Southern Miss roster has plenty of SEC flavor

Roster-building looks different in the modern college football landscape. Coaching staffs and recruiting/personnel staffs must be willing to get creative when distributing out 85 scholarships. That means finding a balance between high school prospects and the transfer portal.

Southern Miss head coach Will Hall has consistently signed some of the best high school classes in the Sun Belt but has also shown a willingness to shop in the junior college market to find players. That is not a surprise considering how deep that junior college market is in the Magnolia State. But USM has also filled holes via the transfer program. The Golden Eagles have a type.

Multiple power conference transfers will take the field for Southern Miss on Saturday night at Kroger Field. Nearly all of them began their careers in the SEC. The Golden Eagles have some intriguing talent on the roster.

Former SEC players on the Southern Miss roster

Caleb Bryant

The high three-star recruit out of Vicksburg (Miss.) High signed with Mississippi State and redshirted in 2023. Bryant entered the transfer portal after the year, transferred to Southern Miss, and has four years of eligibility remaining. Bryant joins an impressive Group of Five defensive line room in Hattiesburg.

Gabe Cavazos Jr.

The class of 2021 recruit spent two seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to Southern Miss. Cavazos started the final seven games of the year in 2023 and will enter his redshirt junior season as a starter at left tackle.

Armondous Cooley

Cooley started his career at Mississippi State but lasted just two seasons in Starkville. The defensive tackle landed at Southern Miss in 2022. The Mississippi native missed last season with a foot injury. The defensive tackle gives the front great size at over 300 pounds and still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Kyirin Heath

The Texas native signed with Ole Miss in the 2022 recruiting cycle and spent two years in Oxford. Heath started three games for Lane Kiffin‘s offense last season and will be a true junior with two years of eligibility remaining. A quality pickup for a staff that will have heavier tight end usage under new play-caller Chip Long.

Dannis Jackson

A top-200 recruit in the class of 2019, Jackson started his career at Ole Miss recording 19 receptions over his first three seasons. The wideout would enter the portal prior to the 2022 season and land at Missouri for the 2023 campaign. After playing sparingly for the Tigers, Jackson has returned to his home to play for Southern Miss in his final season of college football. The veteran will be a top target for this passing game.

Will James

After spending one season at Mississippi State, James entered the transfer portal and landed at Southern Miss. The Theodore (Ala.) High product was a big star during fall camp in Hattiesburg and will open the season as a starting cornerback as a redshirt freshman.

Dante Kelly

A three-star recruit in the class of 2023, Kelly did not see any game action last year at Vanderbilt and entered the transfer portal after the season. The Mississippi native landed at Southern Miss and will be a reserve linebacker as a redshirt freshman.

Dylan Lawrence

The Lucedale (Miss.) George County product spent his first four seasons at Mississippi State with most action coming on special teams. Lawerence landed at Southern Miss in 2023 and recorded 78 tackles in 12 starts. The super senior enters this season as one of the defense’s best players playing the hybrid nickel spot in the 4-2-5 scheme.

Khalid Moore

A high three-star recruit out of Poplarville (Miss.) High spent his first two seasons at Mississippi State playing five games as a redshirt freshman. The transfer has three years of eligibility remaining and will help give this defensive front some quality depth playing the Jack linebacker position.

Elijah Sabbatini

The safety was a three-star recruit who signed with Ole Miss in the 2021 recruiting cycle. The Biloxi (Miss.) High only played in one games through two seasons before entering the transfer portal. Sabbatini is entering his second year at Southern Miss as a redshirt junior after only playing four games last season due to injury. The veteran is a backup safety expected to be in the rotation.

Larry Simmons

A former three-star recruit, Simmons spent his first two seasons at Ole Miss playing only one game. A former top-10 high school prospect in Mississippi earned a starting spot in his first fall camp at Southern Miss. The wideout has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Avery Sledge

After playing in 11 games in two seasons at Mississippi State, Sledge returned home to Hattiesburg. The redshirt sophomore was a former three-star recruit who will open the season as a reserve linebacker for the Golden Eagles.

Eric Thomas Jr.

The Florida native spent his first three seasons in college football at Arkansas playing in 30 games and recording 11 tackles. The super senior will play a rotational role for a very deep Southern Miss defensive line that could help the defense surprise in the Sun Belt.

Jalen Williams

The Tylertown (Miss.) High product started his career in junior college and landed at Arkansas as a true junior in 2021. Williams did not see any playing time in Fayetteville and transferred to Southern Miss. The defensive lineman now enters year three in Will Hall’s program having started 20 games. Williams is a super senior who will play a key role for this defense.