In addition to the Lane Kiffin drama, Ole Miss is tasked with determining its 2026 starting quarterback while still competing in the College Football Playoffs. While the Rebels hold out hope that Trinidad Chambliss can return for an additional year, they are also in the running to land former Auburn star Deuce Knight from the college football transfer portal.
Knight, a former five-star recruit, entered the portal after one year with the Tigers. He has already been linked to several prominent Power Four programs, but his connection with Ole Miss appears to be the strongest, according to On3 Sports' Pete Nakos.
“Sources tell On3 that Ole Miss is the team to watch in this recruitment,” Nakos wrote. “It has been rumored that Knight could potentially take a visit to Oxford on Tuesday, but sources have said that will not happen as Ole Miss travels to Phoenix for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Miami. Barring a decision to return to Auburn, Ole Miss is in a good spot in this recruitment.”
Chambliss applied for an additional year of eligibility and is awaiting approval from the NCAA. The 23-year-old is in his fourth year after spending his first three at Division II Ferris State, but his agent is pushing for the same clause that allowed Diego Pavia to play for Vanderbilt in 2025.
Chambliss has also become a dark horse 2026 NFL Draft prospect with his strong end to the season. He is currently ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s sixth-best quarterback of the class, ahead of Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier.
Ole Miss target Deuce Knight among top transfer portal QBs
Knight recorded 259 passing yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, 178 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in two games with Auburn in 2025. Most of those numbers came in his lone start of the year, a Nov. 22 home game against Mercer.
Knight was the third quarterback to start for Auburn in 2025. He entered the offseason in a three-way battle with incoming transfers Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels and ended up behind the veterans with the intention of using his redshirt year. He started against Mercer while Daniels rested, so the latter could also use his redshirt year and return to college football in 2026.
Knight opted to transfer at the end of the season, roughly one month after Auburn fired head coach Hugh Freeze. The Tigers have already hired Alex Golesh from USF as Freeze's replacement, but still lost all three starting quarterbacks to the transfer portal. Knight, however, has not ruled out a potential return.
