By Billy Watkins
The biggest question among Ole Miss fans right now is this: How are the 31 portal signees looking after offseason workouts and one week of spring practice?
Fortunately, head coach Pete Golding is more engaging when addressing the media than his predecessor.
“I think the depth we have now across the board is the best we’ve had since I’ve been here (2023),” said Golding, who was named head coach Nov. 30 and led the Rebels to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs. “The (portal) guys are tough, competitive and love football. These guys are just like those guys last year. They’ve got high IQ, been in good systems and they want to be here.
“It allows us to be better on special teams because we have a lot more body types with size and speed.
“I was concerned about depth with the extra SEC game being added, the length of the season. It’s hard to stay healthy.”
(A complete list of transfer signees and bio information is at the bottom of this story)
He discussed the wide receiver group that lost seniors De’Zhaun Stribling and Harrison Wallace III, who gave defenses fits, especially in the playoffs.
The ability to stretch the field vertically is crucial to the offense’s success, especially with two of the country’s top players — quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy — returning.
“I know from a coordinating standpoint, when you have an elite QB who is really athletic (like Chambliss) and an All-American running back, a lot of attention is going to be on those two in the run game,” Golding said. “If you still have the ability to stretch the field, that creates a lot of issues.”
He said Darrell Gill, Jr. “gives you the top end speed you want.” He mentioned Gill’s teammate at Syracuse last year, Johntay Cook, as a player who “is very elusive that allows you to do a lot of things that create issues.”
He added: “Between (Haratio) Fields and some other guys, there are going to be some breakout guys who y’all aren’ saying their names right now. Nobody knew who Strib or Wallace was this time last year.”
He was asked about highly-recruited Caleb Cunningham, who will be a redshirt freshman this season.
“He was on our scout team last year and we still ain’t covered his a—,” he said “Really special skill set. And he works. You never hear him. He’s just there, and then the band’s playing.”
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As expected, the battle for the backup QB job appears to be between sophomore AJ Maddox and Auburn transfer Deuce Knight, who is from Lucedale. “We know the importance of a backup who can win in the SEC,” he said. “As we found out last season, you never know what can happen.”
The defensive line is a position where Ole Miss returned several quality players but Golding saw the need to add more.
He called junior Will Echoles “elite” and also mentioned Kam Franklin, Suntarine Perkins, Jamarious Brown and Andrew Maddox.
“I felt like we lacked internal depth there late in the year,” Golding said. “That was an issue against Miami (in the semifinal game), especially late in the game. So I wanted to go sign two more big guys. One of them (6-foot 5, 340-pound Jehiem Oatis started for me at Bama a true freshman and he’s a Mississippi kid on top of that.
“I think Jehiem can be as good as he wants to be. That was one thing in recruiting him. ‘Hey brother, it’s time to make the right decisions. This is your last opportunity. You’re coming home. This is what we expect from you.’ We’re expecting him to do some good things.”
In addition to Oatis, the Rebels’ signed 350-pound Michai Boireau, who started nine games at Florida last season.
Golding also went after some edge rushers and appears to have hit the mark with Blake Purchase, a key player for Oregon last season, and Jonathan Maldonado from Nevada.
“And some of these freshmen are as good a (defensive line) class as I’ve been around in a long time,” he said.
He mentioned Carmelow Reed of Olympia Fields, Ill. and Jayden Curtis of Ocean Springs. He especially talked about Landon Barnes of Duncanville, Texas. “He has a unique skill set and is wired the right way,” he said.
The linebackers weren’t discussed but a key addition is Keaton Thomas (photo , a 240-pounder who made 220 tackles for Baylor over the past two seasons. Another is 230-pound Luke Ferrelli, who made 87 tackles as a redshirt freshman at California in 2025.
Golding never hesitated when asked about Clemson coach Dabo Swinney calling a press conference and accusing Golding of blatant tampering with Ferrelli.
