TJ Dottery or Princewill Umanmielen could possibly end up coming back to Oxford, but the Rebels aren’t waiting around to find out.
🦈
— Pete Golding (@CoachGolding) January 16, 2026
Ole Miss has signed Oregon edge Blake Purchase to join coach Pete Golding’s 2026 transfer portal class. On3’s Zach Berry reports that he has already signed.
Purchase was a second-stringer with Oregon, playing behind Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagelelei. He recorded 13 tackles, two sacks and an interception. He’ll at least add some depth to the edge position for Ole Miss. And who knows? If he’s given more playing time, he could show he’s a great player.
Does this mean Dottery or Umanmielen can’t reverse their decisions to enter the transfer portal and come back to Ole Miss? No. Dottery is a middle linebacker and Ole Miss is already reportedly planning to hold Umanmielen to a contract he already signed.
However, even before this week, Ole Miss had signed a lot of defensive players, in addition to other players returning (although that’s become less certain).
Will Echoles, Kam Franklin and Jam Brown are set to return along the defensive line. Ole Miss has added a pair of defensive linemen from the portal in Florida’s Michai Boireau and Colorado’s Jeheim Oatis. The Rebels also added an edge player, Nelson Maldonado, and a linebacker, Keaton Thomas.
The Rebels would absolutely be better with Dottery and/or Umanmielen back in the fold, but if not, the sky definitely isn’t falling in Oxford.
Ole Miss 2026 Transfer Portal Class
Incoming Rebels
- CB Jay Crawford (Auburn)
- LB Keaton Thomas (Baylor)
- EDGE Nelson Maldonado (Nevada)
- CB Sharif Denson (Florida)
- DL Michai Boireau (Florida)
- DL Jeheim Oatis (Colorado)
- OL Carius Curne (LSU)
- S Edwin Joseph (Florida State)
- S Joenel Aguero (Georgia)
- QB Deuce Knight (Auburn)
- WR Cameron Miller (Kentucky)
- OL Troy Everett (Oklahoma)
- QB Walker Howard (Louisiana)
- WR Darrell Gill (Syracuse)
- WR Isaiah Spencer (Virginia Tech)
- LB Tah’j Butler (Georgia Tech)
- Edge Jordan Renaud (Alabama)
Outgoing Rebels
- QB Austin Simmons (Missouri)
- RB Domonique Thomas
- OL PJ Wilkins
- WR Winston Watkins
- LB Jaden Yates (Houston)
- CB Ricky Fletcher
- CB Chris Graves Jr.
- OL Ethan Fields
- OL Jude Foster
- S TJ Banks
- OL Devin Harper
- LB TJ Dottery
- Edge Princewill Umanmielen
- Edge Da’Shawn Womack
