Ole Miss Transfer Portal Breakdown

There may not be any games left on the schedule, but college football never truly stops in this era.

There may not be any games left on the schedule, but college football never truly stops in this era. Today, I will provide a quick breakdown of Ole Miss' current Transfer Portal class by examining each of their currently committed players. In previous seasons, Head Coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels have used the portal excellently to fill holes on the roster, and this year's cycle appears to be no different.

With 12 new players currently committed to the Rebels this cycle, Ole Miss is ranked 3rd in the country, behind only Colorado and Louisville, for their portal haul, according to the recruiting website On3. With the vast majority of their impact players returning from the 2023 11-2 team, this portal class has the potential to vault them into next season's playoffs.

So, let’s dive into what the Rebels have accomplished in the portal up to this point.

Walter Nolen: DL

The crown jewel of the Rebels' portal class to this point is undoubtedly former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen. The Powell, Tennessee native was ranked as the number 1 overall recruit in the country back in 2022 when he first committed to A&M and now makes his way to Oxford in 2024 as the number 1 overall recruit in the portal.

Nolen will immediately step into the middle of the Rebel defense and provide elite-level run-stuffing ability, while also being a threat to collapse the pocket from the interior. During the 2023 season, he amassed 37 tackles, including 8.5 TFL, and 4 sacks on one of the best defensive fronts in the country. Edge rusher may be the “sexier” position, but I’m still of the belief that interior pressure wrecks offenses more than anything else in the pass-heavy game we currently play. Nolen is an elite talent that will most likely be a 1st-round draft pick when his time is completed in Oxford.

Princely Umanmielen: Edge

If Nolen is the crown jewel of the Rebels' portal class, then Umanmielen isn’t too far from it. The Manor, Texas native will make his way to Oxford after four successful seasons of terrorizing quarterbacks as a member of the Florida Gators since his debut in 2020.

Like Nolen, Umanmielen has been projected to be a first-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft, according to most experts, and for very good reason. During the 2023 season, he racked up 39 total tackles, including 11.5 TFL, and 7 sacks. He is exactly the type of athlete coming off the edge that can create havoc in the backfield, and opposing offenses will have to constantly game plan based on where he is lining up. You can never have too many guys that can get to the QB, and there aren’t many in the country better than Umanmielen.

Antwane “Juice” Wells: WR

It wouldn’t be a Lane Kiffin transfer class if it didn’t include the addition of a high-level offensive playmaker. It has been a long journey to Oxford for Wells, who started his college career at James Madison before transferring to South Carolina back in 2022. A native of Highland Springs, Virginia, Wells will be an instant impact player and a valuable member of one of the best receiver rooms in the country in 2024.

When I watch his film, the thing that stands out above the rest is his physicality. Yes, he does possess the straight-line speed to get open, but more often than not, he simply overpowers defenders at the apex of his jump. This physicality also makes him particularly lethal over the middle of the field as a catch-and-run threat. Wells only played three games in 2023, but during his last full season in 2022, he caught 68 passes for 928 yards and 6 TD’s. Look for him to be another Rebel taken highly during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Diego Pounds: OT

Living up to his name, North Carolina transfer Diego Pounds is a massive human being and a welcome addition to the Rebels' offensive line. Listed at 6’7” 350 lbs, Pounds will likely slide in immediately and be the day 1 starter at one of the two tackle positions.

Pounds started last season as the backup left tackle at UNC but quickly found his way into the starting lineup, where he ended up starting 8 games for the Tar Heels in 2023. He has surprisingly good feet considering his size, which allows him to be effective in both the pass and run game. One of the clear weaknesses for the Rebels heading into 2024 was the O-Line, so adding Pounds will go a long way toward fixing that problem.

Decamerion Richardson: CB

Rated as one of the best corners in the portal, Richardson will make the move from Starkville to Oxford for the 2024 season. The senior out of Bossier City, Louisiana, has been one of the best members of the Mississippi State secondary for several years and will be an instant-impact player the second he steps foot in Oxford.

Richardson is very productive as a cover corner, but his best trait might actually be his tackling in run support. Richardson racked up over 75 total tackles in each of the last two seasons, proving that he is more than willing to get nasty in the run game. With 26 starts at an SEC program already on his résumé, he is a very welcome addition to a secondary that needs all the help it can get.

Update: Richardson has since decided to test his luck in the 2024 NFL draft.

