Nation’s No. 1 JUCO WR Deion Smith commits to the Rebels: ‘Ole Miss always felt like home to me and my family’
OXFORD, Miss. — The transfer portal is officially is back open as of Monday, December 4, and Ole Miss has come out of the gate with a full head of steam as head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels picked up a commitment from the nation’s No. 1 JUCO wide receiver, Deion Smith.
Done Deal🔵🦅 @Lane_Kiffin @_kbolden @DerrickDnix @shayhodge3 @MeshAcademy pic.twitter.com/0mO5cV1yLm
— DeionSmith🃏 (@deion1_) December 4, 2023
Smith spoke with The Rebel Walk earlier today and explained why he chose Ole Miss.
“I mean, Ole Miss always felt like home to me and my family. It always felt the same.”
Deion Smith
Smith is another elite homegrown talent, a Jackson (Miss.) Academy product, who comes to Ole Miss most recently from Holmes Community College where he attended after spending his freshman year at LSU.
At Holmes this past season, Smith recorded 1,063 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over eight games.
# 1 JUCO WR @deion1_ With Grab @holmesathletics #JUCOPRODUCT pic.twitter.com/Hqhxlk9mfW
— JUCO Football Frenzy (@JUCOFFrenzy) October 26, 2023
He was scheduled to take other official visits, but Smith has respectfully declined to take those now given his commitment to the Rebels.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver was on campus for a visit this past weekend and on hand in the SJB Pavilion Saturday when the Ole Miss men’s basketball team defeated Memphis in a thriller.
How bout @OleMissMBB getting the win🔥🔥 #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/LGQ6wOcAbh
— Jordan Watkins (@jordantwatkins) December 2, 2023
In the 2021 recruiting class, Coach Kiffin coveted the talented Smith who ultimately opted for the Tigers and Baton Rouge.
Smith was trained by former Ole Miss receiving greats Mike Espy and Shay Hodge who have their own program, MESH Academy, to mentor and train athletes in the state.
We asked Hodge his thoughts on Smith.
“He’s a competitor! A kid who thinks he’s the best and he’s going to prove he’s the best.”
Ole Miss WR legend Shay Hodge on Deion Smith
8 catches 154 yards 3 touchdowns
vs. Southwest CC https://t.co/HIZUUfNrBX@deion1_
— Shay Hodge™ (@shayhodge3) November 4, 2023
Smith is set to enroll in January and will have two years of eligibility.
As a senior in 2020 at Jackson Academy, Smith caught 36 passes for 640 yards and 7 TDs. He also rushed for 189 yards two touchdowns and notched 159 kickoff return yards.
He was considered the state of Mississippi’s top recruit in 2021. At LSU during his freshman campaign, Smith tallied 11 pass receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns in six games played.
Hodge, one who knows better than anyone what constitutes talent at the wide receiver position, has high praise for Smith.
“He’s the prototypical receiver prospect that passes the eye test. He’s a generational talent type of kid. He will go down as one of the best to do it.”
Shay Hodge
Stay tuned to The Rebel Walk for all your Ole Miss sports news. Hotty Toddy!
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann is the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She is a veteran SEC sports journalist and NFL content writer. She is also the Sr. Editor for MESPORTS digital. Herring-Olvedo is a Brown University graduate who loves good cigars, good games, and a smooth glass of bourbon — not necessarily in that order.
