OXFORD, Miss. — Reports indicate Ole Miss is losing one of the most productive defenders of the past two seasons. Linebacker TJ Dottery has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, bringing an impactful chapter of his career in Oxford to a close.
Ole Miss LB TJ Dottery has entered the transfer portal, @On3 has learned.
The former Clemson transfer posted 174 tackles, 10 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles the last two seasons with the Rebels.https://t.co/d1fhYwruUJ pic.twitter.com/XIcRefFW9A
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) January 15, 2026
Over the last two years, Dottery developed into arguably the heartbeat of the Rebels’ defense — a consistent presence whose production matched his leadership.
A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Dottery put together a standout 2025 campaign, leading Ole Miss in both total tackles (98) and solo stops (48). He also made his mark beyond the box score, forcing two fumbles, breaking up two passes, and recording 1.5 sacks as one of the defense’s most reliable playmakers.
That performance followed another strong season in 2024, when Dottery finished with 76 tackles, including 42 solo, while adding two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup. Across two seasons in Oxford, he totaled 174 tackles — 90 of them solo — cementing himself as one of the most productive linebackers statistically Ole Miss has fielded in recent years.
He began his college career at Clemson, appearing in four games during his lone season with the Tigers while redshirting. He transferred to Ole Miss in 2023, but NCAA rules forced him to sit out the regular season. His patience paid off late, however, when he made his Ole Miss debut in the Peach Bowl against Penn State, finishing that game with two tackles — one solo — and a quarterback hurry.
Before arriving at the college level, he was regarded as one of the nation’s top prospects, ranked inside the top 300 of the 2023 recruiting class. According to the Rivals Industry Rankings, Dottery checked in as the No. 293 overall player and the No. 32 linebacker nationally.
