Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding works with linebacker Christian Harris (8) as Henry To’oTo’o (10) listens at left during the NCAA college football team’s practice in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Aug. 12, 2021. Photo courtesy: Vasha Hunt/AP Photo, File.

This football portal cycle has been historic for the Rebels with overall roster improvement in a short time. Fans are calling Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding “Portal Pete” for hauling in the best defensive transfer class in the country.

Even though most of the additions to the team have been on the defensive side of the ball, there also have been key additions to the offense. Head Coach Lane Kiffin has found a way to retain a high percentage of last year’s production as well as add important pieces that will fill holes on this team.

Portal Gains:

Dae’Quan Wright, TE (Virginia Tech)

Wright is a sophomore who pairs nicely with Caden Prieskorn to create one of the best TE tandems in the country. He is coming off a season in which he had 28 catches for 366 yards. Wright is a young tight end and should fit in nicely with this offense as an athletic freak.

Diego Pounds, OT (North Carolina)

Pounds was a three-star prospect coming out of high school. After his sophomore campaign, in which he started eight games, he entered the transfer portal and chose Ole Miss. It cannot be understated how huge Pounds is, even for an offensive lineman. This is a massive addition to the Rebels’ O-line, which was undersized last season.

Trey Amos, DB (Alabama)

Amos is a senior transfer and part of the mass exodus from the Crimson Tide after Coach Nick Saban’s retirement. He played in all 14 games last season for the Tide, totaling 12 tackles, and he was a monumental part of a defense that shut down the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game. He is a classic hard-hitting corner who strictly plays the ball, even causing fumbles. He should be a big part of the gritty new secondary.

Amorion Walker, DB (Michigan)

Walker is a sophomore transfer whom the Wolverines will miss dearly. He is coming off a national championship game and played in six games totaling three tackles. While he did not blow up the stat sheet, he is a very young player who has all of the things you look for in an excellent corner.

Yam Banks, S (South Alabama)

Banks is a junior transfer who played in 13 games, totaling 46 tackles, one sack and one interception –– he is a real “do it all” type of player. Banks is an absolute athletic beast at safety, and he should be able to make a great impact in this secondary.

Brandon Turnage, DB (Tennessee)

Turnage is a senior transfer who has the skill set to make up for both of the former portal commits who flipped to Louisville. He played in 13 games, totaling nine tackles. He is coming off an okay junior season after having an outstanding sophomore season, but if he plays to the level everyone knows he is capable of, he could be one of the best DBs in the nation.

Princely Umanmielen, EDGE (Florida)

Umanmielen (OO-man-me-ellen) is a senior transfer who played in 12 games, totaling 39 tackles and having seven sacks. This addition fits in nicely with the rest of the defensive transfers, and it adds to the argument that Ole Miss will have the best D-line in the country next season.

Devin Price, WR (Florida Atlantic)

Price is a junior transfer from Kiffin’s old team. He played in 12 games, having seven receptions for 120 yards and a single touchdown. Price has a chance to fill the hole that Dayton Wade leaves as he goes to the NFL.

Key Lawrence, S (Oklahoma)

Lawrence is a senior transfer from soon to be SEC Sooners. He played in 12 games, totaling 44 tackles and two interceptions. Lawrence should make an impact right away.

Antwane Wells, WR (South Carolina)

Wells is a senior transfer who went out with injury last season. He had three receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. Wells is a consistent WR who doesn’t rely on spectacular plays. He has the chance to be one of the more consistent players on the team, if he can stay healthy.

Chris Paul Jr., LB (Arkansas)

Paul is a sophomore transfer who played in 11 games, totaling 74 tackles and two interceptions. Paul was one of the best players in the transfer portal. He will make an impact on Day One and should be the leader of this defense.

Walter Nolen, DL (Texas A&M)

Nolen is a true sophomore who entered the transfer portal with almost every school in the Power Five hitting up his phone. He played in 12 games, totaling 37 tackles and four sacks. Nolan was probably the best overall player in the portal and is a huge get for Ole Miss. He should be the best defensive lineman on the team this time next year.

Louis Moore, S (Indiana)

Moore is a senior who played in 12 games, totaling 82 tackles and three interceptions, one of them being a pick-six. Moore is an incredible safety who should be a starter.

Gerquon Scott, IOL (Southern Mississippi)

Scott, a graduate transfer, is 6-feet-4, 300 pounds. He is another big offensive lineman who will up the size on the O-line.

Logan Diggs, RB (LSU)

Diggs is a junior who played in 10 games, getting hurt towards the end of the season. He rushed for 653 yards and seven touchdowns in his only season at LSU.

Portal losses:

Ole Miss lost a few players, most of them being depth pieces, but one of them was pretty significant.

Kyrin Heath, TE (Southern Miss.)
Demarko Williams, S (undecided)
Isheem Young, S (North Texas)
Caden Costa, K (Memphis)
Rayf Vinson, WR (Samford)
Reginald Hughes, LB (undecided)
Cedric Melton, OT (Houston)
JJ Henry, WR (undecided)
Bralon Brown, WR (Marshall)
Jeremiah Dillon, WR (Vanderbilt)
Larry Simmons, WR (Southern Miss.)
Cedric Nicely, OT (Marshall)
Michael Trigg, TE (Baylor)
Jam Griffin, RB (Oregon State)
Ladarius Tennison, S (UCF)

Quinshon Judkins, RB (Ohio State)

Judkins is coming off another 1,000-yard campaign with two touchdowns. Questions have been posed as to why he left, and this has gotten him a lot of hate from Ole Miss fans. Ulysses Bentley IV, who out-played Judkins in every statistical category last season, is the clear successor at the running back position.