Since the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2, several current Rebels have announced their intent to return to the program in 2026.
Excluding running Kewan Lacy, who has already agreed to a contract with Ole Miss for next season per On3’s Pete Nakos, and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who reportedly plans to return in 2026 pending approval of his waiver for an extra year of eligibility, several players have chosen to return to Ole Miss next season: linebacker Suntarine Perkins; wide receiver Deuce Alexander; edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen; defensive linemen Will Echoles and Jamarious Brown; defensive backs Antonio Kite, Jaylon Braxton and Ladarian Clardy; offensive linemen Brycen Sanders and Devin Harper; tight ends Luke Hasz and Caleb Odom; and specialists Oscar Bird and Lucas Carneiro.
Perkins is perhaps the best returnee from this batch. The junior was named to the Freshman All-SEC team (coaches’ poll) in 2023; last season, his 10.5 sacks tied him for second-most sacks in a single season in program history and placed him at No. 10 in the country in 2024 sack totals.
This season, Perkins’ sack total has dipped to only three. The most memorable of these came on a fourth down in the Sugar Bowl and set up the offense deep in Bulldog territory, allowing the Rebels to take a 34-24 lead.
He remains a game-changer. He is second on the team in tackles (74) and has forced three fumbles. He has also been a factor in coverage — he has five passes defensed this season, and, late in the game against South Carolina, he broke up a deep pass on the sideline, showcasing speed and body control which are characteristic only of top-tier linebackers.
Alexander’s return is also significant, especially considering the imminent departures of Harrison Wallace III and De’Zhaun Stribling, who will both be out of eligibility after this season. Alexander has the third most receiving yards on the team behind these two with 677; the Wake Forest transfer has a big-play dimension to his game that is a staple of any Ole Miss offense.
Against Mississippi State, he scored an 88-yard touchdown, the longest by any Ole Miss player this season. He also makes highlight reel-worthy catches, as his diving and one-handed catches against Tulane demonstrated. He will be a major piece.
Echoles is coming off perhaps the best game of his career in the Sugar Bowl, when he recorded five total tackles — two of which were tackles for loss — won defensive most valuable player and batted two passes at the line of scrimmage. This season, he has 62 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and five passes defensed.
Umanmielen transferred to Ole Miss in 2025 after two seasons at Nebraska. The younger brother of former Rebel and current Carolina Panther Princely Umanmielen is in the midst of his best season. His eight sacks are the most on the team. He has also recorded 41 total tackles and intercepted a pass in the Egg Bowl.
Brown will be a redshirt junior in 2026. He has spent his entire career at Ole Miss. The former No. 2 recruit from the state of Mississippi will hope for a breakout season next year; this season, he has totaled 20 tackles and one sack.
Kite is a bit of a journeyman. He joined the Rebels this offseason after playing for Auburn in 2024 and Alabama in 2023, where he was primarily used on special teams. This season, he has seen significant time in the secondary and recorded five passes defensed along with 30 total tackles.
Braxton also joined the Rebels this offseason from another SEC team. As a true freshman at Arkansas in 2023, he had a team-high eight passes defensed and won Freshman All-SEC honors (coaches’ poll). He was injured for most of the 2024 season. This year, he has 21 total tackles and one interception.
Braxton and Kite’s mixture of experience and proven talent, combined with the addition of former Auburn cornerback Jay Crawford, may be enough to elevate this secondary into one of the best units in the country.
Clardy, a safety, is an under-the-radar returnee. The true freshman saw limited time this year behind veterans Sage Ryan, Wydett Williams Jr. and Kapena Gushiken, but he is undoubtedly talented — he was a four-star prospect in high school — and could take a big step forward in an expanded role next year. In 2025, he has six total tackles.
Sanders, currently a redshirt sophomore, has his entire collegiate career with Ole Miss so far. Last season, he appeared in thirteen games, mostly on special teams. 2025 is his first season as a starter. The center should provide some familiarity in the offensive line heading into next season.
Harper is a 6-foot-4-inch, 315 pound freshman. He was a four-star out of high school.
Hasz’s biggest play of the season came on his touchdown reception in the Sugar Bowl. The junior was a significant portal acquisition last offseason from Arkansas before an ankle injury set him back for most of the season.
Another returning tight end is Odom who transferred in this offseason from Alabama. The sophomore has 18 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdown receptions. He will likely take a bigger role for the Rebels next season.
Bird, the punter, has been solid all season. The true freshman from Sydney, Au. has punted 38 times this season, averaging 46 yards per attempt with a career long of 64 yards. He has placed 14 punts within the opposing team’s 20 yard line.
If not for Perkins, Carneiro would probably be the most highly-touted returnee on this list. The placekicker caught the nation’s attention with his lights-out kicking in the Sugar Bowl; of his three kicks, the first two were the longest kicks in Sugar Bowl history, and the third was the game-winner.
Even before this game, though, the Western Kentucky transfer had garnered the attention of some of the top programs in the country. He is 55-of-55 on extra points and 27-of-30 on field goal attempts. His career long is 56 yards, and he has not missed inside 30 yards.
In a postgame press conference after the Sugar Bowl, head coach Pete Golding spoke about what an important piece Carneiro is for this team — and how, as a head coach, he is doing all he can to fend off other teams and keep Carneiro in Oxford.
“I think a lot of people… think Lucas (Carneiro) is the best kicker in the country, so a lot of people want Lucas,” Golding said. “So I’ve been meeting with Lucas a lot. …We knew he was special.”
Golding’s efforts paid off, as the place kicker has announced that he will return to Ole Miss next season.
A major point of emphasis for Golding since he became head coach was roster retention. Which is why he hired several new coaches, like offensive coordinator John David Baker, last month.
“Number one, I was trying to get those guys (new coaches) that fit first in here as soon as possible for retention of our current players, so they know the coach is going to be around them,” Golding said in a press conference on Dec. 15.
Currently, only three players have entered the transfer portal: quarterback Austin Simmons, offensive lineman PJ Wilkins and running back Domonique Thomas.
This is only an early list of returnees. Once the season ends — or before the transfer portal closes on Jan. 16, if the Rebels advance to the National Championship — more players will announce their intentions to return, submit their names into the transfer portal or declare for the NFL Draft.
