• Offensive Players to Watch
Ahead of the 2026 season, OVC football head coaches from the eight member schools selected players for the Preseason Defensive Players to Watch List. Each team could select one player per defensive position (defensive line, linebacker, defensive back, punter, kick return specialist, punt return specialist, long snapper) to be included on the Watch List.
The Predicted Order of Finish will come out on Thursday, which will proceed Friday's OVC Football Media Day event which will be held in Nashville. The
Offensive Players to Watch list was released on Tuesday.
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 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
DEFENSIVE LINE
CJ Landrum (Jr.), Charleston Southern
Aidan Archibald (So.), Eastern Illinois
AJ Mebane (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Andrew Zook (R-Jr.), Lindenwood
McCoy Casey (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Bryce Gray (So.), Tennessee State
Broderick Tommie Jr. (R-Jr.), UT Martin
Keshawn Harrington-McKinney (Jr.), Western Illinois
LINEBACKER
Steve Zayachkowsky (Sr.), Charleston Southern
Ja’Wuan Nickson (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Tre Yanez (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Jacob Waller (R-Sr.), Lindenwood
Cole Dutkovich (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Sammy Taylor (Jr.), Tennessee State
Jamarcus Smith (R-Jr.), UT Martin
Nick Reinicke (Jr.), Western Illinois
DEFENSIVE BACK
Anthony Paulk (R-So.), Charleston Southern
Saipeti Maiava Jr. (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Josiah Harris (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Carter Johnson (So.), Lindenwood
Adrian Patterson (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Syncere Safeeullah (Jr.), Tennessee State
Trey Cotton (So.), UT Martin
Don Paul Keith (So.), Western Illinois
PUNTER
Aidan Bonde (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Davion Moore (So.), Tennessee State
Max Zuluaga (R-So.), UT Martin
Luke Droegemueller (Sr.), Western Illinois
KICK RETURN SPECIALIST
Quay Kindell (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Jacarre Fleming (So.), Eastern Illinois
CJ Bennett (So.), Lindenwood
Jaden Jones (So.), Tennessee State
Israel Hiraldo (So.), Western Illinois
PUNT RETURN SPECIALIST
Quay Kindell (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Devin Whitlock (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
CJ Bennett (So.), Lindenwood
Jobe Bryant (So.), Southeast Missouri
Anthony Taylor (So.), Tennessee State
Deuce Oliver (R-So.), UT Martin
LONG SNAPPER
Ross Rambo (R-So.), Charleston Southern
Jacob Mull (So.), Gardner-Webb
Steven Nelson (So.), Tennessee State
Hayden King (R-Jr.), UT Martin
Ben Bergfeld (Jr.), Western Illinois