Gerquan Scott: IOL

Transferring from within the Magnolia State, Gerquan Scott will be making the move north from Southern Miss to Ole Miss for the 2024 season. The Mobile, Alabama native will add much-needed support to the interior of the Rebels' offensive line after a very successful career in Hattiesburg.

The 6’4” 300 lbs Scott has started 37 collegiate games throughout his career, meaning he will step in and immediately be one of the more experienced players on the team. Snagging experienced “group of 5” players out of the portal has worked well in the past for Kiffin (look no further than Tre Harris), and Scott looks to be the latest to fit that mold. Jumping from Conference USA to the SEC will definitely require an adjustment, but I have little doubt in his skill set and motivation to do so.

Key Lawrence: S

Transferring to the Rebels from the University of Oklahoma, Key Lawrence is one of the most versatile players and someone who will most likely play multiple positions in Pete Golding’s system. Much like many others on this list, the Nashville, Tennessee native has the benefit of already being a starter for multiple seasons.

The biggest question I have about Lawrence is what position he will play. He is big and strong enough to be used as a pseudo-linebacker on passing downs who can help in the run game while also being agile enough to cover backs and receivers in space. He has the speed, although it isn’t an elite trait of his, to cover different parts of the field as a zone safety. Plus, he has the skills to just line up on the outside and mirror the opposition's receivers. He truly is a multi-positional gem that will be a key contributor next season.

Louis Moore: S

Providing more help in the secondary will be Indiana transfer Louis Moore. After starting off at small Navarro College, Moore appeared in 23 games as part of the Hoosiers' secondary over the last two seasons, with the best of his two coming in 2023.

Moore went a bit under the radar this cycle, but I also expect him to get immediate playing time in 2024. The Mesquite, Texas native recorded 82 tackles, 3 INT’s, and 3 forced fumbles during his impressive 2023 campaign. Moore is a very impressive athlete with the ability to cover sideline to sideline depending on what he is asked. Also, perhaps most importantly, he is what I would consider to be a “ball-hawk”. It is only a matter of time before he creates a game-changing turnover in a crucial spot.

Chris Paul Jr: LB

Joining the Rebel linebacking corps in 2024 will be Arkansas transfer Chris Paul Jr (no, he isn’t the son of the point guard). The Cordell, Georgia native played in 28 games for the Razorbacks over the span of his three seasons there and will be another instant-impact player the minute he steps foot in Oxford.

When I watch Paul, I see a player with a relentless motor and desire to make the play. He isn’t the biggest LB in the world, but he makes up for that with his speed and effort every time the ball is snapped. During the 2023 season, he racked up 74 total tackles, including 6.5 for loss, and 2 sacks. The Ole Miss defense desperately needed an experienced linebacker in the mix for the 2024 season, and with Paul, they have just that.

Devin Price: WR

Devin Price will make his way to Oxford to join a stacked receiver room after spending last season as a member of the Florida Atlantic Owls. Price is a big-bodied 6’3” receiver who looks to specialize in jump-ball situations.

Price will most likely be nothing more than a depth piece for the Rebels. Over his four-year college career, he has only amassed 12 catches, 179 yards, and 1 TD. This doesn’t mean that he won’t see any playing time in Oxford. But, I find it highly unlikely that he will surpass Tre Harris, Juice Wells, Jordan Watkins, Deion Smith, or Ayden Williams anytime soon.

Logan Diggs: RB

Making the jump from one SEC school to the next, Logan Diggs will add valuable depth in the running back room with his excellent nose for the end zone. Diggs, a Metairie, Louisiana native, spent last season at LSU after spending the previous two at Notre Dame.

Diggs is a very powerful runner who excels when given the ball between the tackles. During his two seasons at Notre Dame, he racked up 1052 yards and 7 TD’s on just 217 carries. That works out to 4.8 yards per attempt. Last season at LSU he ran for 653 yards and 7 TD’s, with an impressive 5.5 yards per attempt. With Judkins leaving and Bentley taking over as RB1, Ole Miss needed some depth in the backfield. Now they have an experienced runner to give valuable touches to.

Trey Amos: CB

Another player jumping from one SEC school to the next, Trey Amos will likely step right into the starting CB position on the 2024 Ole Miss defense. The New Iberia, Louisiana native is transferring to Ole Miss after a very promising 2023 season as a member of the Alabama defense.

It isn’t the numbers that will impress you with Amos, it is the tape, specifically the SEC Championship tape against Georgia. Amos spent much of 2023 behind two likely first round picks at Alabama, but late in the season he hit the field and began to shine. It isn’t everyday that the Rebels can steal a starter, and potential NFL draft pick, from the Tide, but that is exactly what they have in Amos.

