Deion Smith desperately wants to play college football on the Division-I level. The former four-star recruit is one of the most talented wide receivers in the country but academic issues continue to plague his incredibly frustrating career.
With spring practice underway at programs all over the country, he would love the opportunity to get back on the field.
Smith hails from Jackson, Mississippi and initially committed to play for Mississippi State out of high school in the college football recruiting Class of 2020. Ed Orgeron later flipped him to LSU but the 6-foot-4, 190-pound pass-catcher spent only one year in Baton Rouge.
His freshman year was cut short due to injury. He caught 11 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns in six games and then he entered the transfer portal after the season.
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss immediately recruited Smith back to his home state. Everything was trending in that direction right up to the very last minute. And then it got messy.
Deion Smith was unable to transfer from LSU to Ole Miss because of academic issues. He was forced to play his sophomore year at Holmes Community College and caught 48 passes for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. There was no better wide receiver on the JUCO level.
Although a number of other schools jumped into the mix, Smith stayed true to his commitment to the Rebels. The top-ranked junior college transfer officially signed with Ole Miss last January and pulled up to hhis National Signing Day ceremony in a Lamborghini. It was a huge get for one of the most explosive offenses in college football. Kiffin could not wait to get him in the system.
That never happened.
Smith was ineligible for spring practice due to poor grades. His summer classes at Mid-American Christian were also deemed as insufficient by the NCAA. At no point did he take the field for the Rebels.
Today, I was told [Deion Smith] would not be a part of our program. Wish him the best of luck.
— Lane Kiffin on Aug. 28, 2024
As a result of his academic challenges, Deion Smith was forced to sit out all of 2024. The entire season was a loss. However, it appears as though everything is good to go for 2025.
Looking for a home that can take me if so hit my dm Ready to get to work !!
— @deion1_ / X
Smith would like to get back on the field.
Just need a home IM READY !!
— @deion1_ / X
As of this writing, Ole Miss has yet to show any public interest in a potential second third chance. That could very well change. The Rebels would likely love to add another talented wide receiver to their roster if the eligibility issues are truly under control. But they might not be willing to deal with the headache for the third season in a row.
Either way, Deion Smith is probably the most talented pass-catcher available to Division-I programs right now. So long as his grades are in order, he could be a sleeping giant. In the meantime, the academically-challenged athlete is begging for another opportunity.