What to Know About Tommy Kinsler IV and His Transfer to Ole Miss

Tommy Kinsler IV has been around high-level competition his entire life.

The Kinsler family has always been around sports and has seemingly produced multiple collegiate athletes. Kinsler’s older brother, Jaree, played at Central Michigan and his younger brother, Jermaine, currently plays at Texas A&M while his sister, Jaylaysha, previously played basketball at LSU. His cousin, Elijah, is currently a sophomore an hour up the road at Memphis and his other cousin, Jordan, previously played at Rutgers. The athletic bloodlines run deep and it doesn't stop there.

Latish Kinsler, Tommy’s uncle and business representative, is the president of LifeStyle Sports Agency. Latish lettered four times at the University of Cincinnati as a defensive back and later spent time in the NFL with the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.

As for Kinsler IV, throughout the entire offseason, the former Miami offensive lineman has been competing to emerge as Ole Miss’ starting right tackle for the upcoming season. In three seasons with the Hurricanes, Kinsler IV appeared in 19 games and played in 12 of them during Miami’s run to the National Championship Game last year.

Following the 2025 season, Kinsler IV had the option to remain at Miami and potentially compete for a starting role somewhere along the offensive line, but ultimately opted for a change of scenery. It wasn’t an easy decision either.

Making the move

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Tommy Kinsler IV (62) against the Indiana Hoosiers. — Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Tommy Kinsler IV (62) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The decision of leaving Miami was a difficult one. Definitely had great relationships with Coach Cristobal as well as Coach Mirabal. Over the past couple of years they have been very influential to him and also helping him with his development. The decision wasn’t an easy one,” Latish Kinsler reiterated. “But for him to be the best version of himself, for him to have an opportunity to play the meaningful snaps that he wants to play this upcoming season, we thought it was the best for him to enter into the portal and find a home where he can lead the meeting room by example. That was the thought process of entering into the portal, but it was not an easy decision. (Miami) played in the National Championship Game, so the portal window closed.”

Ole Miss wasn’t the only potential suitor for the 6-foot-6, 355-pounder, as he had more than a handful of options.

In the end Kinsler IV was down to Auburn and Ole Miss this past transfer cycle, with the Tigers scoring a last-minute visit, but it was the Rebels who ultimately won his recruitment over.

“You have a certain period of time when you’re an athlete that plays in a national championship game to enter into the portal. You’re kind of trying to do a process of elimination narrowing that list because you have a limited time frame. He definitely had a plethora of programs that were coveting him, but we felt that Ole Miss was the best fit at the end of everything,” Latish told Ole Miss On SI. “It was what is the best fit and the best opportunities for him to be successful for him to thrive, continuous development as well as playing time. That was the main precipice of Tommy deciding to go to Ole Miss.”

“I’ve had a number of conversations with Coach Garrison and I think that he’s, for one, a very good coach. Players seem to get his message. He’s able to deliver a message where sometimes coaches aren't able to communicate to where players can truly understand what they want them to do. It seemed that the information that Coach gave Tommy he was able to receive it, internalize it and make adjustments accordingly. I think that’s a huge component to coaching.”

Acquiring Kinsler IV was absolutely necessary for an Ole Miss team that had two voids to fill this offseason, following the departures of Jayden Williams and Diego Pounds. Ole Miss signed four transfer offensive tackles in the last eight months. Terez Davis appears to have earned the job at left tackle.

At the time of this writing, multiple sources have indicated that Kinsler IV is currently the leader to emerge as Ole Miss’ Week 1 starting right tackle. However, there’s still a couple weeks of practice before the Rebels’ top-25 matchup against Louisville, so nothing is set in stone with Carius Curne and Connor Howes also competing for the spot.

So far, Kinsler IV has told those around him just how much he’s enjoyed being around the Manning Center.

“He likes it a lot. He loves his teammates, he loves the staff and he’s definitely progressing on a daily basis,” Latish said. “He’s just going to continue to do that — continue to work, continue film study and continue to improve, because along with having the potential opportunity to start there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that as well. He just wants to make sure that he limits all the mentioned mistakes and things of that nature so that he can really get out there, play fast, play at a high level and not think as much. He’s really taken to his teammates — the coaching is important for him and to continue to learn too.”

With the Hurricanes, Kinsler IV was in the same signing class (2023) as 2026 first round NFL draft pick Francis Mauigoa and starting Miami offensive lineman Samson Okunlola. The current Rebel picked up ‘a lot’ from those two in particular.

“I think he took a lot from them. I’m not just saying it because I am his representative, but talent-wsie I don’t feel that he’s far off from Francis,” Latish added. “I think everyone develops in their own time frame. I think he’s going to be at a place that Ole Miss will be very happy over the next 12 to 24 months of having someone like him to continue to develop. He wants to be great.

What should fans know about the Rebels’ potential starter at right tackle?

“He’s very charismatic. He’s probably one of the better teammates that you will see as far as caring about his team, not just himself. He’s a selfless player,” Latish explained. “He definitely loves the game. You’ll see he has a certain edge and toughness to him as well. With his size, his athleticism will jump off the screen too, as far as how he moves around at north of 345 (pounds) and 6-foot-6. Those are some things that I think that stand out and that resonated with his high school as well as early on in his college career.”

The most growth that Kinsler IV’s uncle has seen in the offensive tackle has come through his maturity both on and off the field.

“Maturity in both facets. He’s always been very respectful, so that has just continued to take place. He’s always treated people, peers and young people as well that come up to him,” Latish said of Kinsler IV. “He’s always given them his time and things of that nature. He’s always been that way. He’s been raised right, his mother and father have done a great job with him in that aspect. I would say at Ole Miss, he’s definitely developed into a leadership role. He’s always been a great teammate, but just being more of a leader. I wouldn’t say he’s a vocal young man, but I can just see that he does communicate more with his teammates than he did at Miami. I can just see him coming into his own more.”

As the Rebels continue to work to solidify the right tackle position, they’re just a few weeks away from spotting the ball against Louisville in Nashville at Nissan Stadium.

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