At long last, Deion Smith has finally made his arrival in Oxford. For Ole Miss fans, this is news worthy of a massive sigh of relief. Smith is a Jackson, MS native who originally committed to Lane Kiffin and the Rebels in December. At the time of his commitment, he was the highest-ranked junior college prospect, regardless of position, according to 247Sports.
However, things took a bit of a downward turn not long after his commitment. There was major speculation that his eligibility was going to be in question, mainly surrounding his grade point average. These GPA issues were apparently stemming from his days at LSU as a freshman. However, over the Spring semester, and some of the Summer sessions, he stayed at Holmes Community College to finish up some coursework.
That work has paid off, as he finally arrived in Oxford late last week, with the all-clear to suit up for the Rebels this season.
What Does Deion Smith Bring to the Table?
Listed as a 6’4″, 200-pound receiver, he’s tall for his position but is still likely to need to gain weight in a conference as physical as the SEC. The good news is that, despite some weight questions, he’s shown the ability to have a solid impact in the SEC already. As a freshman at LSU in 2021, he caught 11 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns in limited game time.
Following that freshman season, amid academic struggles, he transferred to Holmes CC. Last year, in eight games with the Bulldogs, he brought in 48 passes for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. That averages out to 22 yards per catch. He’s tall, he’s fast, and he has tremendous athleticism. In other words, he’s assuredly a bona fide deep threat. For an Ole Miss offense that loves to move fast and take chances, that’s a great weapon to have.
Where Does Smith Fit Into the Rebels Current Roster?
While we know what Smith brings to the table, one other major question is where he fits in on the current roster. Even without Smith on the roster, many were speculating that the Rebels may have the best-receiving corps in the country. With Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins returning, they’re sure to be two of Jaxson Dart’s favorite targets. Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee have now both had a full season and offseason to become more accustomed to the college game, which could lead to them getting a decent bump in targets.
Then there’s “Juice” Wells. Wells was the number three rated portal receiver in this year’s portal, which landed in Oxford following two years in South Carolina. And that’s just at the receiver position.
Then you have the tight ends, Caden Prieskorn and Dae’Quan Wright. Prieskorn has been in Oxford for one season already, after transferring from Memphis. In that one season as a Rebel, he brought in 30 catches for 449 yards and four touchdowns. That proved to be good for fourth on the team in terms of receptions.
Wright is entering his first year at Ole Miss, following his transfer from Virginia Tech. As a Hokie for two seasons, Wright caught 47 passes for 574 yards. Having two pass-catching tight ends to go along with a crowded receiving room is certain to limit the number of targets any one player gets. This is especially true for a guy like Smith, who missed all of spring and summer practice.
For that reason, don’t expect Smith to necessarily have an immediate impact. By the end of the season he likely will, but early on, expect Dart to lean heavily on guys that he’s far more comfortable with.
Ole Miss Will Be Fine, Regardless of the Impact of Smith
Anytime you have a guy with Smith’s talent, it’s a huge plus to have him on your side. But in a time with so many unknowns, it’s also important to stay prepared for worst-case scenarios. This is what Kiffin has managed to do in regards to Smith. Even with the commitment of Smith, Kiffin made sure to have a solid group of receivers ready, so that he wasn’t reliant solely on one guy to lead the way.
With the roller coaster ride that has been Smith’s eligibility, this preparation has become a blessing of sorts for Kiffin, Ole Miss, and Rebel fans. Obviously, everyone is expecting big things from the transfer wideout, especially with the announcement that he’s eligible and ready to go this season. However, regardless of what happens with Smith, the Ole Miss receiver room is in tremendous shape as we all prepare for the new season.
