Ole Miss Safety Kapena Gushiken Aims to Lead Young Secondary, Elevate NFL Draft Stock

OXFORD, Miss.— As the Ole Miss defense undergoes a major reload, former Washington State safety Kapena Gushiken is stepping in with both experience and intent as he aims to anchor the Rebel secondary and boost his NFL Draft stock in the process.

A look at Washington State transfer DB Kapena Gushiken in his first Ole Miss practice.https://t.co/2t5KrerskZ pic.twitter.com/fEh8iIp35n

— Billy Embody (@BillyEmbody) March 18, 2025

With multi-year starters Trey Washington and John Saunders Jr., preparing for the NFL Draft and no longer manning the secondary at safety for the Rebels, head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Pete Golding were in desperate need of a veteran presence in the defensive backfield.

Insert former Washington State starting safety Gushiken, a fierce defensive back who fits the criteria of what the Landshark defense is looking for. Gushiken started 15 of the 26 games he participated in for the Cougars, with one of those seasons being at the Power 5 level before the demise of the PAC-12 conference.

During an interview recently during spring camp, the newest Ole Miss safety explained his decision to come to Oxford. Gushiken had eyes on the future over everything else once he entered the portal, stating that he wanted to go somewhere to increase his draft stock.

“I think it was just the coaches; the defensive prestige. With the amount of success that they have had, I could see myself being a great fit. Just growing as a player on and off the field, increasing my draft stock, the list goes on and on.”

~ Gushiken on why Ole Miss

The Rebel safety also added that Coach Golding played a huge part in his decision to come to Oxford, as the defensive back explained he knew how good of a coach he is, one who plays to the strengths of his players and against the weaknesses of others.

While talking about his decision to choose Ole Miss in the portal, Gushiken explained that he wanted to get back to a higher level of competition after the Power 5 became the Power 4. The Rebel safety does not take his time at Washington State for granted, but knew it was time to move onto bigger things.

“I wasn’t bummed out about playing in the Mountain West (conference), but being the competitor that I am I wanted to play against the best competition possible. When they did announce the conference change, I was a little bummed out about it but it didn’t change the way I showed up everyday.”

~ Gushiken on the PAC-12 demise

The defensive back room at Ole Miss is perhaps the only position room on the team that is still in need of depth pieces. The Rebels lost six members of the secondary to eligibility, the draft and the transfer portal, leaving no current defensive backs on the roster with experience within the Golding system.

Despite that conversation around his position group, Gushiken believes the Ole Miss secondary is just getting started. It has been up to the senior transfer and other fresh faces such as LSU transfer Sage Ryan, sophomore Andy Jaffe and junior Nick Cull to step up to the challenge in Spring camp.

“We have a very hungry group. Everyone wants to come to work every day and get better. It’s a young group too, not a lot of veterans who had a lot of playing time last year. I think the hunger and the way that everybody attacks everyday, it’s going to be good once the season comes.”

~ Gushiken on the Ole Miss DB group

Attack each day 🦈 @kapslockbrah#ComeToTheSip | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/sDy0EsP40n

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) April 11, 2025

Where can you expect Gushiken to play on the field? Well, he is still trying to transition into that as well, learning a new version of the nickel safety spot that he knew so well at Washington State. The Rebel defensive back claimed that the transition into a new defense has been a process early in his tenure at Ole Miss.

“At Wazzou I was mainly nickel, and we would travel the nickel. So I would travel to the receiver strength, away from the tight end or away from the boundary. As far as here, we (the safeties) we kind of stay on our sides. It has been a big transition, trying the learn the boundary safety position.”

~ Gushiken on his position on the field

Maui boy Kapena Gushiken with the pick 6️⃣‼️
pic.twitter.com/q7BRoc1bnw

— Ku’ulei (@KuuleiAgbayani) October 7, 2023

Before arriving in Oxford at the beginning of the Spring semester, Gushiken had never been to the South before and did not know what to expect. Coming from the city of Pullman, the Washington State fans have a similar vibe to Rebel nation according to the former Cougar.

“It has been cool. A college town here in Oxford, similar to where I was at in Washington State. The town loves the college, loves the sports. The community is great, they have been treating me well so far, just good vibes.”

~ Gushiken on coming to the South 

Navigating the new era of college sports can be difficult for transfers; having to fit into a new place after a year or longer at a different school. Gushiken was asked if the feeling of being a transfer felt anything like being a freshman again, but with so many other new faces on the Ole Miss roster the transition has been smooth sailing.

“Being that there are so many new faces, it’s kind of like we are all in the same boat. It’s not like you are showing up to a place where everyone has been there, we are all in similar situations.”

~ Gushiken on being a newcomer at Ole Miss

Much like other members of the Rebels’ 2025 roster with games scheduled against Arkansas and LSU, Gushiken will have the opportunity to take on his former school this coming season. On Oct. 11, Washington State will travel to Oxford to take on Ole Miss with a familiar face for the Cougars now on the Landshark defense.

Going up against your former team is sometimes emotional, in good and bad ways. For Gushiken, the excitement is hard to contain. Although the new Rebel safety wished it were a homecoming game up in the Pacific Northwest, he is pumped up that the Cougars are coming down to play in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

“I don’t think it’s going to be weird, I think it’s going to be great. I wish we could go there, but it’s cool that they are coming out here.”

~ Gushiken on playing Wazzou in 2025

Up next

Gushiken and the rest of his Ole Miss teammates are beginning to wrap up Spring football for 2025 with just a few practices left on the camp schedule.

No shortcuts, just work. 😤#ComeToTheSip | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/Z35igNnHAk

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) April 9, 2025