Ole Miss finished the 2024 season at 10-3, No. 11 in the final AP Poll. The offseason took its toll; eight Rebels were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, the fifth-most of any school in the country, and only four starters return in 2025-26.
The most notable changes this season will come on offense, where the Rebels are talented but young.
Austin Simmons, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound sophomore who played in nine games last season as Jaxson Dart’s backup, is expected to be the starting quarterback. Both Simmons and the coaching staff believe he is ready to lead the team.
Running back was one of the weakest positions for the Rebels last season. Atop the depth chart this season is returning running back Logan Diggs, who played two seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to LSU, racking up 1,703 yards and 14 touchdowns over those three seasons.
The Rebels added running back Kewan Lacy, a Missouri transfer who recorded 23 carries for 104 yards in six games with the Tigers. He will complement Diggs and incoming freshman Shekai Mills-Knight, a 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound four-star recruit.
The wide receiver group was hit hardest by the offseason. Cayden Lee’s return is a bright spot in a group that lost Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins and Antwane Wells. Lee is an elite slot receiver who notched 57 receptions and 874 yards last season, with 39 catches in the final seven games after Harris’ injury.
Oklahoma State transfer De’Zhaun Stribling looks to be the team’s second wide receiver. Head Coach Lane Kiffin also brought in Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace III, the Nittany Lions’ second-leading receiver. Another big addition is Alabama transfer Caleb Odom. The former four-star recruit is the tallest receiver on the roster at 6-foot-5.
Other receivers picked up in the portal include Traylon Ray and Deuce Alexander.
The Rebels will rely on returning tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who proved to be a crucial piece against Arkansas last season when he caught nine passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
The Rebels will start the 2025 season with only one returning starter on the offensive line: tackle Diego Pounds.
The Rebels inked former Razorback Patrick Kutas, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
Along with Kutas, Ole Miss picked up PJ Wilkins from Charlotte, a 6-foot-7-inch, 340-pound sophomore.
Brycen Sanders is expected to start at center after spending two seasons in Oxford as a backup. Simmons took snaps from Sanders on the second team last season.
Overall, the Rebels have a strong receiving corps, which should ease Simmons’ transition into the starting role. Though the offensive line has been replenished, it remains untested.
The Rebels’ running back room is a question mark this year. An inability to run the ball cost Ole Miss in big games against LSU and Florida last season.
Coach Pete Golding’s defense last season was perhaps more talented even than the star-studded offense. Though nearly all of the starters departed for the NFL, transferred or graduated, Golding’s new defense might be even better than last year’s.
Middle linebacker TJ Dottery, whose 76 tackles last season was second best on the team, and outstanding weak side linebacker/edge rusher Suntarine Perkins return for another season in Oxford.
The linebacker corps should be a strength of the defense. Missouri State transfer Tahj Chambers looked sharp in fall camp and should heavily benefit the unit.
Ole Miss had arguably the best defensive line in the country last year. They combined for 52 sacks and 120 tackles for loss, which both led the nation. Fortunately, Perkins, who had 10.5 sacks last year, is returning.
The Rebels’ new defensive line will feature its share of veterans. Interior lineman Zxavian Harris sat behind Pegues and Jared Ivey last season and is ready to slot into a starting role. The 6-foot-7 tackle has played in 37 games with Ole Miss. In that time, he has compiled 65 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Defensive end Kam Franklin also sat behind older players last season. Franklin played in just seven games last year and had 2.5 sacks.
Tackle Will Echoles was a reserve defensive lineman last year and played in just eight games. The highly coveted 2024 recruit will have a larger role this year on the interior.
LSU transfer Da’Shawn Womack, a former five-star recruit, adds size and experience.
Last year’s secondary was perhaps the weakest part of the team’s defense. This season, Golding expects to have a starter in Arkansas transfer cornerback Jaylon Braxton. The redshirt sophomore started in eight games for the Razorbacks, netting 20 total tackles and one interception. He missed several games last season with an injury.
Junior cornerback Chris Graves appeared in all 13 games for the Rebels in 2024-25. He is expected to start opposite Braxton come August.
Safety Sage Ryan joins the secondary from LSU. He was an integral part of the Tiger defense over the last four years, gathering 103 career tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.
Kapena Gushiken, a Washington State transfer, should also see time at safety. Gushiken started 11 games for the Cougars and racked up the third most tackles (52) on the team last season.
In short, the Ole Miss defense has a strong core of returning linebackers supplemented by a fresh batch of talent, size and experience in the front seven. The Rebel pass rush has the potential to, once again, be one of the best in the conference. Though the secondary may struggle again this season, it is improving as a whole.
The Rebels will kick off the 2025 football season at home against Georgia State on Saturday, Aug. 30.
“We’re very excited about this schedule coming up,” Kiffin said at SEC Media Day. “We play nine games in Mississippi, so that’s awesome for our fans. … It’s a very competitive schedule and we have a lot of work to do.”
The Rebels begin SEC play in week two against Kentucky and face only one FCS team all year. With a difficult schedule and a new team, those harder opponents will score the Rebels lots of points with the playoff committee, should they make it that far in post-season consideration.
The Rebel faithful should remain patient and let the team develop while allowing Kiffin and his coaching staff to work their magic. It is possible that Ole Miss could see a National Championship team in the near future.
