Ole Miss transfer portal team breakdown

Ole Miss was, once again, heavily involved in the transfer portal at the conclusion of the 2022 season — head coach Lane Kiffin isn’t “the portal king” for no reason. With 39 total transfers combined (arrivals and departures) the Rebels have had some of the highest roster turnover since the end of the season.

With a Top 5 portal class according to the On3 2023 College Football Team Transfer Portal Index, Kiffin and Co. have brought in another infusion of talent. And with 11 more transfers out than in, the Rebels will still be blending in young talent alongside proven commodities — along the lines of the Quinshon Judkins and Zach Evans running back pairing in 2022.

And of course, Ole Miss notably brought in a pair of transfer quarterbacks to join current quarterback (and USC transfer) Jaxson Dart. That three-way position battle is one of the most intriguing in all of college football ahead of the 2023 season.

Breaking down the Ole Miss 2023 transfer portal class

Class ranking, per On3: No. 4

Number of transfers in: 14 (T-3rd, nationally)

Number of transfers out: 25 (3rd)

Biggest loss: CB Davison Igbinosun transferred to Ohio State

Igbinosun was a Top 300 recruit nationally in the Class of 2022 out of high school, signing with the Rebels as a four-star prospect from Union (N.J.) High School. He appeared in all 13 games in 2022, recording five passes defensed. He’s evidently a player with high upside, as the Buckeyes were happy to add the 6-foot-1 defensive back into the fold in their own transfer class.

Biggest arrival(s): QB Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State and QB Walker Howard, LSU

The aforementioned pair of transfer quarterbacks have created a lot of intrigue around the Rebels quarterback room. Sanders started four years for the Rebels and is a proven college starter. Howard, an LSU legacy, was a former four-star high school prospect but seemed buried on the depth chart in Baton Rouge. Factor in Dart, who came to Oxford ahead of the 2022 season, and what direction Ole Miss goes at quarterback is an open question. While Howard and Dart have several years of eligibility remaining, 2023 is likely to be the final year for Sanders playing college football.

Other notable Ole Miss transfers in

CB Zamari Walton: A four-star transfer corner from Georgia Tech, Walton brings years of experience and his 6-foot-3 frame to the Ole Miss secondary.

CB John Saunders: Another long corner — 6-foot-4 — Saunders is another highly-touted transfer with a four-star college rating, per On3. He was highly productive at Miami (OH) prior to joining the Rebels.

WR Chris Marshall: A five-star prospect out of high school, Marshall was part of the vaunted 2022 Texas A&M recruiting class. But, like many Aggie teammates, he headed for the portal this offseason and landed with Ole Miss.

LB Monty Montgomery: A four-year player at Louisville and four-star transfer prospect, Montgomery simply produces from the linebacker position. He had 160 tackles, 15 sacks, three interceptions and seven forced fumbles in 37 games.

CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr.: Another piece in the secondary, Gaddie isn’t as lanky as Saunders or Walton, but in four seasons at North Texas, he produced. With two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 37 games.

WR Tre Harris: Harris is a four-star transfer product who excelled at Louisiana Tech in 2022. He caught 65 passes for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games.

TE Caden Prieskorn: An unrated prospect out of high school, Prieskorn burst into a pass-catching role for Memphis in 2022, hauling in 48 passes for 602 yards and seven touchdowns. His presence could be a bit of a change up in the Ole Miss offense.