Ole Miss Lands Georgia Tech Cornerback Zamari Walton.

Jan 23, 2023 - 3:14 PM

Lane Kiffin continues his 2021-2022 portal strategy of adding guys right up until the University’s add/drop date, reeling in a potential plug-and-play starter at cornerback. Georgia Tech senior Zamari Walton committed to Ole Miss over the weekend, bringing with him to Oxford nearly four entire years of starting experience.

Walton stands 6’3, and a highlight tape from the ACC Digital Network shows how he uses that frame to stay draped over his man, also showing the ability to find and punch the ball out of the receiver’s hands.

One thing I immediately like about Walton is that he didn’t draw out his commitment announcement for two weeks, while occasionally tweeting cryptic emojis. He just visited and made a decision like a grownup. Thanks for that, Zamari.

The Georgia Tech vet joins Miami (OH) corner John Saunders and North Texas DB DeShawn Gaddie to make a really impressive trio of defensive backs Ole Miss has grabbed from the portal.

Their contributions will be sorely needed: Ole Miss loses safeties AJ Finley and Otis Reese to graduation, cornerback Miles Battle has transferred to Utah, and safety Tysheem Johnson and cornerback Davison Igbinosun are both in the portal, though the Rebs are fighting hard to convince both of them to stay. Ole Miss also loses depth pieces in Deshaun Jerkins (UMass), Kyndrich Breedlove (Colorado), MJ Daniels (USM), Derek Bermudez, and Roman Rashada.

The Rebels added three defensive backs from the high school ranks in the early signing period: four star corner Braxton Myers, four star safety Ahmad Brown, and three star safety Daniel Demery. This means that if Tysheem Johnson and Davison Igbinosun both end up leaving, Ole Miss will have lost 10 scholarship DBs while adding six. Could this mean they’ll continue to look for a DB or two in the late signing period and/or the second transfer portal window?