“There are two sides to every story,” he said, and added: “(Ferrelli) wanted to be here, and we wanted him to be here.”
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At running back, he signed guys who could contribute immediately and allow the coaches to handle Lacy’s workload over a long season.
“I’m used to being around a running back room that had a guy (at Alabama) who never started a game in his career and went in the first round (of the NFL draft),” he said. The Rebels brought in backs who “have different skill sets and experience. The moment won’t be too big for them.”
Spring practice is nothing like it used to be. It’s made up of three phases and is similar to the NFL’s off-season workouts. The first one is teaching the offensive and defensive systems from the ground up. Second, in Golding’s words, is “transitioning to game speed but without the contact.” Third will be two weeks of mock game weeks without a game.
“It’s really important — because we’ve got so many newcomers who are going to have to contribute in the fall — to go ahead and develop those routines and habits and understand what a game week looks like,” Golding said.
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OLE MISS’ 2026 PORTAL SIGNEES
# 6 Joenel Aguero Safety Georgia
Highly reruited out of HS. Former 4-star who was the No. 47 prospect in the Class of 2023. 5-11, 200
Started most of the 2025 season. Had 39 total tackles and one interception. Suffered a wrist injury and did not play against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl or in the SEC Championship game last season.
# 88 Michai Boireau DL Florida
6-5 350 Dropped into coverage, made game-saving interception vs. Miss. State in 2025. Yahoo Sports said Boireau “is one of the more significant losses of the offseason for Florida.”
Started 9 games in 2025.
# 49 Tah’j Butler LB Georgia Tech
6-1 235 In two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, Butler registered 59 tackles, three pass deflections and an interception in 19 games played. 34 of those tackles were in 2025.
#0 Johntay Cook WR Syracuse
5-11 190 5 star prospect out of HS
No. 3 WR in his recruiting class
Spent two seasons at Texas and had 32 catches for 273 yards.
With Syracuse in 2025, had 45 catches for 549 yards and two touchdowns. Has ben primarily a slot receiver.
# 0 Jaylyn Crawford CB Auburn 6-0 180
No. 2 CB in the portal. Had 13 tackles, 1 interception. Hugh Freeze called him “elite” and said he was an NFL corner. 5-11 180.
# 57 Carius Curne OL LSU
6-5 330 Part time starter as true freshman 2025. Figures prominently in the Rebels’ plans for 2026
. # 7 Sharif Denson CB Florida
5-11 195 Made 53 tackles (39 solo) at CB in 2025 Made 8 tackles vs. Ole Miss.
# 28 Joshua Dye RB 5-10 200
Southern Utah led FCS in rushing in 2025 with 1,831 yards and 28 touchdowns.
# 50 Troy Everett IOL Oklahoma
6-3 215 One of the Sooners’ captains, Everett has battled knee injuries
# 11 Horatio Fields, WR, Auburn
6-2, 210 In 2025, Fields caught 12 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown before suffering a broken foot during practice in late September. Surgery sidelined him for the rest of the season. Prior to his time at Auburn, Fields played at Wake Forest. He had 39 receptions for 463 yards and four touchdowns Had committed to Missouri but changed his mind when Ole Miss’ Cayden Lee transferred there.
# 12 Luke FerrelIi LB California
6-3 230 Redshirted as a true freshman in 2024. Started in 2025 and eared freshman All America honors. Made 87 tackles, five for a loss. Will have every opportunity to start in 2026.
# 25 Makhi Frazier RB 4 star
Michigan State 5-10 225
Led the Spartans in rushing in 2025.
Ran for 109 yards on 14 carries vs. Michigan in 2025, including a 49-yard run.
# 15 Darrell Gill Jr. WR Syracuse
6-3 190 31 catches in 2024 for 570 yards and two touchdowns. 32 catches for 506 yards and five touchdowns in 2025
# 14 Walker Howard QB Louisiana
A good guy to have just in case. Transferred from LSU to Ole Miss and was Jaxon Dart’s backup in 2022 and 2023. A veteran presence in the QB room.
