The Future Star Ole Miss Fans Need to Watch This Season

Rebels fans may need to get used to hearing this name this season.

Dorian Barney 2026 cornerback from Peachtree Ridge High in Georgia before the game with Florida Atlantic Sept 16, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; at Memorial Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ole Miss Rebels football program is set to begin a new era when the 2026 season gets underway. Well, that new era actually started last season during the College Football Playoff.

Rebels head coach Pete Golding has found himself in rarified air. Golding coached the team throughout their CFP run before even getting a chance to lead the sidelines during a regular season game. However, that all changes in just two short months.

Golding will be looking to prove that he belongs as the head coach of the Rebels, and to do that, he will need the talent on the field to match what the program had this past season. Recruiting is going to be what makes or breaks Golding's time in Oxford. This season, the Rebels are bringing a solid recruiting class that finished as the 26th-best class in the country. There's one name in that class that fans could potentially see become a superstar in his first season with the program.

Aug 30, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels helmets lay on the field prior to the game against the Georgia State Panthers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Freshman cornerback Dorian Barney has the chance to become a star in his freshman season with the program. The Carrollton, Georgia, native was a four-star recruit in the 2026 class and the 40th-best cornerback in the class.

Now, Barney could make a major statement in his first season with the program, and that all starts with fall camp.

Potential Position Battle

Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery (6) reacts toward defensive back Antonio Kite (8) and defensive back Sage Ryan (3) during the second quarter against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A potential position battle to keep tabs on during fall camp may just be one of the starting cornerback positions for the Rebels. Senior defensive back Antonio Kite may get a little fight from the freshman who is looking to make an impact in his first season.

After spending two seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide and one season with the Auburn Tigers, Kite found a new home with the Rebels this past season. While Barney may just be competition for Kite during camp, there's no question that the senior cornerback's SEC experience will be hard to keep off the field this season.

Barney's chance to catch Rebels fans' eyes this season will depend on the work being put in this summer. In reality, Golding has a good problem if a true freshman is fighting for a starting spot before the season begins. There are plenty of young talent to keep an eye on this season, but Barney's star could potentially shine the brightest.

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