Ole Miss Football Starting Linebacker Enters Transfer Portal Market in Massive Loss

Pete Golding and Co. lose an integral defender to the portal, SEC programs emerging as schools to monitor.

Ole Miss Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery (6) celebrates his tackle against the Miami Hurricanes during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ole Miss Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after spending the last three seasons in Oxford, according to multiple reports.

Dottery signed with the Clemson Tigers out of high school where he took a redshirt year under Dabo Swinney and Co. across his lone season with the program before transferring to Ole Miss in 2023.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder has served as the "quarterback of the defense" across the last two seasons on the field after taking on an expanded role - calling the plays while wearing the orange sticker on his helmet in 2025.

The Alabama native totaled 98 tackles, including 48 solo, to lead the Rebels in both categories across a massive 2025 campaign for the Rebels amid a College Football Playoff run. He also added two forced fumbles, a pair of pass breakups and 1.5 sacks during the season.

Dottery had his breakout season in 2024 where he logged 76 tackles (42 solo) with a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and a PBU where he's accumulated 90 solo tackles (174 total) across his time in Oxford.

Ole Miss LB TJ Dottery has entered the transfer portal, @On3 has learned.

The former Clemson transfer posted 174 tackles, 10 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles the last two seasons with the Rebels.https://t.co/d1fhYwruUJ pic.twitter.com/XIcRefFW9A

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) January 15, 2026

“Definitely a blessing, man. He talked about when I came here in ’23, you could see the program moving in the right direction,” Dottery said after the Fiesta Bowl loss. “Just wanted to be whatever I could do to help the program keep going in that direction. And the fans, the team, I love them all.”

Now, Dottery has hit the Transfer Portal after making his move official late Wednesday night and into Thursday morning with multiple SEC schools set to swing for the fences for the talented defender.

Ole Miss has seen double-digit departures, but also a myriad of newcomers set to join the program after being active in the NCAA Transfer Portal across the last 13 days.

The Transfer Portal Additions [17]:

Jay Crawford – Auburn (CB)
Keaton Thomas – Baylor (LB)
Jonathan Maldonado – Nevada (EDGE)
Sharif Denson – Florida (CB)
Jaheim Oatis – Colorado (DT)
Michai Boireau – Florida (DT)
Carius Curne – LSU (OL)
Edwin Joseph – Florida State (S)
Brady Prieskorn – Michigan (TE)
Deuce Knight – Auburn (QB)
Cameron Miller – Kentucky (WR)
JT Lindsey – LSU (RB)
Joenel Aguero (S)
Troy Everett - Oklahoma (OL)
Walker Howard - Louisiana-Lafayette (QB)
Isaiah Spencer - Virginia Tech (WR)
Darrell Gill Jr. - Syracuse (WR)

More Ole Miss News:

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