One of the most challenging tasks this portal season isn’t just navigating the options but also ensuring player retention. The Rebels have excelled in that area, but nothing is ever completely foolproof in today’s college football landscape.
Unfortunately, after two seasons in Oxford, one of the Rebels’ key defensive players will be leaving. Linebacker TJ Dottery has announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. The Montgomery native recorded a total of 98 tackles this past season, including 48 solo tackles, leading the Rebels in both categories. He also contributed two forced fumbles, a pair of pass breakups, and 1.5 sacks.
During his time at Oxford, Dottery emerged as one of the Rebels’ most valuable assets, amassing 174 tackles overall, with 90 being solo efforts. Before joining Ole Miss, he began his collegiate career at Clemson but only appeared in four games and redshirted. He transferred to Ole Miss in 2023 but had to sit out the regular season due to NCAA regulations. However, he did make an appearance during the postseason Peach Bowl against Penn State, where he recorded two tackles and one quarterback hurry.
Dottery was a highly regarded recruit coming out of Montgomery Catholic Prep in Alabama, ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports. He was listed as the No. 22 linebacker nationally and the No. 12 prospect from Alabama.
He leaves Oxford following one of the most historic seasons for the program, which finished with an impressive 11-1 record—the most regular-season wins in its history—and secured a spot in the College Football Playoff. Despite facing challenges late in the season, Dottery and his teammates rallied together to achieve what many thought was impossible given their circumstances. Unfortunately, their journey ended just one game shy of reaching the National Championship berth when they fell to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
It’s clear that many teams will be interested in an athlete like Dottery as he enters the portal. One team to keep an eye on could be Oregon since they were among those who competed with Clemson during his initial recruitment process.