Ole Miss’ John Rhys Plumlee enters NCAA transfer portal, UCF among possible landing spots

Ole Miss wide receiver John Rhys Plumlee has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

The Ole Miss Spirit, on Saturday, first-reported the soon-to-come departure of Plumlee, as well as running back Jerrion Ealy. Ealy is forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft — a move he confirmed on Sunday.

Plumlee, a former On3 consensus four-star from Hattiesburg, was an All-American at quarterback as a true freshman in 2019. He holds the Ole Miss freshman rushing record for yards (1,023) and total touchdowns (16).

“Dear Ole Miss, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Plumlee wrote, in a lengthy goodbye post released on his personal Twitter and Instagram accounts. “It is hard to put into words how grateful I truly am. For as long as I can remember, all I have ever wanted to do was play football and baseball at the highest level. I am thankful that Ole Miss took a chance on a kid from Oak Grove and gave me the opportunity to do so. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not into your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6. 

“This Bible verse reminds me daily that my life is not about me, rather about Him. I have learned on this truth throughout my football and baseball career at Ole Miss and tried to live a life that is pleasing to God. I have been so blessed to serve Him in Oxford, and I know He is faithful.”

Possible transfer destinations include UCF and Indiana.

Both schools are recruiting him as a quarterback. He would also be allowed to play baseball, as he did for two seasons at Ole Miss. UCF is the favorite.

After serving as a Matt Corral’s backup as a sophomore, Plumlee transitioned to receiver, where, in a 26-20 win over Indiana in the Outback Bowl, he caught a career-best five passes for 73 yards for a depleted Ole Miss wide receivers corps.

Plumlee was used exclusively as a receiver in his final Ole Miss campaign. The Rebels recently wrapped a 10-3 season with a 21-7 loss to Baylor in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. Plumlee didn’t record any stats in the game. In all, he had 19 receptions for 201 yards in a reserve role. He also rushed for 72 yards on nine carries.

“To Ole Miss football, thank you for giving me the opportunity to do one of the things that I love to do,” Plumlee continued. “From my first snap at the Vaught, to throwing and running touchdowns in high-emotion games, to every Walk of Champions through a packed Grove, to playing on the road in hostile environments, to my last snap at the Vaught, I have loved and will always treasure every second of it. Thank you to my teammates that I have gone to battle with weekend after weekend. Thank you to the coaches that recruited me and gave me a shot. Thank you to the current coaches for all of at the positive ways you invested in me and for helping me become the player I am today.

“To Ole Miss baseball, thank you for letting me pursue the dream I have had since my earliest memory. I will forever treasure and appreciate the amazing team experiences and memories playing baseball at Ole Miss. I would like to say a specific thank you to coach Mike Bianco, coach Carl Lafferty, coach Chris Cleary and coach Mike Clement. I am grateful to each of you for pushing me to become a better player and man.”

Plumlee is the fourth wideout to leave the program, whether by transfer, the NFL Draft or exhausted eligibility. 

Dontario Drummond, as widely expected, announced following the Sugar Bowl he was going pro. Braylon Sanders and Jahcour Pearson are gone, too. Drummond, Sanders and Pearson were the Rebels’ Top 3 receiving options.

Ole Miss has prioritized the position in the NCAA transfer portal. The Rebels picked up a commitment from Louisville’s Jordan Watkins before Christmas. He visited in December.

Among the other targets are LSU’s Deion Smith and Trey Palmer, Vanderbilt’s Cam Johnson and Wyoming’s Isaiah Neyor. Smith visited Ole Miss in December. While the Rebels are the favorite to land him, he has academic hurdles to clear, and a return to LSU is a possibility. 

Johnson, as previously reported by the Spirit, is scheduled to visit Jan. 21. 

Ole Miss had interest in Akron’s Konata Mumpfiel and UTEP’s Jacob Cowing. Mumpfield, however, committed to Pittsburgh. Ole Miss didn’t make the cut for Cowing. His finalists are Oregon, Arizona, Florida, LSU and South Carolina.

Plumlee was eighth in the country with 113.7 rushing yards per game as a freshman. He was the sixth Rebel to surpass the 1,000-yard plateau. 

“To the Ole Miss community, thank you to the Ole Miss fans and community who took me in and welcomed me with open arms,” Plumlee closed. “I love the people in Oxford and I love my teammates. I feel so blessed for the time the Lord allowed me in Oxford and the amazing people that have poured into me, allowing me to grow and develop. Every conversation, smile, handshake and hug has meant more to me than you will ever know. Thank you, Ole Miss community, for the love and encouragement you have shown to me and my family. 

“My heart is full, and although change is hard, I know change allows each of us to grow and gives us a great opportunity to trust Him. God is now calling me to serve Him in a different area. I am unsure where I will be yet, but I am entering the transfer portal. My prayer is that He will continue to guide and bless my path. I ask for your continued prayers and support as my eyes are on the Lord. I have bathed this decision in prayer. My prayer is also for the continued success of Ole Miss and God’s richest blessings over Oxford. Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart. 

“Hotty Toddy!”