Where Ole Miss' Chances Stand of Reuniting With Dae’Quan Wright From Transfer Portal

Current Cleveland Browns, and former Ole Miss, tight end Dae’Quan Wright has an interest in returning to college football, a source told Ole Miss On SI on Thursday. Shortly after, Wright officially entered his name into the transfer portal, becoming the first active NFL player to ever do so.

Wright initally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as undrafted free agent earlier this spring, before getting picked up by the Browns.

However, Wright’s interest is dependent on his status on the Browns’ roster, which will be finalized within the next 10 days. This is currently allowed because of a recent court ruling. That said, the NCAA is likely to appeal that outcome.

On Wednesday, a Louisiana judge granted a temporary restraining order for a group of 32 athletes against the NCAA eligibility rules. The group includes Wright as well as other former Rebels in Zxavian Harris and Wydett Williams. Harris also entered the portal on Wednesday, while Williams has currently expressed no desire to continue his collegiate career.

In two seasons with the Rebels, Wright hauled in 66 receptions for 1,029 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns. He originally transferred to Ole Miss from Virginia Tech, where he spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career.

Is Ole Miss an Option?

Dec 20, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Dae'Quan Wright (8) runs after a catch during the third quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In short, no. It’s unlikely Ole Miss returns any of the three players.

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding addressed the possibility of adding players from the 2022 high school class earlier this summer. However, that ruling revolved around those players that exhausted their four-year window that hadn’t signed a professional contract.

Of course, Wednesday’s ruling altered the professional contract part as there are now a handful of former NFL players now able to return to the collegiate level.

“I think under the guidelines that were already in place since I had taken the job we’ve managed this roster and this team based on those rules. I think the timing of this isn’t perfect to create a lot of opportunities for certain people when you already have a roster limit. There’s no new additions and umbrellas like they did with COVID or anything like that. Yes, obviously there was conversations with a couple of those guys from ‘22 that are in other camps,” Golding said earlier this month.

“Kind of talking what’s the health of those guys? What’s the status? What’s that look like? But more from a standpoint of if somebody was to get injured during camp and something became available, then you’d have a body to go to that’s actually been in this system and all those type of things. Our numbers are what they are right now and we’re where we need to be, but definitely there’s been conversations in case something was to occur that we would need to go that direction.”

All 53-man NFL rosters will be finalized on August 30.

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