Ole Miss Football Lands Commitment From SEC Transfer Amid Chaotic Portal Stretch

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South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Michael Smith has committed to Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels after making his move official on Saturday night, he revealed via social media.
Smith checks in as a Top-25 tight end in the NCAA Transfer Portal with Ole Miss beating out multiple top programs for the 6-foot-, 245-pounder out of Georgia.
Across two seasons, Smith logged 12 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown despite departing Columbia midway through the 2025 season.
Prior to signing with South Carolina, Smith was ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 139 overall player in the 2024 class, according to the Rivals Industry Rating.
Smith came out of high school as the No. 9 rated tight in his class and the No. 18 overall player from the state of Georgia.
BREAKING: South Carolina transfer TE Michael Smith has committed to Ole Miss, @PeteNakos reports🦈https://t.co/s0iku3NOUg pic.twitter.com/moQ2jbjO1k
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 18, 2026
Ole Miss has added multiple offensive weapons via the Transfer Portal - including former five-star quarterback Deuce Knight.
The former five-star signal-caller checks in as a Top-10 quarterback in the NCAA Transfer Portal with the Ole Miss coaching staff securing the program's future at the position after locking him in after a visit.
Knight signed with the Auburn program as the No. 5 rated signal-caller in the 2025 Recruiting Cycle, but after one season on The Plains, elected to hit the free agent market.
The 6-foot-4, 217-pounder earned offers from the likes of the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Colorado Buffaloes, and Alabama Crimson Tide, among several others, across his time on the prep scene.
Now, he's Oxford bound after making his move, but Knight is just one of the major dominoes that have fallen in favor of the Rebels.

The Transfer Portal Additions [21]:
Jay Crawford – Auburn (CB)
Keaton Thomas – Baylor (LB)
Jonathan Maldonado – Nevada (EDGE)
Sharif Denson – Florida (CB)
Jeheim 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 - Georgia (S)
Troy Everett - Oklahoma (OL)
Walker Howard - Louisiana-Lafayette (QB)
Isaiah Spencer - Virginia Tech (WR)
Darrell Gill Jr. - Syracuse (WR)
Tah'j Butler - Georgia Tech (LB)
Jordan Renaud - Alabama (DL)
Blake Purchase - Oregon (EDGE)
Johntay Cook - Syracuse (WR)
More Ole Miss News:
Ole Miss Football Gaining Confidence in Landing Top-10 Transfer Portal Wide Receiver
Ole Miss Football Adds Commitment From Prized Oklahoma Sooners Transfer To Haul
Kirk Herbstreit Believes Trinidad Chambliss Has Strong Chance To Get Waiver for 2026, Win Appeal
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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Ole Miss Rebels On SI, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Rebel Football, Baseball, Basketball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving Ole Miss athletics. Nagy has covered the Southeastern Conference for over half a decade after being born and raised in New Orleans (La.).
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