Potential star Ole Miss wide receiver denied eligibility and 'will not be a part' of the Rebels program for 2024 season

A bombshell report was dropped on the Ole Miss offense today as initial leaks regarding potential star junior college wide receiver transfer Deion Smith began to surface ahead of Lane Kiffin's media availability on Wednesday. Smith had been seeking to gain academic eligibility this summer via some classes ahead of the 2024 season, but apparently that process did not go well.

When asked about Deion Smith and his eligibility with the Ole Miss program Lane Kiffin conveyed his clear disappointment.

"Like I said before, when there were reports that he was eligible and cleared, and going to practice...I don't know where those came from. Why did people say that? Today I was told that [Deion Smith] will not be a part of our program. That seems to be the case. We wish him the best of luck. Wish it would have worked out."

There were some reports throughout late summer and early fall camp that suggested Deion Smith could indeed be eligible for the 2024 season. In fact, one report went as far as saying that he was officially cleared for practice. Apparently those reports were inaccurate as Deion Smith struggled to gain academic eligibility ahead of this season and he will not suit up for Ole Miss at all this fall.

Deion Smith posted an incredible season last year with almost 1100 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games for Holmes Community College. That wildly productive season launched him up the JUCO transfer rankings for all the major recruiting services like 247Sports and On3. Smith was a consensus top three JUCO player this cycle and could have been a real star for Ole Miss, but that apparently won't be the case.

This is the second time Smith has failed to get off-field aspects together in his career. He started off hot on the field for LSU as a true freshman back in 2021, but quickly had to resort to JUCO after that season. Now he's failed to regain eligibility for 2024. Hopefully Smith can land somewhere and get his off-field act together because he's an incredibly gifted talent.

Be looking for more Ole Miss Rebels coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!