When Ole Miss' season ended on Thursday Night, it started the first true test for Pete Golding. Lane Kiffin's departure was going to create some semblance of turnover in the roster, as we've seen Matt Campbell, Eric Morris, and several other head coaches raid their old rosters for their new schools. Given how much Lane Kiffin uses the Transfer Portal, it's only a bigger challenge to try to defend against him.
Ole Miss and Pete Golding picked up a massive win when they were able to sign Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy for another season. Chambliss has to find a way to be ruled eligible, but if he's playing college football it will be in Oxford. The difficulty is that you can't re-sign every player, and now that the Transfer Portal is open, key pieces may depart.
Lane Kiffin could land Winston Watkins as first Ole Miss defection
On Friday, one of the first Ole Miss Rebels to hit the Transfer Portal after the season ended was freshman wide receiver Winston Watkins.
NEW: Ole Miss true freshman WR Winston Watkins Jr. plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @Hayesfawcett3 reports. https://t.co/oo0J7ZFqxK pic.twitter.com/EFlIHMZw0D
— On3 (@On3sports) January 9, 2026
Almost instantly after Winston Watkins entered the Transfer Portal, recruiting insiders named LSU as the school to watch.
True freshman WR Winston Watkins is entering the transfer portal. LSU is the expected landing spot
— Tyler Komis (@TylerKomis) January 9, 2026
Watkins earned playing time early with Ole Miss, catching 26 passes for 373 yards and a TD. pic.twitter.com/qpZGAizXaD
It's unclear if Lane Kiffin will actually go after his former wide receiver as he and the Tigers have went all in on the position using the Transfer Portal. The Tigers have already added 7 transfer wide receivers which would make Watkins the 8th which is frankly hard to imagine a team doing in one offseason.
This season, Winston Watkins caught 26 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown while adding 21 rushing yards. Watkins was incredibly exciting in limited playing time, and if he doesn't just follow Lane Kiffin to LSU, he should have a large group of teams that would love to add him to their wide receiver room.