New Year, New Wave: Ole Miss’ second dip in the portal waters could be heavy on OL

A New Year — and, subsequently, the second off-season wave — has arrived for Ole Miss football.

The Rebels addressed most of their needs in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the Peach Bowl. They went particularly heavy on the defensive side of the ball, including Texas A&M defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the No. 1 overall player in On3’s NCAA Transfer Portal rankings.

Ole Miss has been more selective offensively, and understandably so. The Rebels are poised to bring back every significant piece off an offense that finished last season as one of the best, statistically, in college football. They third in the SEC in total offense behind only LSU and Georgia.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins were the lone returner holdouts before and after the Peach Bowl. The Rebels impressively took down Penn State, 38-25, last weekend to secure their first-ever 11-win season. They’re already bringing back for 2024 wide receivers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins, tight end Caden Prieskorn and offensive linemen Caleb Warren, Micah Pettus and Jeremy James.

Dart announced his return this week. Judkins remains noncommittal. The College Football Playoff next season expands to 12 teams, and the Rebels have been ranked inside the Top 10 in each of the last three. The Peach Bowl was their second New Year’s Six in four years under head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin earlier this off-season signed a contract extension with the school.

Ole Miss Rebels offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, Jr. and players Tre Harris and Caden Prieskorn at a news conference prior to the 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Atlanta, Ga. Ole Miss will face Penn State in the NCAA college football bowl game on December 30th. (Paul Abell via Abell Images for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl)

Particular as Ole Miss has been, however, the Rebels, offensively, haven’t sat on their hands.

They signed Deion Smith; formerly of LSU, and the nation’s No. 1 JUCO wide receiver. They reeled in South Carolina’s Juice Wells, the No. 1 wide receiver in the portal.

“There’s several things that you look for,” Ole Miss offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis, Jr., said of the Rebels’ portal approach. “How did they play against top competition when given those opportunities? Tre and Caden were both guys that had a lot of production in those kinds of games.”

Harris, formerly of Louisiana Tech, had seven catches for 134 yards in the Peach Bowl. He was just two shy of Prieskorn — previously of Memphis, and the bowl’s Offensive MVP.

Prieskorn had 136 yards and two touchdowns on an Ole-Miss-bowl-record 10 receptions.

“Obviously the biggest thing for us is getting guys up here on visits,” Weis, Jr., said. “What’s the fit like? Tre and Caden are both pro-mindset-type guys — unbelievable in their preparation (and) the things that they do. There’s a variety of factors that go into those decisions, but they were no-brainers.”

Nine players in Ole Miss’ current, 12-man portal class are defenders.

The Rebels’ focus in the coming weeks, then, is expected to mostly center Weis, Jr., and Co.

The offensive line is arguably their only pressing need left. Southern Miss offensive lineman Gerquan Scott will enroll later this month, while Ole Miss is also a leading contender for Mississippi State’s Percy Lewis and Florida’s Micah Mazzccua.

The 6-foot-8, 345-pound Lewis will visit Ole Miss on Friday. He was at Arkansas on Wednesday and has Auburn on Thursday. LSU tackle Lance Heard — a five-star in the 2023 recruiting class — entered the portal on Tuesday. Ole Miss has already made contact and is actively involved.

Where else could the Rebels turn? Probably not wide receiver. Dayton Wade is off to the NFL, but the room only begins at Harris, Watkins, Smith and Wells.

Weis, Jr., said the Rebels are excited about the potential of a pair of second-year wideouts in Cayden Lee and Ayden Williams. Lee took the starting slot reps in the Peach Bowl which are typically reserved for Watkins. Watkins, though, was slowed by injury and restricted to punt returns only.

“We’re super excited about some of those young guys,” Weis, Jr., said. “Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee definitely stand out as guys that are going to have really bright futures for us. They’ve done a great job.

“Obviously everybody wants to start and get a bunch of balls and all that, but those two guys have had a fantastic mindset throughout the season — of always being ready and always having the next man up. If an injury does happen, they’re ready to go. I’m really excited to see those guys going into next season taking bigger roles and getting more snaps. We’re really, really excited about those two. They’re going to be special.”

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