Former UNC football lineman Diego Pounds commits to Ole Miss

Sophomore offensive lineman Diego Pounds played in 12 of the 13 games for the UNC football program in 2023.

Pounds helped protect future top-five draft choice Drake Maye and allowed Maye to throw for nearly 4,000 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Tar Heels. He provided depth for a strong offensive line that also helped Omarion Hampton rush for 1,500 yards which was the fifth-most in college football. Instead of returning to Chapel Hill for another season, Pounds ultimately decided to enter the transfer portal.

Pounds was only in the transfer portal for a few days before announcing his commitment to the Mississippi football program Monday evening. Head coach Lane Kiffin and company have been busy in the portal since it opened on December 4.

Ole Miss has signed 11 players from the transfer portal, including the No. 1 edge rusher in the class, Princely Umanmielen from Florida State. They've also acquired the No. 1 linebacker in the class, Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr., from fellow SEC program Arkansas. Paul Jr. is not the only player that Ole Miss has gotten from an SEC school, as most of their acquisitions hail from their own conference.

Ole Miss has traditionally been active in the portal since hiring Lane Kiffin in December of 2019. Their two biggest performers in their Peach Bowl win against Penn State were from the portal in Tre Harris and Caden Prieskorn. Harris recorded seven catches for 134 yards, and Prieskorn hauled in 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-25 win over the Nittany Lions.

The Mississippi football program hopes that the addition of Diego Pounds will help their offensive line protect star junior quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart threw for 3,300 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2023 and had 380 yards and three touchdown passes in their bowl game win.

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