Miami surprised many as one of college football’s top teams last season, advancing through the College Football Playoff to the national title game, where it lost 27–21 to Indiana.
Along the way, the Hurricanes defeated No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round, No. 2 Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, and Ole Miss in a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl, delivering the program’s best season in years.
Tommy Kinsler IV, a 6’6″, 340-pound offensive tackle for Miami, entered the transfer portal during the short window made available to players from national championship teams and quickly drew interest from several SEC programs.
After visiting multiple schools, it was reported Saturday that Kinsler has committed to Ole Miss, joining the same program whose season he helped end just two weeks earlier.
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Kinsler joined Miami’s program as a four-star recruit and the No. 22 offensive tackle in the 2023 class, according to Rivals, coming out of Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Florida. Before committing to the Hurricanes, he held offers from more than a dozen programs, including Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Rutgers.
Listed as a redshirt sophomore, Kinsler took rotational and developmental snaps across the 2023–25 seasons and was projected to compete for a starting role in 2026 before entering the transfer portal.
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Ole Miss completed a historic 2025 season of its own, earning the program’s first-ever CFP berth, defeating No. 11 Tulane in the first round and No. 3 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl before falling to Miami in the CFP semifinals.
That loss, combined with offseason roster turnover, left Ole Miss actively pursuing portal reinforcements, with offensive line identified as a priority need, making Kinsler’s availability a clear target for the Rebels.
By landing Kinsler, Ole Miss adds a long, physically ready tackle with Power Five experience who still has two seasons of eligibility.