Ole Miss knows it needs wide receivers from the transfer portal and has seen various players visit this past week. One of those is Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr., the No.1 ranked receiver in the portal.
The Rebels look to be a top suitor for the talented playmaker, with the latest reports suggesting that Singleton Jr. could command upwards of $! million in NIL money. If those rumors are true, Ole Miss could cool its interest in the former Yellow Jackets wide receiver.
Georgia Tech WR Eric Singleton Jr. is expected to command over $1M in the transfer portal, @PeteNakos_ reports💰
— On3 (@On3sports) December 17, 2024
Singleton's top schools consist of LSU, Texas, Auburn, Miami, and Ole Miss.
Intel: https://t.co/z0cVK5bxT9 pic.twitter.com/csrMWmpcV4
2024 Lane Kiffin suggests paying up at certain positions is a bad move
Eric Singleton Jr. is a fabulous player, and if those figures are correct and that is what he wants, that would be great news for him if he gets it. However, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin will likely not pay that for a wide receiver.
With the talented wide receivers in the portal, Lane Kiffin could acquire players at the position without breaking the NIL bank. He has already brought in De’Zhaun Stribling from Oklahoma State, who performed better than Singleton in 2024 and will cost much less.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
— Zach Berry (@Zach_Berry) December 17, 2024
No. 8 is in as Oklahoma State WR De'Zhaun Stribling has committed to Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound prospect from Kapolei (Hawaii) had 52 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns this season. 🦈📈@OMSpiritOn3 has more here https://t.co/Mr51IP9WHd pic.twitter.com/OLQQeojcpM
Singleton may be a better player, but Kiffin's model for constructing the skill positions on offense is that more is better, as long as the more are still quality players. If Kiffin decides to use $1 million of the NIL purse on the Georgia Tech transfer, other areas will suffer.
It allows him to avoid skimping in the trenches, which was effective on defense before the 2024 season. Yes, the running back position was affected, as he tried the same strategy: reportedly not paying Quinshon Judkins and bringing in several running backs to cover the hole Judkins had left.
It would not deter the Ole Miss head coach from doing it again, using the 2024 failures as a learning curve. For example, say the Rebels bring in Dane Key alongside Stribling. The wide receiver room is still bursting with talent without losing a huge chunk of those NIL funds.
On the flip side, if he feels he can still build the rest of the roster while spending that money on Eric Singleton Jr., he will. However, my initial thoughts are that he has too many holes on the roster to spend that money on one player at the skill positions on offense.