Ole Miss Football's Positions of Need (and How It's Addressed Them) This Offseason
OXFORD, Miss. -- The 2023 season ended on a positive note for the Ole Miss Rebels, but it was still clear that team would need to make improvements in certain areas if they wanted to compete with the top programs in the nation when the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams in 2024.
A playoff expansion means even more history possibly awaits Ole Miss, as Lane Kiffin's program finished No. 11 in the final CFP rankings released ahead of the 2023 postseason. As mentioned above, however, Kiffin and his staff were well aware they would need to reinforce their roster, as their losses to the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide proved that the Rebels still had a long way to go if they were serious about competing for a national championship.
The solution to this problem is recruitment, and fortunately for Kiffin and Co., Ole Miss has been successful on the field recently, which has given the program a significant boost in NIL funds, and winning is never a bad sales pitch when talking to recruits. Below, I have listed three positions of need for Ole Miss entering the offseason and how the staff has worked to address those needs through recruiting and the transfer portal.
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Trenches
To keep this list condensed to three positions, we are just combining both the offensive and defensive line additions into one category: the trenches.
These are not meant to be in any particular order, but the trenches were the biggest area of need for the Rebels entering 2024. Kiffin has made this group a priority this offseason, however, as the staff reeled in the former No. 1 overall player in the portal, defensive lineman Walter Nolen.
The former Texas A&M Aggie was rated as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle and will also be joined on the defensive line by former Florida Gators edge Princely Umanmielen, who was the best available player at his position in the portal. Those two transfers, along with returning seniors JJ Pegues and Jared Ivey, will be tasked with leading the deepest freshman defensive line class in Kiffin's tenure.
Kiffin and Pete Golding also made the defensive line a priority on the recruitment trail, as the Rebels received commitments from four of the best d-line recruits coming out of Mississippi this cycle. Kamarion Franklin, the No. 1 overall recruit in the state, will be joined by fellow four-star defensive linemen William Echoles, Kamron Beavers, and Jeffrey Rush.
Ole Miss has not forgotten about the offensive side of the ball either, as keeping senior quarterback Jaxson Dart upright will be the key to success next season. Via the portal, Kiffin has brought in 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle Diego Pounds out of North Carolina and former Southern Miss interior lineman Gerquan Scott.
On the recruitment trail, the Rebels earned pledges from three-star offensive linemen John Wayne Oliver, Jude Foster, and Kavion Broussard. With the portal still open, there is a chance that this group gets bolstered even more.
Secondary
Golding's secondary needed an influx of talent this offseason, with cornerbacks Deantre Prince, Zamari Walton and DeShawn Gaddie declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. Versatile safety/linebacker Ladarius Tennison decided to enter the portal recently, and former transfer commits Tahveon Nicholson and Decamerion Richardson have also had a change of plans.
Kiffin and Golding have found a plethora of experienced talent via the portal, starting with safeties Louis Moore, Key Lawrence, and Brandon Turnage. The Rebels replaced their top cornerbacks with former transfers Yam Banks, Trey Amos, and Amorion Walker.
From the high school ranks, Kiffin has recruited cornerbacks Cedrick Beavers and Patrick Broomfield, as well as safeties Travaris Banks, Anthony Robinson, Katrevrick Banks, Andy Jaffe, and Shamaar Darden. Returning defensive backs John Saunders Jr., Trey Washington, and Chris Graves will be the leaders of Ole Miss' secondary in 2024.
Receivers
The Rebels did not take a massive hit to their receiving corps this offseason, but Kiffin is still loading up his skill positions. Former No. 2 wideout Dayton Wade will be replaced by former South Carolina receiver Juice Wells, who is currently rated as the No. 3 player at his position this portal cycle.
The Rebels also picked up a commitment from former FAU and Texas A&M wideout Devin Price. On the recruitment trail, Ole Miss signed four-star receiver Noreel White, and former JUCO wideouts Deion Smith and Marquis Willis. Smith was the No. 1 JUCO receiver this cycle, and Willis is the younger brother of Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis.
Kiffin also used the opportunity to renovate his tight ends group. With Michael Trigg and Kyirin Heath choosing to enter the portal, adding more depth behind returning senior Caden Prieskorn became a priority. The Rebels received a commitment from three-star tight end Dillon Hipp this cycle and recently picked up a pledge from former Virginia Tech tight end Dae'Quan Wright.
