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Ole Miss’ De’Zhaun Stribling ranks Top 5 among SEC returning WRs

Ben Garrettby: Ben Garrett06/14/25SpiritBen
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Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling (Photo credit: Ole Miss Football/Instagram)

De’Zhaun Stribling is one of the highest-graded returning wide receivers in the SEC, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Leading the way is Oklahoma’s Javonnie Gibson (81.7), followed by Alabama’s Germie Bernard (79.9), Missouri’s Kevin Coleman (79.2) and Oklahoma’s Keontez Lewis (78.7). 

Stribling came in at No. 5 with a 77.7 grade. The Rebels pulled him from the NCAA Transfer Portal in the off-season. Stribling had a career-high 52 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns for Oklahoma State last season. 

Included was four 100-yard performances.

“Really just trying to go somewhere where I can catch the ball and score some touchdowns and win games,” Stribling said in the spring of his transfer decision. “That was the process going into it. There’s a lot of great receivers to come through here — guys who have won a lot of games and scored a lot of points. 

“I wanted to be part of something like that.”

RELATED: Cayden Lee is Ole Miss’ new No. 1 receiver and feels more explosive than ever

Stribling is the leading candidate to replace Tre Harris at ‘X.’

Harris was the Rebels’ top receiver in 2024-25. He was a second-round NFL Draft selection of the Los Angeles Chargers after setting records as a Rebel. Harris finished as one of just 11 receivers in school history to break the 2,000-mark in a career. He was a second-team All-American as a junior.

Ole Miss threw for 4,558 yards and 31 touchdowns as a team.

“You saw what [Harris] did last year in the games he played,” Stribling said. “Not just him, but the three receivers they had also. The ball will be thrown out there and there are points to score.”

Ole Miss also lost Jordan Watkins, Juice Wells and others following its third 10-win season in four years. Watkins was drafted in the fourth round and is already turning heads with the San Francisco 49ers. Wells ended up with Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants. 

Dart in April became the second Rebel drafted after defensive lineman Walter Nolen, who this week signed a four-year, $19.3 million rookie contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Nolen also threw out the first pitch at an Arizona Diamondbacks game.

Dart also went in the first round, only at No. 25 overall.

RELATED: Ole Miss wide receiver Cayden Lee’s SEC snub raises eyebrows

Dart’s replacement at Ole Miss is third-year quarterback Austin Simmons. 

“Austin’s a great guy, great leader,” Stribling said. Stribling will wear No. 1 like so many great Ole Miss receivers before him. “He’s young, but he’s getting a hold of everything. Offensively things are going smoothly and clicking and stuff like that. He and I go out and eat once a week — just a recap of what the week was like and how the day was. 

“Having not just a quarterback but a friend who cares about you is really good.”

Stribling was one of five transfer wide receivers signed by the Rebels in a portal class ranked No. 3 in the country by On3. The others were Caleb Odom (Alabama), Deuce Alexander (Wake Forest), Traylon Ray (West Virginia) and Harrison Wallace (Penn State).

Junior Cayden Lee is the lone meaningful contributor returning at wide receiver. Lee didn’t have a single drop last season. CBS Sports recently ranked Ole Miss just outside of the Top 5 of its best WR rooms in college football for 2025-26.

Lee has played in 23 career games as a Rebel with 62 catches for 988 yards and four touchdowns.

“We can all help each other,” Lee said. “If I’m doing my thing in the middle and there’s no support on the outside, just bracket me, double team me. Vice versa, just bracket the outside guys. We’ve got some really good receivers on the outside.

“We’re real deep and explosive at all positions, from the slot to the outside. There’s no drop-off so far.”

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