Two SEC football powerhouses in battle for No. 1 remaining transfer linebacker

A pair of SEC football contenders are hoping to make a good impression for a notable linebacker that has entered the college football transfer portal.

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The best linebacker remaining in the college football transfer portal and one of the most highly-regarded defensive players still on the market is looking for a new school, and two SEC programs are heavily in the mix to earn his commitment for the 2026 season.

Ole Miss linebacker T.J. Dottery, one of the most consequential defensive players of any school in the SEC this past season, has entered the NCAA transfer portal and his commitment is said to be down to two programs inside the conference.

One of those schools is the one he just played for, as Ole Miss has not given up on retaining Dottery for the 2026 season, and is still putting in a serious effort behind the scenes to keep him on the roster, according to a report from On3 Sports.

But the Rebels will have some serious competition for the linebacker, as Lane Kiffin and LSU have emerged as the “clear team to beat” to sign Dottery, the same report noted.

LSU reportedly wants in

Lane Kiffin wasted no time making a good first impression after coming on as LSU’s new head coach, and his program currently ranks No. 1 in the country in the latest 247Sports transfer portal team rankings.

Top-ranked quarterback Sam Leavitt was Kiffin’s biggest gain, and the offense added former Florida wide receiver Eugene Wilson, among 27 other known commitments.

But the linebacker position remains one that LSU is yet to address in the transfer portal, still awaiting their first commitment there in the 2026 cycle.

LSU wants to add depth to its middle-field defense after the departure of both Harold Perkins, Jr. and Whit Weeks at linebacker, and a player of Dottery’s experience, known production, and time spent with Kiffin, could be ideal to insert into the rotation.

Ole Miss still in play

Defense suddenly became an area of notable interest for Ole Miss after it was reported that linebacker Princewill Umanmielen revealed his intention to enter the transfer portal, an unwelcome surprise for the Rebels as they look ahead to next fall.

The current expectation is that linebacker Suntarine Perkins intends to remain with Ole Miss at the linebacker/edge rusher position next season.

Dottery led the defense with 958 snaps played, 161 more than the next-most, and he recorded 5.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks in 2025.

What he did on the field

Dottery was considered the quarterback of the Ole Miss defense this season, designated as the player who received helmet communication from coaches on the sideline and then relayed play calls to the rest of the unit on the field.

He led the Rebels with 98 total tackles this past season and was instrumental in the success of the defense under coordinator Pete Golding last year, too, recording 76 stops.

That production has earned Dottery some high praise from analysts, and he has emerged as the No. 1 remaining linebacker in the 2026 college football transfer portal cycle, according to 247Sports.

(On3)