2026 Fall Camp Thread

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Secondary
It wasn’t touched on a ton at SEC Media Days, but during the spring, Coach Golding made it a point of emphasis that the secondary needed a complete retool. Last season, they were the 37th-best passing defense, allowing 198.9 yards per game. Don’t let this stat fool you; this was heavily influenced by a very good defensive line that made the secondary’s job a little bit easier.

The response to those struggles was to bring in five transfers, retooling the safeties, in particular, essentially overnight.

A Jump from Returners
Antonio Kite is perhaps the single most important returner in the Rebels’ secondary. He had his struggles, as most young players do, but there were many flashes as well. He has the potential to be the number one corner for Ole Miss this season, and he could develop into a lockdown corner and one of the best in the SEC.

Jaylon Braxton is the best corner currently in the Rebels’ secondary. The Arkansas transfer has dealt with some injuries, but he is apparently much healthier coming into the 2026 season. Quarterbacks simply didn’t throw to him when he was on the field, emphasizing how much of force he is. Kite and Braxton are more than likely the number one and two corners entering the season.

Transfers Bring Uniqueness
With four safeties transferring in, each of them brings a unique playstyle. First, there’s Georgia transfer Joenel Aguero. He is a strong safety in every sense of the word. He thrives in the box and will likely be a down safety in Golding’s defensive system. He brings SEC experience, as he has played multiple seasons for Kirby Smart and has seen the field a lot.

Then there’s Sharif Denson from Florida. He brings great coverage ability, but he hasn’t seen the field too much and needs some more experience. He is fast and twitchy, something that allows him to move into the nickel in certain situations. Next, there’s Edwin Joseph from Florida State, who is much like Aguero. He is a strong safety who will play in the box as well. Lastly, Tony Mitchell, a Mississippi State transfer, brings coverage ability that will give Golding another chess piece on the defense.

Perhaps the jewel of the secondary transfer class is former Auburn corner Jalyn Crawford. He is a corner who showcases the ability to lock down anyone he guards. The combination of Crawford, Kite, and Braxton could very easily be one of the best in the SEC. There is a lot to like about the potential of the secondary, but we have yet to see it in and actual game.

The Future
Ole Miss brought in six freshmen on national signing day. This group is highlighted by Dorian Barney. The four-star corner was a special interest during the Spring. Golding raved about Barney, and there is a real shot he sees the field in some capacity this season, especially with the five years to play five rule that was put in place, essentially eliminating the need for a redshirt.

There is also Nascar McCoy, who is a safety with potential. LD Clardy is a returning player for the Rebels who saw some action in the ylayoffs. Another year of development for “Squirrel,” as he is nicknamed, should allow him to make even more of an impact on the field this season.

Wrap Up
The secondary is still a relative unknown. It’s hard to predict a secondary before they even see the field but if I had to guess who is going to be where, it would be as follows:

CB1-Jaylon Braxton
CB2-Jalyn Crawford
CB3-Antonio Kite
FS-LD Clardy
SS-Edwin Joseph
Star Safety-Joenel Aguero

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OXFORD, Miss. — Every offseason brings turnover in college football, but few position groups at Ole Miss have undergone a transformation quite like the wide receivers.

The Rebels enter fall camp having lost three of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ most productive targets from a season ago. De’Zhaun Stribling and Harrison Wallace III have both moved on to the NFL, while leading receiver Cayden Lee transferred to Missouri. Combined, the trio accounted for a significant share of Ole Miss’ passing production during last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal run, leaving Pete Golding and his staff with the challenge of rebuilding one of the SEC’s most explosive position groups without sacrificing the offense’s identity.

Fortunately for the Rebels, that rebuilding process began months ago. Golding and the coaching staff aggressively attacked the transfer portal, adding experienced receivers from across the country while retaining several young playmakers already in the program. As Ole Miss opens fall camp on Aug. 6, the question isn’t whether there is talent in the room. It’s how quickly that talent can come together and develop the chemistry necessary to keep the passing game operating at a championship level.

