Ole Miss enters 2026 with a linebacker room that looks a lot different - and a lot stronger - than it did a year ago.
Even with TJ Dottery gone, this group has the kind of upgrade that can change the feel of an entire defense. The room may not have a Patrick Willis-level star, but it could be the most talented Ole Miss has had at linebacker since P-Willy and Rory Johnson were wrecking offenses back in 2006. That’s the kind of ceiling this unit brings into the season.
The projected top three are pretty clear. Keaton Thomas, Luke Ferrelli and Suntarine Perkins are set to drive the rotation in a 4-3 look. If Ole Miss goes with a 4-2-5, Perkins is likely to be used as a standing outside edge rusher instead.
Thomas, a senior transfer from Baylor, comes in at 6’1” and 240 pounds. Ferrelli, a sophomore transfer from Cal, is listed at 6’3” and 230.
Perkins, also a senior, checks in at 6’2” and 220. Together, they give Ole Miss the kind of size, speed and versatility that can make life miserable for opposing offenses.
Behind them, Tony Mitchell and Raymond Collins should be key depth options. Mitchell is a senior transfer from Mississippi State, listed at 6’1” and 240.
Collins, a senior at 6’2” and 235, adds another experienced body to the mix. Tah’j Butler and Jacorby Hopson also have a real chance to carve out roles, giving the Rebels even more options as the season unfolds.
The rest of the room adds depth and long-term intrigue. Mark Trigg Jr. is a junior at 6’1” and 200.
Hopson is a redshirt freshman at 6’2” and 250. The freshmen Ant Davis and JaMichael Garrett round out the group, with Davis listed at 6’1” and 220 and Garrett at 6’2” and 200.
What stands out most is how much this front seven could do as a whole. The run defense should be hard to move, and there’s plenty of pass-rush juice here too. If Ole Miss gets back to its 2024 level on defense and the offense performs like it did last year, 2026 has the chance to be special.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Defense Could Decide How Dangerous This Team Becomes
Pete Golding is entering his first full season with Ole Miss looking at the roster through a defensive lens, and that side of the ball may end up shaping how far this team can go. The Rebels have brought in several new faces through the transfer portal on defense, while the offense at least has some familiar anchors in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, giving the program a steadier base as camp starts to take shape.
Golding has sounded confident that the experience already on hand, combined with the newcomers, can help Ole Miss absorb new defensive concepts without much drag. For a team with enough offensive stability to believe in its ceiling, the real question is whether the defense can come together quickly enough to match it, because that could be the difference between being good and being something a lot more dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Got An Early Read On Its 2026 National Standing
The preseason Super 16 for 2026 arrived with the usual early peek at the national pecking order, and the SEC once again showed up in force. Ohio State and Oregon opened at No. 1 and No. 2, while the league landed seven teams in the poll, a reminder that the conferences top end still carries plenty of weight even before a snap is played. The rankings come from a collaboration between the National Football Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America, with ballots from FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers shaping the first impression.
For Ole Miss, the broader takeaway is what this kind of list says about the road ahead in the SEC picture, where the Rebels are part of a crowded field trying to measure themselves against the leagues best. Texas sits at No. 4 and Georgia at No. 5, and the poll also features Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama, while Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Florida and South Carolina were left out. The early national conversation is already tilting toward conference heavyweights, and the Rebels will spend the months ahead trying to make sure they stay in that same conversation. [Read more 🡒]