Ole Miss starting OL Delano Townsend enters transfer portal

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss offensive lineman Delano Townsend is preparing for a new chapter. He is entering the NCAA transfer portal, bringing a brief but meaningful stop in Oxford to a close. The former UAB Blazers lineman arrived at Ole Miss last January, and while his time with the Rebels lasted just one season, it came during one of the most unforgettable years in program history.

At Ole Miss

Townsend became the first member of Ole Miss’ starting offensive line to enter the transfer portal after a season that saw him quickly carve out a role in the trenches. The former UAB lineman arrived in Oxford in December of 2024 and wasted little time making an impact, appearing in 14 games during his lone year with the Rebels.

Townsend’s moment came early. Inserted into the lineup during the Week 2 matchup against Kentucky, he seized the starting guard position and never looked back, stepping in for PJ Wilkins and solidifying his spot as the season unfolded. Townsend’s Pro Football Focus grade this season at Ole Miss was a 56.5 overall score with a pass blocking grade of 61.5 and a run blocking score of 53.7 in his 936 snaps played.

Prior to the Rebels

Before transferring to Oxford, Townsend spent two seasons at UAB, where he appeared in 12 games and made 11 starts along the offensive line. After redshirting in 2023, he entered the portal last offseason and joined a retooled Ole Miss roster navigating massive transition and even bigger expectations.

Townsend’s football journey began long before that. A three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, he was ranked No. 2,329 nationally and the No. 208 offensive lineman in the Rivals Industry Rankings. Originally from Flint, Michigan, Townsend developed through persistence rather than hype — a theme that carried through his college career.

What’s next for the Ole Miss OL?

Head coach Pete Golding and offensive line coach John Garrison have received a commitment from LSU Transfer Carius Curne and have high hopes to land a star lineman from Ohio State, Tegra Tshabola, an elite-level guard who started 29 games over the last two years for the Buckeyes. He’s 6-6, 320 and can play various spots on the line.

The Rebels will also need to replace Diego Pounds and Jayden Williams who are out of eligibility. The good news is center Brycen Sanders and right guard Patrick Kutas have announced their return to Oxford, along with Terez Davis who has also said he is coming back. Ethan Fields and Jude Foster, reserve linemen, have entered their names into the portal.

A season to remember

Townsend’s departure comes on the heels of a season that reshaped Ole Miss football.

The Rebels finished the regular season 11–1 — the most wins in a regular season in school history — and earned the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff berth. That run unfolded amid uncertainty, following an abrupt coaching change that elevated Pete Golding to head coach after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU Tigers.

Ole Miss didn’t flinch.

The Rebels opened the playoff with a dominant 41–10 home win over Tulane Green Wave, followed by a statement 39–34 victory over Georgia Bulldogs — the lone team to defeat Ole Miss during the regular season — before falling to Miami in the national semifinal.

Townsend now becomes the ninth Rebel from last season’s roster to enter the portal. And while departures are part of the modern landscape, Ole Miss has been anything but passive. The Rebels have already secured 12 transfer commitments and currently hold the No. 4-ranked portal class nationally — the highest-ranked class in the SEC — according to On3’s 2026 Team Transfer Portal Rankings.

The Rebels keep moving forward. And Delano Townsend moves on with a season few will ever forget behind him.