Junior Terez Davis transferred to Ole Miss from Maryland ahead of the 2025 season. While he did not start for the Rebels last year, he has claimed the starting left tackle spot for 2026.
In 2024, Davis appeared in 10 games and started in two for Maryland, so he has experience starting against Power Four teams — experience that should help him this season.
“Playing (away games) at Oregon … Penn State, I learned (to) just block out the noise,” Davis said in a press conference on Wednesday. “Just trust your technique, your teammates next to you, and you’ll be good.”
The three-star transfer only appeared in four games last season with the Rebels. He spoke about his time as a reserve offensive lineman and his mentality throughout the season.
“It was tough. I came in with high hopes. I just tried to remain humble throughout everything,” Davis said. “I got hurt a little bit, but I trust God and knew my time would come, and I just put my head down and kept working.”
Davis still made the most out of the 2025 season. He encouraged his teammates and learned from former Rebel tackles Diego Pounds and Jayden Williams.
“Being behind guys like Diego (Pounds) and Jayden (Williams), just really listening and taking mentorship with them and working every day (was important),” Davis said. “My teammates push me every day. It’s been a big help in the weight room, film, just a little bit of everything.”
Pounds and Williams may not be on the roster anymore, but Davis said their careers in Oxford will have lasting impacts on the offensive line.
“The way they came into the building — they get to work. (They) stay in the facility late, watch film, everything,” Davis said. “(It’s) just a mentality. Sometimes you’re going to be hurt. Sometimes you feel like not going out there, but they taught me to just look past that and keep going.”
Although there will be new starters at both offensive tackle positions for the Rebels this season, the interior offensive line is made up of returning starters Delano Townsend, Brycen Sanders and Patrick Kutas. This familiarity provides comfort for Davis as a new starter.
“They’ve been down on the road versus Oklahoma (and) in the playoffs, so stuff I might struggle with, they know and can teach me,” Davis said.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound offensive lineman will have to replace Pounds, who signed with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. Last season, Pounds was instrumental in a unit that only allowed 19 sacks, which tied Texas A&M for the fewest in the SEC. Davis has the size and skill to keep that trend going in 2026.
But being an offensive lineman takes more than just brute force. Davis outlined the mental sharpness needed to succeed at his position, especially in such a fast-paced offense.
“You have to know the play, where we’re going, if we’re going backside, front side, if you have a cutoff drive,” Davis said. “(You have to know) different techniques, stuff like that. It’s very important just to know where to go just to be able to play fast in this offense.”
“My athletic ability (is my best attribute). My dad played in the NBA for a long time, so I feel like there’s some stuff you can’t teach. It’s just my genetics,” Davis said. “That (and) my power are probably my two best attributes.”
His father, Ricky Davis, played in the NBA for 12 years. Growing up, Terez played basketball but made the switch to football in high school.
“I’ve (played) basketball my whole life (until) my junior year, (and) I played tight end,” Davis said. “My senior year, I played offensive line, so it’s my third year playing offensive line, fourth year of football.”
While Davis has not been an offensive lineman for most of his life, he had the confidence to make the jump to the SEC.
“I knew I could do it. Since I was a kid, I had the athletic ability to do it,” Davis said. “It was just transitioning, really learning techniques … Talent can bring you so far.”
