Ole Miss Safety Sharif Denson Embraces New Role, Opportunity in Golding’s Defense

OXFORD, Miss. — Senior safety Sharif Denson met with the media recently after practice as Ole Miss goes into the final few days of spring football camp. 

Denson, entering his first season with the Rebels after transferring in from Florida, talked what drew him to Oxford.

“I would say my visit when I came,” Denson explained about when he knew Ole Miss was the right fit.

Sharif Denson on choosing Ole Miss

Denson added that Ole Miss is just coming off a great season. “They were just competing in the College Football Playoff, and they’ve been consistent, so it’s hard to pass up,” he noted.

After entering the transfer portal, Denson’s opportunity to come play in Oxford came quickly.

“The first day,” Denson said. “Like they hit up my agent as soon as I got in the portal, and they weren’t my first option, but they were like really getting at my agent, and he said you have to go here and give them a visit. I ended up really liking it and everything.”

Denson added that his visit was after the Rebels’ Fiesta Bowl game against Miami — a game in which he was pulling for Ole Miss.

“It was hard because we played them, but I was kind of rooting for them to win,” Denson said. “It was cool to see the [defensive backs] play,” he added.

Sharif Denson on watching Ole Miss in playoffs

“In the portal, you have to weigh like what’s the things in a school for you to go there,” Denson said. “For every person, it is different, but you have to see if they fit the criteria of things you need from a school. If they fit that, I guess that’s the place you need to go. More detail as far as coverage and just switching up a little bit of things. I feel like here they go into a little more detail and make a couple more adjustments.”

The Jacksonville, Florida, native played three seasons for the Gators, in which he participated in 36 games with 64 solo tackles, 33 assists, and 97 total tackles.

During his time at Florida, Denson was mostly at the star position,  where “we had a weak safety and a star,” he said.

“At Florida, I was mostly a star because we had a weak safety and a star. I was always at the point of attack,” Denson commented. “But here it’s a Lion and a Ram, which is like the star and the weak safety mixed in between each other. So I can show more versatility, and I like that. I wanted to do that.

“Just more detail in coverage and switching things up a little bit. We might have been a little static at Florida. But here, they go into a little bit more detail and make a couple more adjustments.”

Ole Miss brought in five transfer defensive backs, including Denson. The others are Joenel Aguero (Georgia), Jay Crawford (Auburn), Edwin Joseph (Florida State) and Tony Mitchell (Mississippi State). Currently during spring, Arguero has been starting at free safety, with Crawford making a strong push at corner. Mitchell has been moved, for now, to linebacker, and Joseph is in mix at safety.

Denson faced the Rebels over the last two seasons while with the Gators and says he saw how Pete Golding’s defense was getting after the offense.

“The front seven was definitely getting after the quarterback all the time,” Denson said. “Like it was pressure in the pocket or even like free guys in the run. I definitely wanted to get in there and do my own thing.”

Last season, Denson played against Ole Miss quaterback Trinidad Chambliss and had to try and defend him.

Sharif Denson on Trinidad Chambliss

Denson talked about going up against Chambliss and the Rebels’ bevy of talented wide receivers.

“Every day in team we’re competing. Deuce (Alexander), Johntay [Cook], Horatio [Fields], everybody competes every day. If you don’t come out on your A-game, they’re going to make you look bad and vice versa. We can put hands on them. It’s just good-on-good. Iron sharpens iron,” Denson explained.

Denson and the Rebels open the 2026 season in Nashville against Louisville on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.