Ole Miss is heading into 2026 with a very different look at the pass-catching spots, and that puts Caleb Odom squarely in the spotlight.
The Rebels are moving on from a loaded group that helped power the 2025 team to two playoff wins under head coach Pete Golding. De’Zhaun Stribling, Cayden Lee, Dae’Quan Wright and Harrison Wallace are all gone, with Stribling, Wright and Wallace heading to the NFL and Lee transferring to the Missouri Tigers. That leaves Ole Miss searching for a steady option in the passing game, and Deuce Alexander looks like the most likely answer as the only returning starter from that group.
But Odom is the name that stands out as a possible difference-maker.
He didn’t get a ton of run during the Rebels’ historic 2025 season, largely because Wright was entrenched as the starting tight end and became one of Trinidad Chambliss’ most reliable targets. Wright finished with 35 catches for 635 yards and five touchdowns. Odom, meanwhile, made the most of his limited chances, finishing with 19 receptions for 197 yards and two scores.
There were still moments that hinted at what he can be. Against Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinal, Odom came through with a clutch two-point conversion, a small play that said plenty about how Ole Miss views him.
At six-foot-five and 240 pounds, Odom brings rare size and speed to the position. He’s the kind of physical mismatch who can stress a defense in more than one way, and that makes him especially intriguing in an offense that has leaned on tight ends heavily.
That part matters, because Ole Miss has used tight ends as key pieces in both the passing game and the run game. They’re often involved in RPO looks or sent up the seams, opening up space for the wide receivers around them.
The coordinator change shouldn’t shake that identity much. With Charlie Weis Jr. leaving alongside Lane Kiffin for LSU, Ole Miss brought in John David Baker as its new offensive coordinator. Baker already knows the system, and many analysts do not expect the play-calling to look drastically different in 2026.
That sets up a real opportunity for Odom. He could be in line for a breakout season, and some around the program see him as a potential All-American type of player in Baker’s offense. As Chambliss continues to grow in the system, Odom should grow with him, and fall camp will give the clearest look yet at how that connection is developing.
If the Rebels are going to chase the same kind of success they had in 2025, Odom and Chambliss could end up at the center of it.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Has One Line Question That Could Define Trinidad Chambliss
Ole Miss has spent most of fall camp answering questions, but the line in front of Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy still has a few moving parts. The interior looks like a real strength with returning pieces Brycen Sanders, Delano Townsend and Patrick Kutas, and that should give the Rebels some stability where it matters most. Still, for an offense trying to take shape under Pete Golding, the front five is more than a depth chart exercise - it is the foundation for how far the group can go this season.
The uncertainty is centered on the edge, where right tackle is still being sorted out with Carius Curne, Tommy Kinsler IV and Connor Howes all in the mix. A decision there will carry weight beyond one job title, because the fit in front of Chambliss will help determine how cleanly the offense can function. Golding and Chambliss have both made clear that the line's play will be a defining factor, and the final answer on that spot is shaping up to be one of camp's most important calls. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces A Big Defensive Test After Losing Princewill Umanmielen
Replacing Princewill Umanmielen is going to take more than one player, and Ole Miss is already leaning into a committee approach on the edge. Defensive coordinator Bryan Brown said the Rebels will spread those snaps around, with transfers Blake Purchase and Jonathan Maldonado among the pieces expected to help steady a spot that suddenly looks a lot different.
Brown also pointed to a growing leadership core on that side of the ball, naming Will Echoles, Keaton Thomas and Luke Ferrelli as players finding their voice. The timing matters with senior Suntarine Perkins earning the 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, a recognition that reflects his leadership and perseverance and gives the defense a veteran presence to build around as it sorts out the next step. [Read more 🡒]