Former Baylor Bears linebacker Keaton Thomas has committed to the Ole Miss Rebels, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reports. Thomas began his career at the JUCO level, making a jump up to Baylor. Now, another move comes as the linebacker will get to play in the SEC.
Two seasons were spent in Waco for Thomas after starting at Northeast Mississippi CC. Bears head coach Dave Aranda is certainly one of the best defensive minds out there, being a part of the draw. Surely it’s similar when it comes to committing to Ole Miss, wanting to play under Pete Golding.
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Thomas was one tackle shy of reaching 100 in back-to-back seasons. He finished with 99, while adding a sack, three pass breakups, and an interception. The efforts were enough to get him named to the All-Big 12 second team.
Per the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings, Thomas was a three-star prospect with an 88.89 rating. Overall, he is the No. 245 overall player and No. 16 when it comes to linebackers. This is a couple of years removed from being a top-50 JUCO player before signing with Baylor.
Ole Miss will feel as if a quality player is heading to Oxford. Golding takes over the job on a full-time basis and still wants to keep his defense at an elite level. Thomas should be able to help the cause.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
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Ole Miss heading into new era with Pete Golding
The 2025 journey has been a wild one for Ole Miss, losing Lane Kiffin to LSU. Even so, it’s far from over as a College Football Playoff semifinal is set to take place on Friday. Ole Miss is just two wins away from winning the national championship.
Golding is going to be in charge of the program, no matter how the next few weeks play out. A long-time defensive coordinator, he now becomes a head coach for the first time in his life. Fans in Oxford already love Golding for how the current situation has been handled by him.
Defensive players continually state how much they enjoy playing for Golding. Crawford might wind up being the next one, joining the fray. Expectations are likely going to once again be high for Ole Miss heading into the 2026 season.
