Ahead of the 2026 season, OVC football head coaches from the eight member schools selected players for the Preseason Offensive Players to Watch List. Each team could select one player per offensive position (quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, all-purpose and place kicker) to be included on the Watch List.
The Preseason Defensive Players to Watch List will be released on Wednesday while the Predicted Order of Finish will come out on Thursday. Those will proceed Friday's OVC Football Media Day presented by Shaw Sports Turf event which will be held in Nashville.
The 2026 season marks a return to the OVC identity for the football brand. The return to the OVC identity follows three successful years of partnership with the Big South Conference under the names Big South-OVC Football Association (2023, 2024) and OVC-Big South Football Association (2025). The move reflects the league’s continued evolution and its commitment to providing a unified, streamlined home for its football programs.
Schools who will play OVC football in 2026 are Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC), Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC), Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO), Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO), Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN), University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN) and Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL).
2026 PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
QUARTERBACK
Cole LaCrue (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Cole Pennington (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Daylin Lee (Sr.), Tennessee State
Cason Carswell (So.), Western Illinois
RUNNING BACK
Hakeem Watters (So.), Charleston Southern
Charles Kellom (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Carson Gresock (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Steve Hall (R-Jr.), Lindenwood
Khyair Spain (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
Zack Simmons-Brown (So.), Tennessee State
Tommy Ansley (Jr.), UT Martin
Ihson Jackson-Anderson (Sr.), Western Illinois
WIDE RECEIVER
Mekhi Campfield (Sr.), Charleston Southern
Landers Green (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jalile Bost (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Jalen Smith (R-Jr.), Lindenwood
Jobe Bryant (So.), Southeast Missouri
Cam Bulluck (So.), Tennessee State
Phaizon Wilson (R-Sr.), UT Martin
Christian Anaya (Sr.), Western Illinois
TIGHT END
Kaden Strickland (Grad.), Charleston Southern
Alex Ginnever (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Collin Carroll (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Aaron Duncan (So.), Tennessee State
Kaleb Costner (Grad.), UT Martin
David Hargro (Sr.), Western Illinois
OFFENSIVE LINE
Ethan Hunt (Grad.), Charleston Southern
Rahfeeq Katumbusi (So.), Eastern Illinois
Will Fitzpatrick (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Andrew Swingle (R-So.), Lindenwood
Rashad Turner (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Breon Brown (So.), Tennessee State
Travis Gray (R-Sr.), UT Martin
James Durand (Jr.), Western Illinois
ALL-PURPOSE
Max Loveall (So.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Taylor (So.), Tennessee State
Chris Franklin (R-Jr.), UT Martin
Kennedy McGill (Sr.), Western Illinois
PLACEKICKER
Drew Schiller (So.), Eastern Illinois
Andrew Bontekoe (So.), Gardner-Webb
Will Graham (R-Jr.), Lindenwood
Justin Keller (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Brandon Sims (So.), UT Martin
Britton Watts (So.), Tennessee State