Breaking down under the radar, impact transfer additions from Ole Miss camp

As Ole Miss gets set to begin the 2024 campaign, the Rebels will do so relying on a handful of key impact transfers. Well, more than a handful, really.

The Rebels have been as aggressive as anyone in the transfer portal, landing some huge impact names. Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen, Juice Wells.

But it’s a number of less-heralded transfers who have grabbed the eyes of some Ole Miss insiders.

“The guys I’m most fascinated by, because we all know the big names, we all know those guys like the Juices and the Walter Nolens,” On3’s Ben Garrett said, “Yam Banks has been starting here since Day 1, since Practice 1 in the spring. And that’s the transfer from South Alabama.

“He doesn’t get the headlines but a productive all-league caliber player from his previous stop. Making plays out there seemingly every day. Has no qualms about being vocal, about being vocal, about stepping up and showing that he’s ready to lead a position group. A former in-state guy from Ridgeland. I mean Yam Banks, that’s a name that needs to be talked about because he’s had a great camp. He had a great spring. And he’s starting for a national title contender in the secondary and his name isn’t one of the biggest ones from the portal.”

There are others that Garrett pointed to as well, in a Roundtable discussion for On3.

“Same thing with Isaiah Hamilton, who everybody wanted,” Garrett said. “It wasn’t just Ole Miss, it was Alabama, it was Missouri. Those are also playoff contenders and he came to Ole Miss. Isaiah Hamilton could play cornerback, he could play defensive back.”

It may not even be a single transfer that makes the biggest impact for Ole Miss, but rather an entire position group bolstered by transfers.

That was the case made by Garrett.

“I think where they really, when you talk about absolute slam dunk in the portal, yeah the big names are great but where you see that most I think is in the secondary because they have numbers there,” Garrett said. “Numbers and depth of options that they don’t have maybe other places, even though they’ve got it pretty well across the board.”

Want an offensive name?

“Dae’Quan Wright‘s another one, I want to throw his name in there, Caden Prieskorn‘s backup,” Garrett said. “Because you talk about Caden Prieskorn, an NFL tight end, this was an all-league tight end in the ACC, Dae’Quan Wright from Virginia Tech. So he’s their No. 2, they needed another in-line blocker and capable pass-catcher.”

Bottom line: Expect transfers to make an outsized impact for the Rebels this fall.

“It’s an impressive collection,” Garrett said. “It’s come together well and I think for Ole Miss, they look at this season as all the stars have aligned. I mean why not this year if ever there was a year. It’s this year. And they’re certainly operating and looking that way.”