Updates on two remaining free agents, plus notes on Ole Miss portal following latest transfer portal addition

Landing former UTSA star wide receiver Zakhari Franklin during the weekend gave Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss a fifth transfer portal acquisition in the last two weeks.

Following four transfer additions on defense — two in the front seven and two in the secondary — the Rebels took care of a big priority on the offensive side of the ball by securing a commitment from another starting-caliber wide receiver.

Doing so had become a priority for Ole Miss after a different transfer wide receiver, Auburn-bound Shane Hooks, decommitted from the Rebels in late April, which was then followed by Ole Miss dismissing Texas A&M wide receiver transfer Chris Marshall.

The Rebels were a top contender for former Michigan State standout wide receiver Keon Coleman before losing out to Florida State but were able to then get another of the top spring transfers at receiver in Franklin, a two-time first-team All-Conference USA selection who tied for second nationally last year with 15 touchdown catches.

Here are notes on Ole Miss following this latest transfer addition, plus updates on a couple remaining free agents:

Ole Miss portal class

Aside from USC with 10, only one other Power Five team has added more than six players rated as four-star transfers within On3’s transfer portal rankings.

It’s Ole Miss.

Franklin became the eighth four-star transfer pickup for Kiffin and the Rebels, including the third on offense to go along with Louisiana Tech wide receiver transfer Tre Harris and Memphis tight end transfer Caden Prieskorn.

Ole Miss expects Harris and Franklin to be a big part of helping the Rebels last year’s two leading receivers, Carolina Panthers second-round NFL draft pick Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath, who signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.

Prieskorn, meanwhile, will pair with former USC transfer Michael Trigg to give Ole Miss potentially one of the top tight end units in the SEC.

While the Harris and Prieskorn additions in January didn’t get as much national attention as some of the Rebels’ other portal pickups, those two are actually now two of Ole Miss’ top prospects for the 2024 NFL draft based on some recent feedback shared with On3 by NFL scouting sources.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Prieskorn, who was a second-team All-AAC selection at Memphis last season, is seen by at least some NFL scouts as a top three round prospect. Harris, who posted 65 catches for 935 yards and 10 TDs at Louisiana Tech last year, is viewed as an early-to-mid Day 3 type of prospect (in the fourth-to-fifth round range).

Franklin is on the NFL radar as well, although he seems to be regarded as more of a late-round or fringe draftable type player at this point based at least partially on questions about his top-end speed to go along with being of just average size (6-foot 6/8, 185 pounds).

UMass cornerback transfer Josh Wallace

Former UMass cornerback Josh Wallace visited Virginia Tech this past weekend, which followed visits to Oklahoma and Michigan.

In addition to Wallace being from the DMV as a Maryland native, his high school coach, Elijah Brooks, was hired earlier this year by Virginia Tech as the Hokies’ new running backs coach.

Wallace, one of the top recent portal entrants, was a four-year starter at UMass and a three-year captain.

Penn State, Iowa and Michigan State are among his other offers.

FIU linebacker transfer Shaun Peterson

Tom Herman is working to add another Power Five caliber player to his roster at FAU after already landing other transfers like ex-Texas and Nebraska QB Casey Thompson, former Alabama tight end Elijah Brown and ex-Auburn four-star linebacker Desmond Tisdol.

FAU hosted FIU linebacker Shaun Peterson on a visit this past weekend, which was the first visit for Peterson since the preseason All-Conference USA selection’s recent entry into the transfer portal.

Peterson, who has intriguing pass rushing ability according to multiple Power Five personnel officials, led FIU with six sacks last year after moving to defense from running back.