Many Ole Miss coaches and players followed Lane Kiffin last season when he left the Rebels, taking the reins of LSU, but RB Kewan Lacy wasn’t among them. Even if he chose to enter the portal after a breakout season with third position in rushing yards nationally, he would become a top-tier piece and get lucrative deals from elite programs. But rejecting all offers, he chose to stay with the rebels. The decision is now paying off, making his NIL valuation hike with his newly inked deal.

Lacy signed a NIL deal with Q-Collar, which produces sports equipment for head protection, as reported by On3 on June 24. The Ole Miss RB’s partnership with the company put him at No. 65 in the CFB NIL ranking. Along with his existing deals (EA Sports, Wingstop, and more), this new addition pushed his NIL to $1 million via the ON3 NIL valuation. Meanwhile, Lacy called the deal with Q-Collar a proud moment.

“Football is a physical game, and I know that taking care of my brain is just as important as training my body,” said the Ole Miss RB in a statement, as reported by ON3. “My mom first pointed out other players wearing Q-Collar, and once we looked into it, the benefits of added protection became clear. I’m proud to partner with Q-Collar because it gives me added confidence every time I step on the field.”

With his new partnership, Kewan Lacy joins an elite group of NFL players, as the company has deals with the Vikings CB Byron Murphy and the Colts CB Sauce Gardner. But that’s not all; the urgency of head protection during play was felt by the Bills TE Dalton Kincaid too, and he inked a deal with the Q-Collar.

The Ole Miss RB’s NIL success followed his last season’s on-field success. In 2025, he was incredible with 1567 rushing yards and 24 TDs, leading Ole Miss to a CFP appearance with an 11-1 regular season. His single-season school record rushing TDs helped the Rebels to win two postseason games against Georgia and Tulane, but they lost in the CFP semifinal. Yet, the All-American RB showed enough talent for which his return for the 2026 season comes with a paycheck.

Lacy is expected to earn more than $2 million this season. However, his outstanding performance became the major point behind his new NIL deal.

“Kewan is a dynamic force on the field, and we’re thrilled to have him join our mission to help athletes across all sports play smarter and safer,” said the CEO of Q30 Innovations, Tom Hoey. “Players of his caliber carry enormous influence both among their peers and across every level of the game, and when an athlete of his stature chooses to prioritize brain safety, it sends a powerful message that performance and protection go hand in hand.”

But Lacy’s decision to remain with the Rebels despite LSU’s strong push and part ways with the position coach wasn’t related to money.

Why Ole Miss RB chose to stay

“The tug-of-war battle between Ole Miss and LSU for Lacy began as soon as coach Lane Kiffin left for Baton Rouge and officially ended Jan. 5 when the Rebels re-signed the star running back for 2026,” wrote ESPN a year ago.

After last season’s performance, Kewan Lacy had the chance to leave the Rebels and choose any place he wanted, including Baton Rouge. However, the Ole Miss RB has reason to stay.

“It was a lot of factors that came into it,” said Lacy, as reported by Sports Illustrated in February 2026. “There were a lot of schools and great opportunities. But I just felt like what we’ve built at Ole Miss is remarkable. The people we got coming back, we’ve got Trinidad [Chambliss] coming back, the receivers, and then the people we got out of the portal for the defense; I just feel like we’re building something special.”

“I trust Pete [Golding] to lead us in the right direction,” added the RB.

The decision was tough for Lacy because former Ole Miss RB coach Kevin Smith, with whom the RB shared a very deep relationship, followed Lane Kiffin to LSU. Yet, he wants to lead the Rebels to a national title this season, and to fulfill that goal, he returned.