Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding has a tall task in trying to replicate arguably the best defense in school history. The Rebels lost a ton of talent at all three levels of the defense from the 2024 team, but Golding is one of the best in the business and has put together another strong roster. The defensive line is making noise in camp and is loaded with talent, but the linebacker position might be equally good.
Last year, the Rebels brought in Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. from Arkansas, and he was an instant starter and all conference level player. His ability to just fly around, make plays, and innate football IQ is hard to replicate. Ole Miss attempted to bring him back for a second season in the red and blue, but Pooh opted for the NFL, where he ended up being a fifth round pick by the LA Rams. Pooh is having a great camp with the Rams and should have a decent role at the next level.
Pooh was only one half of the line backing duo of last season. The Rebels return junior TJ Dottery who played his first season for Ole Miss after sitting his first year following his late transfer from Clemson. Dottery is the heartbeat of Golding's defense, he wore the mic last season and will continue the important duty of relaying the calls to his teammates.
He truly was a revelation last season and is an NFL talent. He notched 76 tackles, recorded 2 sacks and forced a fumble. Furthermore, he has taken on an increase leadership role with the team and was one of three rebels who attended SEC Media Days. There are zero question marks for Dottery, he will be really good and potentially an all-sec performer.
Attention turned to the transfer portal to try and find a suitable replacement for Pooh Paul. The rebels landed Jaden Yates from Marshall, flipped Andrew Jones from Grambling State away from his South Carolina pledge and brought in Tahj Chambers from Missouri State. These three along with journey man rebel Tyler Banks, the recent Chucky Mullins Award winner, would compete for the spot.
So far in camp, perhaps the least heralded recruit, Chambers, is making all of the noise. DC Golding loved Chambers' athletic ability out of the portal, as he has the skill set to move sideline to sideline like Paul did. However, Chambers was unranked in the transfer portal.
At Missouri State, Tahj evolved into a three-year starting linebacker, accumulating 196 career tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 8 quarterback pressures, and 2 interceptions. In 2024, he posted 88 tackles, 7 TFLs, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery—earning second-team All-MVFC honors and serving as a team captain
Chambers saw Ole Miss as an environment where “linebackers are built to succeed.” He sought a platform to elevate his game and get noticed by NFL scouts—opportunities he felt were limited at Missouri State. Arriving in spring gave him a head start in mastering a complex playbook under coordinator Pete Golding. Chambers credited spring for providing the necessary “foundation” for fall camp readiness. Chambers has also lauded Golding as "genius" and is soaking up everything he can from one of the better coordinators in all of college football.
Chambers entered Oxford at about 215 lbs but bulked up to 235 lbs within months—fuelled, in his words, by “they feed us a lot here.” This weight gain reflects not just added mass, but increased strength and speed. Chambers fits the mold of prototypical SEC linebacker and might be the perfect Pooh Paul replacement in a partnership with TJ Dottery. Beyond that, the Rebel's linebacker room is in good shape depth wise as they head into the season.