Alexander Ready to Lead the Room
With Stribling, Wallace and Lee all gone, Deuce Alexander enters preseason camp as the unquestioned leader of the receiving corps. The veteran wideout returns as Ole Miss’ most experienced and productive receiver, giving Chambliss a familiar face as he begins preparing for another SEC schedule.

Alexander enters his redshirt junior season after emerging as one of Ole Miss’ most dependable targets in 2025. He finished the year with 44 receptions for 684 yards and seemed to develop an immediate connection with Trinidad Chambliss after the quarterback took over the starting job in Week 3. His biggest performance came in the Rebels’ College Football Playoff first-round victory over Tulane, where he hauled in a season-high seven catches.

His understanding of the offense and established relationship with the Rebels’ quarterback should make him one of the focal points of the passing attack from Day 1.

Chambliss was asked about his receivers at media day and what he believes he, himself, could do better this season.

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“Yeah, watching the tape and seeing my film from last year, I feel like I could have been a little bit better with my ball accuracy and deep ball accuracy, to be precise. My quarterback coach, Steve Calhoun, and I worked on that this offseason, and that’s been an emphasis of mine. You know, this offseason, to hit a receiver that we have, Deuce Alexander; he’s going to be a speedster. And I’ve got to make sure I connect with him down the field.”

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Trinidad Chambliss on Deuce Alexander and the wide receivers

Another returning player many inside the program are watching closely is Caleb Cunningham. The former five-star recruit showed flashes during his freshman season but battled injuries that limited his overall impact. Now entering his second year in the system, Cunningham has an opportunity to take a significant leap. Ole Miss has long believed in his ability, and this fall could be when that potential begins to translate into consistent production.


Returning receivers Izaiah Hartrup and Traylon Ray also provide additional depth. Ray appears to have made the move back to offense after spending last season working in the secondary, giving the Rebels another athletic option as they continue sorting out the rotation.

Portal Class Brings Experience and Competition
Replacing the production lost from last season wasn’t going to happen with freshmen alone, so Ole Miss turned to the transfer portal.

The Rebels welcomed Johntay Cook II (Syracuse), Darrell Gill Jr. (Syracuse), Horatio Fields (Auburn), Cameron Miller (Kentucky), and Isaiah Spencer (Virginia Tech), creating one of the deepest and most experienced receiver groups the Rebels have assembled in recent years. Each transfer brings a different skill set, but all arrive with college experience and an opportunity to compete immediately for meaningful snaps.

Cook may be the most recognizable name of the group. Once considered one of the nation’s elite recruits, he will be looking to match the lofty expectations that surrounded him coming out of high school. After stops at Texas and Syracuse, Cook arrives in Oxford with something to prove and what many believe is an NFL future within reach. Motivation shouldn’t be an issue as he looks to capitalize on what could be the most important season of his football career.

Fields, meanwhile, has quietly become one of the more intriguing newcomers on the roster. Throughout spring practice and summer workouts, his name has surfaced repeatedly as a player making steady progress and turning heads behind the scenes. Gill, Spencer and Miller have also added valuable experience and versatility to the room, though much of the competition for playing time will continue once camp opens.

Building Chemistry with Chambliss
Perhaps the most important development throughout the summer hasn’t happened during organized practices.

Chambliss has spent considerable time throwing with his new receivers, working to establish timing and trust before preseason camp even begins. That effort stood out when he spoke about the group during SEC Media Days, making it clear he likes both their talent and their willingness to learn.

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“We have a deep receiving corps. We have some transfers that are coming in that can make a big impact. I’m just so grateful for them. I mean, they make my life easier if I throw a bad ball. But yeah, they’re go-getters. They love to learn and I guess ask me, a lot of times, ‘How can I make your job as quarterback easier?’ I love that. They’re all willing to learn.”

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-Trinidad Chambliss on the WRs

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