Brandon Turnage: S

Welcome home Brandon Turnage! Turnage, an Oxford, Mississippi native, chose to play his first 4 years of college football elsewhere in the SEC. (first at Alabama, then at Tennessee) But, he has now decided to make his way home for his final season on college football in 2024.

Turnage will add much needed depth to the Rebel secondary that has been totally revamped this offseason. During his time at Tennessee he was in on 48 tackles, including 3 TFL’s, an interception, and 5 passes defended. While these numbers may not pop off the page, that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been a valuable member to those teams. He will provide great experience on a defense that desperately needs that, as he has appeared in 27 games during his career, most of which being SEC games.

Amorion Walker: CB

Another key addition to the secondary, Amorion Walker will head to Oxford after winning a National Championship as a member of the very talented Michigan defense in 2023. The Ponchatoula, Louisiana native will likely see his first true minutes of action in 2024 as a member of the Rebel defense.

There is no other way to put this… Amorion Walker is an athletic freak. At 6’4”, he has the perfect frame for a lock-down corner. Combine that with his reported 42” vertical and 4.34 40-time and you can see exactly why Michigan was so devastated to let this guy go. Obviously these physical tools mean nothing if he isn’t developed properly, but you know for a fact that he was getting great coaching at Michigan, and that that will only continue at Ole Miss. He is perhaps my personal favorite pickup thus far in the portal.

Yam Banks: CB

Amorion Walker is a bet on potential, Yam Banks is a sure-fire stud in the secondary. Transferring in from South Alabama, Banks has been a very big contributor in the Sun Belt Conference for 3 seasons, now he looks to make his mark in the SEC.

Whether it is at safety or corner, you can count on him to make big plays. Over the course of his college career he has collected 147 tackles, including 16 TFL’s, 2.5 sacks, 7 INT’s, 16 passes defensed, and 1 TD. That is an insane amount of production that will be added to this revamped Rebel secondary in 2024. The only real question I have for Banks is which position he is going to wind up playing. Regardless, he will pair nicely with Oklahoma transfer Key Lawrence as a “do it all” member of this defense.

Dae’Quan Wright: TE

Jumping from the ACC to the SEC, Dae’Quan Wright is a big time TE prospect with all of the tools needed to be a star in the Lane Kiffin offense. The Perry, Georgia native is making his way to Oxford after two fairly productive seasons at Virginia Tech.

Wright is a project in terms of untapped potential, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t contributed to this point. In two seasons at Virginia Tech he racked up 47 catches for 574 yards for an average of 12.2 yards per catch. That isn’t a massive amount of production, but contextualized into the offense he was playing in and you see that he actually produced at a fairly high level. Now, put that 6’4” frame into a Lane Kiffin system and I expect we will see him making plays as early as next season. Obviously Caden Prieskorn will be the TE1, but Wright will add some much needed depth, and explosiveness, at the TE position.

Julius Buelow: OL

Helping solidify the trenches will be Washington transfer Julius Buelow. A native of Kapolei, Hawaii, Buelow was a critical piece to the 2023 Washington O-line that was voted the best in the nation. Adding him to the group in Oxford was a no brainer for Lane Kiffin.

Buelow is a mountain of a human being. Standing at 6’8” and weighing in at 313lbs, it is easy to see why he was so valuable to that Washigton unit. Despite this size however, he still moves around the field very well and that helps him in both pass and run protection. It remains to be seen where he will line up for the Rebels, but during his time at Washington he played his best at Right Guard, where he helped the Huskies advance all the way to the National Championship game just one season ago.

Nate Kalepo: OL

Buelow wasn’t the only member of the Washington O-line to make the move to Oxford, as fellow Huskie Nate Kalepo will be joining him for the 2024 season. Kalepo, a Seattle native, has made an appearence in over 40 games throughout his college career, immediately making him one of the more experienced members on the O-line.

During the 2023 season, Kalepo gave up just 1 sack and only 16 total pressures while starting at Left Guard. This makes sense when you consider the fact that he is 6’6” and weighs close to 350lbs. Defensive lineman just aren’t able to get around him en-route to the QB. He will be a day 1 starter for the Rebels and play a key part in keeping Jaxson Dart both upright and healthy.

That wraps up the incoming transfers for the Ole Miss Rebels so far. As we know, Kiffin and his staff will continue recruiting the portal hard until they feel like they’ve got the roster to compete for a playoff spot during the 2024 season. As we get more updates, I will write articles and update the incoming transfer list.