Ole Miss players reported to campus Monday and in a few short days will be on the field for the first preseason practice of the 2026 season.
The Rebels will hold their first practice Thursday as they prepare for one of the most anticipated seasons in Ole Miss history. They have a two preseason Heisman candidates, will likely have a top 10 preseason ranking and are on the short list of teams to win the national championship.
If Ole Miss wants to reach those lofty heights it’ll need to be better, specifically on defense. Last season the Rebels finished 37th nationally in scoring with 21.1 points per game. They also gave up 198.9 passing yards (37th in the nation, 9th in SEC) and 157.1 rushing yards per game.
Ole Miss aimed at improving its run defense with reinforcements at linebacker and along the defensive line. The passing defense was also reinforced through the transfer portal.
Whether or not those changes improves the Rebels defense remains to be seen and with preseason practices starting this week, we’ll know soon enough.
Cornerback was one position targeted for both an infusion of talent and depth. Here’s a breakdown of the cornerbacks on the Ole Miss roster.
#0 Jalyn Crawford, Junior
- H/W: 6-foot, 180 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Played in 11 games with 10 starts at Auburn, recording 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and four pass breakups.
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss from Auburn ahead of the 2026 season.
#2 Jaylon Braxton, Junior
- H/W: 6-foot, 190 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Played in 11 games with eight starts, recording 24 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups.
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss after playing two seasons at Arkansas.
#8 Antonio Kite, Senior
- H/W: 6-foot, 190 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Started all 12 games in which he appeared, recording 34 tackles and five pass breakups.
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss after spending the 2024 season at Auburn. He began his college career at Alabama and played there from 2022-23.
#13 Cedrick Beavers, Senior
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Played in 12 games with three starts, recording six tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception and one pass breakup.
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss from Jones College and enrolled in January 2024.
#16 Dorian Barney, Freshman
- H/W: 6-foot, 185 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Recorded 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception and 12 pass breakups during his senior season at Carrollton High School.
#21 Tavoy Feagin, Sophomore
- H/W: 6-foot, 170 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in all 15 games but did not record a defensive statistic.
- How arrived in Oxford: Transferred to Ole Miss after spending the 2024 season at Clemson.
#25 Maison Dunn, Redshirt Freshman
- H/W: 6-foot-2, 185 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in two games and did not record a statistic.
- How arrived in Oxford: Member of Ole Miss’ 2024-25 signing class who enrolled early and participated in spring practice.
#27 Pat Broomfield, Sophomore
- H/W: 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in five games and did not record a statistic.
- How arrived in Oxford: Member of Ole Miss’ 2023-24 signing class.
#28 Dante Core, Redshirt Freshman
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Did not appear in a game and redshirted.
- How arrived in Oxford: Member of Ole Miss’ 2024-25 signing class.
#32 Victor Lincoln Jr., Freshman
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Recorded 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, 10 passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble during his senior season at Duncanville High School.
#34 Iverson McCoy, Freshman
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Recorded 73 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions during his senior season at Tupelo High School.
#40 Micah Stallworth, Sophomore
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 200 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in one game and did not record a statistic.
- How arrived in Oxford: Joined Ole Miss as a non-scholarship player prior to the start of 2024 fall camp.
#41 John Ross Ashley, Junior
- H/W: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in four games and did not record a statistic.
- How arrived in Oxford: Joined Ole Miss as a non-scholarship player prior to the start of 2023 spring practice.
#43 Isreal Solomon, Junior
- H/W: 5-foot-9, 175 pounds
- 2025 Stats: Appeared in 11 games and recorded two tackles.
- How arrived in Oxford: Joined Ole Miss as a non-scholarship player prior to 2025 fall camp after spending one season apiece at Colorado and Hawaii.
