Ole Miss Fall Camp 2023: A look at the new faces on the Rebels’ squad

OXFORD, Miss. — The long-awaited college football season is finally upon us as your Ole Miss Rebels took the field yesterday for the first day of fall camp. We’ve heard so much about QB battles and the national star that is Quinshon Judkins, but what about the new faces fans are not familiar with yet?

New Faces on Offense 

The wide receiver room took some blows late last year with guys battling some injuries and, of course, Ole Miss has also lost key receivers Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath to the NFL. But head coach Lane Kiffin and company have addressed that issue this year, adding tremendous talent to that room. 

We heard a lot about Louisiana Tech transfer Tre Harris in the spring and he is now on the field for the first time at full speed.  Highly sought after transfer wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has received high praise. The UTSA transfer was not a participant in drills yesterday due to injury; however, he is expected to be a top receiver in the SEC by the fall.

Keep an eye out also for wide receiver Jalen Knox. The Missouri transfer didn’t receive any playing time last season, but he could find his way on the field quickly after having a huge spring.

You would be hard-pressed to find a true freshman who looks better than receiver Ayden Williams. The coveted four-star prospect arrived in Oxford, taking the practice field yesterday and turning heads. It may just be day one, but Williams received some high praise from his quarterbacks and from Coach Kiffin.

Returning starter Jaxson Dart gave us his first impression of the freshman newcomer:

“The first time I saw him workout I texted Coach Weis saying, ‘I know he’s gonna be something special’. I am super excited for him, I think he will be a guy to make an impact for us right out the gate.”

Jaxson Dart on Ayden Williams

Memphis transfer Caden Prieskorn looks to be the traditional tight-end fans have been hoping to see, big and strong with great hands. 

Texas native and four-star recruit Kedrick Reescano also arrived in Oxford late this summer. The true freshman running back will likely find himself in the RB3 role very quickly behind Quinshon Judkins and Ulysses Bentley IV. 

Judkins spoke with us yesterday about his excitement for the running back room and how he hopes to mentor the new guys. 

“Not even just him (Kedrick Reescano), we have a lot of new people in the room. Just inspiring them, showing them the right things to do and when they don’t know what is going on just showing them the right way to go.”

Quinshon Judkins

As far as the big-boys in front of him, we already saw transfer Cedric Nicely and Victor Curne performing well in the spring on the Rebels’ offensive line. Brycen Sanders was an early freshman enrollee in the spring, and he’s someone who could find himself in the rotation soon. Other true freshmen Ethan Fields and Preston Cushman are also new faces in the room who could contribute.

New Look for the Landshark Defense

There is no doubt that a majority of the portal work for the Rebs was done on the defensive side of the football. There are upwards of 16 new Ole Miss defensive players who arrive via transfer.

One star-studded player who arrives as a true freshman, however, is Suntarine Perkins — one of the most highly-touted prospects in Ole Miss history. The five-star linebacker from Raleigh, Miss. made his way to campus this summer, officially inserting himself in the new-look Pete Golding defense.

Louisville transfer linebacker Monty Montgomery spoke with us Wednesday on how he is trying to help Perkins and the younger players. 

“You gotta always give back; that’s a necessity. I was raised on that type of moral. Just got to show them the ropes. I would want someone to show me the ropes if I was in that position. It’s very nice to be in this role and give back.”

Monty Montgomery

Other true freshmen to keep an eye out on include safeties AJ Brown and Daniel Demery, and defensive linemen Chamberlain Campbell and Jamarious Brown.

Transfers Montgomery, linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (UCF), cornerback John Saunders Jr., (Miami, OH) and cornerback Zamari Walton (Georgia Tech) all made their first appearances in the spring. Expect to see those players continue to learn and make an impact this season. Defensive tackle Joshua Harris (North Carolina State) is also going to compete for playing time. 

As far as the guys we had not seen this spring, transfers defensive linemen Isaac Ukwu (James Madison), Akelo Stone (Georgia Tech) and Stephon Wynn Jr. (Nebraska) all made their first appearances as Rebels this week. Transfer defensive backs Deshawn Gaddie Jr. (North Texas) and Daijahn Anthony (Liberty) also made it to campus over the summer. 

Transfer cornerback Chris Graves (Miami) and former Clemson linebacker TJ Dudley have yet to arrive in Oxford, and will need waivers to be immediately eligible. Safeties Jadon Canady (Tulane) and Teja Young (FAU transfer) were both in attendance at yesterday’s practice, although dressed in ‘no-contact’ jerseys.

There is definitely lot to be excited about on the defensive side of things in Oxford!

Up Next 

The Rebs will continue fall camp throughout the rest of August leading up to kickoff. Ole Miss will host Mercer in the Vaught for game one of the 2023 season on September 2nd at 1 pm.

Stay tuned to The Rebel Walk for more fall camp coverage and all your Ole Miss sports updates!