playmakers going into 2026.

Four of his Top-10 were from the SEC:

quote:
Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
No team in the country returns a more dynamic backfield tandem than the Rebels after Trinidad Chambliss secured a preliminary injunction against the NCAA for an additional season of eligibility. That news came more than a month after Ole Miss re-signed Lacy, who rushed for 1,567 yards and an SEC-best 24 total touchdowns last fall.

Lacy scored a touchdown in 14 of 15 starts, highlighted by seven multi-touchdown performances, and handled a heavy workload with 306 carries. He possesses elite speed but often prefers to punish linebackers at the point of contact rather than bounce runs outside.

Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
The former five-star prospect emerged as a formidable target for the Gamecocks as a junior, hauling in touchdown receptions of 64, 54, 47, 80 and 53 yards while establishing himself as a prolific deep threat.

His 80-yard score through the heart of Texas A&M's secondary in November -- a catch-and-run on a dig route -- turned heads among NFL scouts as the former track standout outran the safeties. Harbor arrived on campus as a raw, unpolished receiver but has since developed sharper breaks and improved fluidity as a pass catcher.

Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Texas landed the top-rated transfer wide receiver this cycle in Coleman, who immediately becomes Arch Manning's top downfield option. He draws comparisons to A.J. Green and, despite operating in a dysfunctional offense at Auburn last season, still produced 56 receptions for 708 yards and five touchdowns.

A long strider with an expansive catch radius and strong hands, Coleman projects as a high-impact red-zone target for the Longhorns. Few receivers are better in jump-ball situations.

NC State transfer running back Hollywood Smothers is another dynamic addition who should further elevate Texas' offensive ceiling.

Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
The Tigers struck portal gold last cycle with Hardy. His promising freshman season at Louisiana Monroe was overshadowed by a 1,649-yard, 16-touchdown breakout in the SEC.

He recorded seven 100-yard games, highlighted by a 300-yard performance in a November win over Mississippi State. The nation's second-leading rusher finished just 10 yards behind Jacksonville State's Cam Cook for the rushing title -- and did so on 39 fewer carries.