Transfer RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt Announces Commitment to Ole Miss Rebels

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels are taking full advantage of the spring window for the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; New Mexico Lobos running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (5) / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

OXFORD, Miss. – The spring window for the NCAA Transfer Portal opened on Tuesday, and the Ole Miss Rebels football team has already added another player to bolster its roster, as former New Mexico Lobos running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt announced via social media on Friday afternoon that he has pledged to Lane Kiffin’s squad.

“I got a purpose .. why not me?” Croskey-Merritt said via X (formerly Twitter.)

Croskey-Merritt is a welcome addition to an Ole Miss running back room that needed some extra depth after superstar tailback Quinshon Judkins transferred to the Ohio State Buckeyes following the 2023 season. While the depth situation is not dire in Oxford, it never hurts to have plenty of horses in the race, so to speak – especially when your team is trying to make a playoff run.

Croskey-Merritt is making the jump to the Southeastern Conference after having a stellar 2023 campaign with New Mexico. In 12 games, the 5-11, 204-pound running back rushed for 1,190 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns on 189 attempts while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. The Montgomery, Ala., native spent the first three years of his collegiate career with the Alabama State Hornets and registered 1,053 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 283 attempts.

Per SEC Stat Cat, Croskey-Merritt was among 335 running backs who received at least 40 designed carries last season and ranked inside the top 40 in both yards after contact average and missed tackles forced rate. It appears Kiffin has found another gem from the plentiful transfer portal.