Dae’Quan Wright is reportedly in the transfer portal.
He’s the second former Ole Miss player to enter after the Louisiana temporary restraining order opened the door for 16 players to return to college football.
Zxavian Harris went in earlier this week. Wydett Williams is the only other Rebel affected by the ruling, and so far there’s been nothing indicating he plans to join Harris and Wright.
Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright has entered the college transfer portal, @chris_hummer and I have learned.
The former Ole Miss star is currently on the Browns’ roster. pic.twitter.com/0uvkWI7zk4
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 20, 2026
Ole Miss shouldn’t bring any of them back.
Not because of some moral stance about NFL players returning to college. Not because anyone did anything wrong. It’s just the reality of timing, roster construction and how college football works in late August.
Wright is currently in camp with the Cleveland Browns. Harris was in camp with the Saints. Williams is still with the Cardinals. All three were part of last year’s roster, and all three were good players. Wright caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns during Ole Miss’ playoff run. Harris was a starter on the defensive line. Williams was a depth piece with upside.
But the Rebels aren’t operating in January or May. They’re operating two weeks before the season.
Roster spots are spoken for. Revenue share and NIL allocations have already been distributed. The locker room has its chemistry. The vibes are set. Offense and defense installations are done. Game plans for Louisville and beyond are being built around the players who have been in Oxford all summer.
Dropping one or more former players into that mix now would be like trying to add ingredients to a dish after it’s already in the oven. Even if the ingredients are good, the timing is bad.
And that’s before you get into the practical side. Adding a tight end or defensive lineman this late means someone else loses reps, loses snaps or loses a role they’ve earned. It means reshuffling depth charts and position groups that have already settled. It means coaches adjusting personnel packages they’ve spent months refining.
There’s also the SEC rule that blocks players from transferring into the league outside a normal portal window. So Ole Miss fans don’t have to worry about Wright or Harris showing up at LSU. If they return to college, it’ll be somewhere outside the conference.
The TRO gave these players the right to explore their options. Entering the portal makes sense for them. But bringing them back doesn’t make sense for Ole Miss.
The Rebels have their roster. They have their plan. They have their momentum.
And at this point in the calendar, that matters more than nostalgia or familiarity.
