BOOM! Georgia transfer safety Joenel Aguero commits to Pete Golding and the Rebels
by Evelyn Van Pelt | Jan 10, 2026 | Football |
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss has added another major piece to its defensive rebuild, landing former Georgia safety Joenel Aguero out of the NCAA transfer portal. Aguero announced his commitment to the Rebels on Jan. 10, choosing Ole Miss over a loaded list of finalists that included Tennessee, Alabama, Miami, and Missouri.
Aguero arrives in Oxford with both pedigree and production. The 6-foot, 205-pound defensive back was a former five-star recruit in the 2023 class and spent three seasons in Athens with the Georgia Bulldogs, carving out a role as a versatile safety/star defender in one of college football’s deepest secondaries.
During his time at Georgia, Aguero appeared in 35 games and made 17 starts, showing steady growth in a defense loaded with NFL talent. Across his career, he totaled 80 tackles — 45 of them solo — while adding seven pass breakups and an interception. In the 2024 season alone, Aguero played in 11 games and finished with 26 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a quarterback hurry.
His 2025 campaign was briefly interrupted by a wrist injury that sidelined him for the final two games of the season, opening the door for a younger player to step into the lineup. With just one year of eligibility remaining, Aguero entered the portal seeking a fresh opportunity — and found it in Oxford.
For Pete Golding and the Rebels, Aguero represents exactly the type of addition Ole Miss has prioritized in the portal: proven SEC experience, positional versatility, and a player who has already competed at the highest level of the sport. His ability to play both safety and star gives the Rebels flexibility in the secondary and adds immediate depth to a defense that has been aggressive in reloading this offseason.
Aguero now joins a growing list of defensive transfers committed to Ole Miss as the Rebels continue to reshape the roster following a deep postseason run. With his experience, physicality, and recruiting pedigree, Aguero is expected to compete for a significant role right away — and could quickly become a key piece in Golding’s defensive plans for 2026.
Stay locked in to Ole Miss Rebels and The Rebel Walk for continued portal coverage and roster updates as Ole Miss keeps stacking talent in Oxford.
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Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