# 14 Edwin Joseph Safety Florida State 6-0 195 Played at Nebraska before transferring to FSU.
# 61 Tommy Kinsler OT Miami
6-6 350 played in 22 games the past two seasons for the Hurricanes. He backed up Francis Mauigoa in 2025. Mauigoa is expected to be a Top 10 draft pick in this year’s NFL draft. Has two years of eligibility remaining.
# 2 Deuce Knight QB. 5 star Auburn George County HS. in Lucedale 6-5. 225
Originally committed to Notre Dame. Signed with Auburn out of HS. Started one game (Mercer) as a freshman in 2025. Completed 15 of 20 passes for 239 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Rushed nine times for 162 yards and four TDs. That’s 401 yards total offense and he split snaps in the second half with the usual starter, Jackson Arnold. His high school coach raves about his leadership skills, his devotion to his craft, and how he always keeps his eyes downfield while scrambling.
# 39 Gerald Lacy, Jr. Safety Trinity Valley CC 6-0 185. Older brother of the Rebels’ running back Kewan Lacy. Has been at Stephen F. Austin and Missouri. Played at Trinity last season.
# 26 JT Lindsey RB LSU
5-11 190 4 star running back out of HS and the No. 7 RB in nation. Did not play as a true freshman in 2025.
# 17 Jonathan Maldonado Edge Nevada Played QB and DE in high school. 6-6, 250. 38 tackles and 5 sacks in 2025. Could be a sleeper in this class who contributes early.
# 22 Cameron Miller WR Kentucky
5-11 180. Thirteen receptions for 141 yards for the Wildcats last season.
# 44 Tony Mitchell Safety Miss. State
6-1, 240 No. 116 player overall in the 2023 class. Played in the Under Armour All-Star game.
Originally signed with Alabama but left for Scooba CC when Saban retired shortly after that. Played 2025 for State and made 25 tackles. Golding knows him from recruiting him to Alabama.
# 9 Jehiem Oatis DL Colorado. 6-5. 340. From Columbia Ms. home of Walter Payton. Has played for Nick Saban and Deion Sanders. Started 4 games at Colorado. Rated the No. 1 defensive player in the 2025 portal class. Golding knows him from recruiting him at Alabama. Has had three surgeries: shoulder, knee and ankle. He will be a senior, his last chance to show the NFL his talent.
# 13 Jack Patterson QB. Central Arkansas 6-3. 205
# 86 Brady Prieskorn TE Michigan
6-5 245 Younger brother of former Rebel standout tight end Caden Prieskorn. A big, athletic target.
# 3 Blake Purchase OLB Oregon
6-3 250. According to “Ducks on SI: “the loss of linebacker Blake Purchase may have been the biggest departure for coach Dan Lanning’s Ducks. Had 32 tackles, two sacks, and one interception in 2025 They even did a separate article “What’s next for Oregon defense with departure of Purchase?”
# 1 Jordan Renaud DE 4 star Alabama
6-3 285. Played in all 15 games, started 3 in 2025. Top 60 recruit in 2023 class. Made 16 tackles in 2025 Pete knew him from recruiting at Alabama.
# 82 Michael Smith TE South Carolina 6-4 260 Caught 2 passes for 20 yards a year ago.
# 85 Isaiah Spencer WR Virginia Tech 6-2 205 Also played at Jackson State. Played HS ball at Madison Central
Caught 14 passes for 194 yards (14 yd. average)
# 11 Keaton Thomas LB Baylor
6-1 240 Led Baylor in tackles in 2024 (114) and 2025 (106) Prior to that, averaged 12 tackles per game at Northeast CC in Booneville
# 77 Enoch Wangoy OL Florida
6-7 350 One of the more intriguing signees in school history. From England. Only played two years of football. Played soccer, rugby and basketball. Workout film impressive. Has the feet of someone much lighter.
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