Multiple Ole Miss Football Transfer Departures Finding New Schools Amid Portal Chaos

Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels continue attacking the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason with the program reloading the roster for the 2026 season.

After a historic season in Oxford where the Rebels reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, Golding and Co. are now hitting the free agent market in search of reinforcements to make another run.

Ole Miss is already loading up on talent in the market with double-digit additions, but players have also revealed intentions of hitting the market for a new home.

Transfer Portal Departures: Where Are They Now?

No. 1: QB Austin Simmons - Missouri Tigers

Simmons entered the 2025 season as the starter after the torch was passed from Jaxson Dart, but after an ankle injury in Week 2, Trinidad Chambliss earned QB1 reps and never looked back after finishing in the Top-10 of the Heisman Trophy voting.

The Florida native took a redshirt year across the 2023 season prior to suiting up in nine games for the Rebels in 2024 as a freshman.

Fast forward to his redshirt-sophomore season in 2025 and Simmons logged 744 yards on 45-for-75 passing with 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions for the Rebels.

Once he suffered an ankle injury in Week 2, Chambliss earned the nod as the starter where he then took America by storm across his first season in Oxford.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Austin Simmons. — Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

No. 2: WR Winston Watkins - LSU Tigers

Watkins signed to the Rebels as a Top-50 wideout in the 2025 Recruiting Cycle and a Top-300 overall prospect - selecting Ole Miss over the likes of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Miami Hurricanes, Florida State Seminoles, and South Carolina Gamecocks, among others.

In his lone season with the Rebels, Watkins recorded 26 catches for 373 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, he notched 21 rushing yards on five carries.

“Winn has been great,” Ole Miss junior wide receiver Harrison Wallace III said. “You don’t really see a lot of young guys come in with the mentality that he has — just coming in and making it hard to keep him off the field. Just making plays day in and day out. You know what you’re going to get out of him every day. So, really proud of him, and he’s going to be a great player.”

Now, Watkins has made his move after following Kiffin from Oxford to Baton Rouge after accepting the LSU Tigers job on Nov 30.

Ole Miss Football. — Courtesy of PJ Wilkins Instagram.

No. 3: LB Jaden Yates - Houston Cougars

Yates signed with the Rebels last offseason via the portal after spending his first two seasons with the Marshall Thundering Herd where he emerged as one of America's top defenders in 2024.

During his sophomore season with Marshall in 2024, Yates compiled 115 tackles, two pass breakups and 0.5 sacks with powerhouse programs taking notice where Ole Miss landed his pledge in the Transfer Portal after two seasons with the Thundering Herd.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder then spent the 2025 season in Oxford where he earned the starting role for the Rebels - totaling 55 tackles and 0.5 sacks across his lone year with the program.

Yates then made the move to hit the Transfer Portal after logging 181 tackles, nine tackles for loss, a sack, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries in his career.

The Departures [15]:

RB Domonique Thomas
QB Austin Simmons
OL PJ Wilkins
WR Winston Watkins, Jr.
LB Jaden Yates
CB Ricky Fletcher
CB Chris Graves
CB Ethan Fields
OL Jude Foster
OL Delano Townsend
EDGE Corey Amos
S TJ Banks
OL Devin Harper
DL Jeffery Rush
S Anthony Robinson III

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

SEC Rival Emerging as Favorite to Land Ole Miss Football Quarterback Austin Simmons

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