OXFORD – Old Miss Football opened preseason training on Wednesday. Deion Smith, one of the Rebels’ most exciting offseason additions, was not present.
Asked if he expected Smith to join Ole Miss this season, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin was noncommittal.
“Maybe,” he said.
The 247Sports Composite ranked Smith, a wide receiver, as the nation’s top junior college prospect for the 2024 cycle. He does not appear on Ole Miss’ preseason roster. At SEC Media Days in mid-July, Kiffin said he didn’t know if Smith would be in Oxford for preseason activities.
Smith showed flashes at the SEC level, catching 11 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns at LSU as a true freshman in 2021. He then moved on to Holmes Community College.
In eight games at Holmes last season, he racked up 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wednesday also offered some positive news for the Rebels.
Juice Wells, a former All-SEC player at South Carolina, appeared to be a regular participant in practice after an injury kept him from spring training. He played in just three games for the Gamecocks last season while nursing an injury.
“I think Juice has recovered really well,” Kiffin said. “He seems to be highly competitive and really (wants) to improve. So I’m very pleased with Juice.”
Wells’ athleticism showed during the portion of practice open to the media.
It’s clear that Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was also impressed with Wells. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior caught 68 passes for 928 yards and six touchdowns in an explosive 2022 campaign at South Carolina.
“Yes, he looks very good, doesn’t he?” Dart said.
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David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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This article originally appeared in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Lane Kiffin: Ole Miss football coach on Deion Smith transfer status
