Ole Miss Football Battling for Sought-After Miami Hurricanes Transfer Safety
Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels remain active in the NCAA Transfer Portal market this offseason with a focus on the defensive backfield.
After starting off the spring window with a commitment from Clemson’s Tavoy Feagin, the Rebels have continued hitting the recruiting trail.
It’s gone “according to plan” to this point with Kiffin and Co. looking to reconstruct the secondary and bolster the talent level ahead of the 2025 season.
“A lot of work to do in the secondary,” Kiffin said during Spring Camp. “There’s so many new pieces. Even though there were new pieces last year, they had played a lot.
“You’d seen them start in the SEC, a lot of returning guys. Right now, I feel there’s a lot of guys in new schemes here, especially the back seven defensively, that need to get used to that.
“So we do a lot of reps and a lot of different situations to continue to expose guys to that so we can evaluate them.”
Ole Miss hosted Miami Hurricanes transfer Zaquan Patterson for a visit to Oxford last weekend with the program emerging as serious contenders.
The talented ACC defensive back has checked in with Ole Miss and Florida to this point with other programs also looking to enter the mix, according to O3 Sports.c
Miami safety Zaquan Patterson has visited Florida and Ole Miss, and a Big 12 program is doing everything it can to enter the mix.
Former four-star recruit had 19 tackles as a true freshman.
Intel: pic.twitter.com/izGNrZdI2d
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 28, 2025
The rising sophomore is a Top-25 available safety, according to On3 Sports, and played in every game last season for the Hurricanes.
Patterson finished the 2024 season with 19 tackles and three pass break-ups during the 2024 season as a true freshman.
Ole Miss is also in the thick of it for the No. 1 available safety in the Transfer Portal.
AJ Haulcy: Houston [Safety]
The Rebels have been linked to the No. 1 safety available in the NCAA Transfer Portal: Houston’s AJ Haulcy.
The 6-foot, 215-pounder totaled 74 tackles, five interceptions and 13 pass breakups during the 2024 season with the Cougars on his way to First Team All-Big 12 honors.
He’s quickly emerged as one of the top prospects available with Ole Miss now set to battle against the Miami Hurricanes for his services.
He’ll be in Coral Gables on Monday for a visit with the Hurricanes. Miami, Ole Miss and LSU remain three programs in the mix, according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
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