Position Preview: Inspecting the Ole Miss Rebels' Rebuilt CB Room

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss Rebels did not lose a lot of talent to the NFL this offseason, but the cornerback position was hit hard, as they lost both starters. Senior cornerback Deantre Prince was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round, while fellow senior Zamari Walton was signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Fortunately, Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding essentially recruited an entire defense via the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, and the cornerback room received multiple upgrades. We have already previewed multiple positions on this talented Ole Miss roster, and now we will dive into the cornerbacks below.

Familiar Faces

This group likely will not hold many starters, but one returner to keep an eye on is sophomore Chris Graves. The former Miami Hurricane transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2023 season and appeared in all 13 games last season for the Rebels. The former four-star prospect recorded 13 total tackles, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 2023.

Cedrick Beavers, Jarell Stinson, Richard O’Bryant, and AJ Brown will be key depth.

New Faces

Kiffin took advantage of Nick Saban’s retirement and recruited one of the more underrated players from Alabama’s secondary in 2023, senior cornerback Trey Amos. The 6-1, 200-pound defensive back appeared in 14 games last season for the Tide, recording 12 total tackles and five pass breakups. To lineup opposite Amos, the Rebels also reeled in former Houston Cougars cornerback Isaiah Hamilton during the second spring portal window. Hamilton snagged four interceptions for Houston in 2023.

Oxford, Miss., native Brandon Turnage returns home for his final collegiate football season after bouncing around the SEC the last four years. Turnage started his career with Alabama in 2020 before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers ahead of the 2021 season. Turnage has spent time at every position in the secondary and will be a versatile chess piece for Golding.

Young Faces

Ole Miss’ 2024 high school class was focused more on safeties, but the Rebels managed to recruit a pair of intriguing prospects. Four-star prospect Travaris Banks was recruited as a safety, but he is currently listed as a cornerback on the Ole Miss website. The 6-2, 195-pound true freshman has the perfect size for the position and will be an excellent addition to a room that could use some youth.

Joining Banks out of high school is former three-star recruit Patrick Broomfield. The Clarksdale, Miss., native was rated as the No. 19 overall recruit in his home state in the 2024 class. Broomfield is not yet listed on the Ole Miss website.