Carius Curne stands outside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Carius Curne doesn’t look like a “maybe.” He looks like a for sure answer. The Arkansas native (Hughes) checks in at 6’5”, 320 and already carries that SEC-ready frame that coaches covet because it doesn’t need a redshirt to “develop.” That’s the baseline. The real story is how fast his rise happened and how consistent the production was once he got on the field, from Marion High School to Baton Rouge to the portal, Curne has moved like a high-level starter the whole way.
At Marion (Ark.), Curne was a combination of violence and technique that made him a weekly problem for opposing fronts. The accolades followed: first-team 6A East All-State, two-time All-State selection, and 6A East Outstanding Lineman of the Year.
Ole Miss recognized it early. The Rebels were a legitimate factor in Curne’s recruitment, hosting him for camps and evaluations before extending an offer in June of 2023. That early interest matters now because this is not a cold portal pursuit, it’s a relationship that already existed before the national spotlight hit. As his stock exploded, so did the attention: No. 1 player in Arkansas, a Navy All-American Bowl selection, and a climb into five-star territory on the final On300 updates.
LSU ultimately won that battle out of high school. After an early commitment to Arkansas and a subsequent decommitment, LSU closed late, selling SEC development, exposure, and opportunity in the trenches. It made sense at the time. Baton Rouge has long been a proving ground for offensive linemen, and Curne entered the program with expectations that matched his recruiting profile.
What followed, however, is why he is now one of the most sought-after linemen in the portal.
As a true freshman, Curne didn’t sit and wait, he played immediately, making five starts while rotating between left and right tackle. That kind of trust is rare for first-year linemen in the SEC. Over 700+ snaps, he posted a PFF grade north of 67.0, holding his own in live reps against veteran edge talent. On a unit that struggled with consistency, Curne was one of the few linemen whose arrow consistently pointed up. The film matched the data: balance, anchor, lateral mobility, and recovery ability that simply isn’t common for a freshman.
Then came the turning point, and the controversy.
In a now-widely discussed X (formerly Twitter) post, Curne publicly stated that LSU would not place him into the transfer portal, alleging that the program was delaying or withholding his paperwork and intentionally preventing his exit. The post immediately drew national attention because of its implications, player mobility, transparency, and control in the modern portal era. For a freshman lineman with proven SEC snaps and a clear market, the delay raised eyebrows across the sport. Shortly thereafter, Curne was able to officially enter the portal, but the episode reinforced one thing: this was not a player leaving quietly or uncertainly, this was a player confident in his value and intent on finding the right situation.
Now that value is undeniable.
Curne enters the portal ranked as one of the top offensive linemen available, with On3 placing him No. 15 overall and the No. 1 offensive lineman in the portal pool. That ranking reflects both what he’s already done and what evaluators believe is next. He is not a developmental stash. He is an SEC starter with the versatility to line up at tackle on day one and the physical profile to project toward the next level. Some scouting outlets have even drawn stylistic comparisons to Jason Peters, based on frame, movement skills, and long-term upside.
For Ole Miss, the fit is obvious. Curne brings verified production, elite high-school domination, true freshman SEC starting experience, and top-of-the-market portal value all in one package. He has already played meaningful football against the best in the conference, and he’s still just scratching the surface of what he can be.
Under the steady, unapologetic leadership of Pete Golding, the Rebels didn’t just circle back; they closed. As Ole Miss sends Jayden Williams and Diego Pounds to the NFL, there was no room for hope-and-pray replacements, only answers. One was already in-house with Devin Harper. The other, Carius Curne the highest ranked offensive lineman in the portal. LSU may have won the first battle for Carius Curne’s signature, but make no mistake, Ole Miss won the war.